|
Steyr was an Austrian automotive brand, established in 1915 as a branch of the ''Österreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft'' (ÖWG) weapon manufacturing company. Renamed ''Steyr-Werke AG'' in 1926 and merged with Austro-Daimler and Puch into Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, it continued manufacturing Steyr automobiles until 1959. ==History== The ÖWG stock company was founded in 1864 at Steyr in Upper Austria; in 1894 it had already issued a licence from the British Swift Company to manufacture bicycles under the trade-mark name ''Waffenrad''. In order to further to diversify manufacturing, the members of the executive board resolved upon fabricating Steyr automobiles and tractors. They hired 38-year-old designer Hans Ledwinka after he resigned from Nesselsdorfer-Wagenbau.〔Wise, David Burgess. "Steyr-Puch: The Legacy of the Ledwinkas", in Ward, Ian, executive editor. ''World of Automobiles'' (London: Orbis, 1974), Volume 19, p.2193.〕 Ledwinka developed Steyr's new six-cylinder car and supervised hiring engineers and mechanics. This, the 12/40PS, featured the fashionable ''spitzkuhler'' (pointed radiator) of the prewar Mercedes and had very modern features: a 3255 cc (199ci) engine with SOHC,〔Wise, p.2193.〕 ball bearing-mounted crankshaft,〔Wise, p.2194.〕 four-speed gearbox, and multi-plate clutch, but not including four-wheel brakes, though Ledwinka's designs had used them as early as 1909.〔 The ability of the engine to rev led to 4014 cc (245ci) Type VI and 4890 cc (298ci) Type VI Klausen sport versions, and it was employed in a 2½ ton truck.〔 Ledwinka again came into conflict with management when the company wanted luxury cars and he preferred a cheap, simple car, the sidevalve four-cylinder Type IV. Steyr concentrated on luxury cars.〔 Ledwinka did not give up, creating a car with an air-cooled flat-twin and backbone chassis. Management ignored him, and he quit to join Tatra, taking the design with him;〔 it also inspired the early Volkswagen Type 1. Steyr realized their mistake too late, but Ledwinka acted as consulting engineer, influencing the 1925 Type XII, with a 14/35 hp 1.5-liter OHC six, crankshaft ball bearings,〔 four-wheel brakes, half-elliptic front springs, and swing axle IRS.〔 It came in two models, a four- or five-seater tourer at ₤440 and a four-door saloon at ₤560.〔Wise, p.2195.〕 This was joined by a 3.3-liter Type VII interior drive limousine, a luxurious four-door that seated up to seven and cost ₤1000; it shared its 17.75 kW (23.8 hp) chassis with the five- to seven-place, ₤975 Coupe de Ville.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Steyr automobile」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|