ÖAF
Encyclopedia
ÖAF is an initialism for Österreichische Automobil-Fabrik, previously known as Österreichische Austro-Fiat, an Austria
n (Austro-Hungarian) car and truck manufacturer.
in 1907 and is now part of the German MAN group. The manufacture of automobiles began in the new plant built for the occasion in Vienna in 1908, while the number was only 50 employees. A truck of 4 tonnes, similar to the Italian Fiat model was manufactured from 1911. It was originally Austro-Fiat, which during the First World War began to develop their own products.
In 1925 the Austro-Fiat brand expired and the company became Osterreichische Automobil Fabrik AG, under the abbreviation ÖAF, with preservation of the trademark filed earlier. Also in 1925, a separate company took over sales of Italian FIAT cars, and Austro-Fiat became affiliated with Austro-Daimler
and Puch
. The last private car, Type 1001A, was different from the earlier Type 1001, having 34 bhp engines and conventional rear axles.
The latest model Fiat's truck was TS 1924, equipped with a 45 hp Fiat engine. The company began production of other models in Austria, which has enabled the company to begin developing its own models. The most popular submitted in 1925 was the AFN light truck AFN with 1.75 tons of payload. This truck used a 42 hp 4 Cylinder Fiat engine 2850 cm3, it also used gimbal
s and real tires, not solid tires, which allowed for a speed of 65 km/h. In 1928, the AF2 appeared and the following year a bus called the Austro-Fiat-1001. It is from this time that the company discontinued the manufacture of passenger cars to concentrate on commercial vehicles, trucks, vans and buses. This allowed the AFL/AFY to be manufactured from 1930 to 1937.
After the Second World War, the Floridsdorf
factory was in the Russian zone and the plants were used for Russian reparations
. In 1955, ÖAF was released from these payments and the factory began producing trucks again. They went to Austria to build military trucks but the Austrian army eventually selected rival Steyr
for its famous Pinzgauer
. The Tornado was ÖAF' s challenger, best-selling truck in Austria.
In 1970, the company was privatized again; MAN then let it merge with Gräf & Stift
, out of which ÖAF Gräf & Stift arose which in 1971 was fully taken over by MAN.
Since the 1970s, all MAN trucks received an ÖAF-grille. ÖAF mainly produces extra special and heavy trucks.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n (Austro-Hungarian) car and truck manufacturer.
Austro-Fiat
ÖAF was created by FIATFiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
in 1907 and is now part of the German MAN group. The manufacture of automobiles began in the new plant built for the occasion in Vienna in 1908, while the number was only 50 employees. A truck of 4 tonnes, similar to the Italian Fiat model was manufactured from 1911. It was originally Austro-Fiat, which during the First World War began to develop their own products.
In 1925 the Austro-Fiat brand expired and the company became Osterreichische Automobil Fabrik AG, under the abbreviation ÖAF, with preservation of the trademark filed earlier. Also in 1925, a separate company took over sales of Italian FIAT cars, and Austro-Fiat became affiliated with Austro-Daimler
Austro-Daimler
Austro-Daimler was an Austrian automaker company, from 1899 until 1934. It was subsidiary of the German Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft .-Early history:...
and Puch
Puch
Puch is a manufacturing company located in Graz, Austria. The company was founded in 1889 by the industrialist Johann Puch and produced automobiles, bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles.-Pre 1919:...
. The last private car, Type 1001A, was different from the earlier Type 1001, having 34 bhp engines and conventional rear axles.
The latest model Fiat's truck was TS 1924, equipped with a 45 hp Fiat engine. The company began production of other models in Austria, which has enabled the company to begin developing its own models. The most popular submitted in 1925 was the AFN light truck AFN with 1.75 tons of payload. This truck used a 42 hp 4 Cylinder Fiat engine 2850 cm3, it also used gimbal
Gimbal
A gimbal is a pivoted support that allows the rotation of an object about a single axis. A set of two gimbals, one mounted on the other with pivot axes orthogonal, may be used to allow an object mounted on the innermost gimbal to remain immobile regardless of the motion of its support...
s and real tires, not solid tires, which allowed for a speed of 65 km/h. In 1928, the AF2 appeared and the following year a bus called the Austro-Fiat-1001. It is from this time that the company discontinued the manufacture of passenger cars to concentrate on commercial vehicles, trucks, vans and buses. This allowed the AFL/AFY to be manufactured from 1930 to 1937.
MAN acquisition
In 1938, when Austria was annexed by the Third Reich, German MAN obtained the majority of shares owned by Fiat in ÖAF, reducing the Italian firm's share to 15%. ÖAF had begun equipping some of its trucks with diesel engines from MAN in 1934.After the Second World War, the Floridsdorf
Floridsdorf
Floridsdorf is the 21st district of Vienna, Austria .Floridsdorf is located in the northern part of Vienna.The District Office and the centre of Floridsdorf are located round Am Spitz, at the junction of Prager Straße and Brünner Straße .Since 2004, Floridsdorf has had its own tower: the...
factory was in the Russian zone and the plants were used for Russian reparations
War reparations
War reparations are payments intended to cover damage or injury during a war. Generally, the term war reparations refers to money or goods changing hands, rather than such property transfers as the annexation of land.- History :...
. In 1955, ÖAF was released from these payments and the factory began producing trucks again. They went to Austria to build military trucks but the Austrian army eventually selected rival Steyr
Steyr
Steyr is a town, located in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria. The town is situated at the confluence of the rivers Steyr and Enns. Steyr is Austria's 12th most populated town and simultaneously the 3rd largest town in Upper Austria....
for its famous Pinzgauer
Pinzgauer
Pinzgauer may refer to:* An inhabitant of the Pinzgau, in the state of Salzburg, Austria* The Pinzgauer Cattle breed* The Pinzgauer High Mobility All-Terrain Vehicle* The Noriker horse breed, also known as Pinzgauer or Norico-Pinzgauer...
. The Tornado was ÖAF' s challenger, best-selling truck in Austria.
In 1970, the company was privatized again; MAN then let it merge with Gräf & Stift
Gräf & Stift
Gräf & Stift was an Austrian manufacturer of automobiles, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, from 1902 until 2001, latterly as a subsidiary of MAN. Founded in 1902 by the brothers Franz, Heinrich and Karl Gräf, and the investor, Wilhelm Stift...
, out of which ÖAF Gräf & Stift arose which in 1971 was fully taken over by MAN.
Since the 1970s, all MAN trucks received an ÖAF-grille. ÖAF mainly produces extra special and heavy trucks.
External links
- Official Website - MAN web site (German)
- Verein zur Förderung der historischen Fahrzeuge der österreichischen Automobilfabriken (in German)
- Großauftrag der britischen Armee (in German)