Tatra T97
Encyclopedia
The Type 97 is a mid-class saloon car from Czechoslovak car-maker Tatra
. It was produced for a short time in the pre-war period, from 1936 to 1939.
. Instead of a V8, it was powered by a 1.8-litre flat-four engine. With engine power of 29.4 kW the car could achieve top speed of 130 kilometre per hour. The design was also simplified, using just two headlights instead of three, a single-piece windscreen, and an overall smaller body. Production of the car was canceled after the Nazis annexed Czechoslovakia in 1938, possibly to avoid comparison with the KdF-Wagen (see below). At that time, 508 cars were built. In 1946, production resumed, but the new communist government quickly dropped the T97 in favor of the cheaper to build and overall 'more communistic' Tatraplan
, which was named after the Communist Planned Economy
.
used Tatra's designs since he was under huge pressure to design the Volkswagen quickly and cheaply
. According to the books Tatra - The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka and Car Wars, Adolf Hitler
called the Tatra 'this is the car for my roads'. Ferdinand Porsche
later admitted 'to have looked over Ledwinka's shoulders' while designing the Volkswagen.
Tatra sued Porsche for damages, and Porsche was willing to settle. However, Hitler canceled this, saying he 'would settle the matter.' When Czechoslovakia was invaded by the Nazis, the production of the T97 was immediately halted, and the lawsuit dropped. After the war, Tatra reopened the lawsuit against Volkswagen. In 1967, the matter was settled when Volkswagen
paid Tatra 3,000,000 Deutsche Mark in compensation.
Tatra (car)
Tatra is a vehicle manufacturer in Kopřivnice, Czech Republic. The company was founded in 1850 as Schustala & Company later renamed Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau-Fabriksgesellschaft, a wagon and carriage manufacturer, and in 1897 produced the first motor car in central Europe, the Präsident. In 1918, it...
. It was produced for a short time in the pre-war period, from 1936 to 1939.
History
The T97 was designed in 1936 as a smaller alternative to the large T87Tatra T87
The Tatra 87 is a car built by Czechoslovak manufacturer Tatra. It was praised by German officers in World War II for the superior speed and handling it offered for use on the Autobahn. It was powered by a rear-mounted 2.9 litre air-cooled 90-degree overhead cam V8 engine that produced 85...
. Instead of a V8, it was powered by a 1.8-litre flat-four engine. With engine power of 29.4 kW the car could achieve top speed of 130 kilometre per hour. The design was also simplified, using just two headlights instead of three, a single-piece windscreen, and an overall smaller body. Production of the car was canceled after the Nazis annexed Czechoslovakia in 1938, possibly to avoid comparison with the KdF-Wagen (see below). At that time, 508 cars were built. In 1946, production resumed, but the new communist government quickly dropped the T97 in favor of the cheaper to build and overall 'more communistic' Tatraplan
Tatraplan
The Tatra T600, named the Tatraplan, was a large car from the Czech manufacturer Tatra.After World War II, Tatra continued its pre-war business of building passenger cars in addition to commercial vehicles. The factory was nationalised in 1946 two years before the Communist takeover...
, which was named after the Communist Planned Economy
Planned economy
A planned economy is an economic system in which decisions regarding production and investment are embodied in a plan formulated by a central authority, usually by a government agency...
.
Resemblance to KdF-Wagen / Volkswagen Beetle
Both the streamlined design and the technical specifications, especially the air-cooled flat-four engine mounted in the back, give the T97 a striking resemblance to the KdF-Wagen or Volkswagen, the later Beetle. It is believed that PorschePorsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
used Tatra's designs since he was under huge pressure to design the Volkswagen quickly and cheaply
. According to the books Tatra - The Legacy of Hans Ledwinka and Car Wars, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
called the Tatra 'this is the car for my roads'. Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche was an Austrian automotive engineer and honorary Doctor of Engineering. He is best known for creating the first hybrid vehicle , the Volkswagen Beetle, and the Mercedes-Benz SS/SSK, as well as the first of many Porsche automobiles...
later admitted 'to have looked over Ledwinka's shoulders' while designing the Volkswagen.
Tatra sued Porsche for damages, and Porsche was willing to settle. However, Hitler canceled this, saying he 'would settle the matter.' When Czechoslovakia was invaded by the Nazis, the production of the T97 was immediately halted, and the lawsuit dropped. After the war, Tatra reopened the lawsuit against Volkswagen. In 1967, the matter was settled when Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
paid Tatra 3,000,000 Deutsche Mark in compensation.
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