Škoda VOS
Encyclopedia
The Škoda VOS is a large sedan/saloon car produced by the by Czech automaker Škoda Auto
at their plant in Mladá Boleslav
between 1950 and 1952. For a few years it was the preferred car for senior political and military personnel in Czechoslovakia. It was never sold to the general public.
assembled the last Škoda Superbs, large six cylinder limousines evoking the style of American cars in the late 1930s. The authorities needed a more modern replacement and instructed Škoda
to develop one. This was the car that would become the Škoda VOS. The letters VOS indicated a “special car for the government” in Czech or Slovak („Vládní Osobní Speciál"or „Vládný Osobný Špeciál“).
: final assembly took place at Škoda’s own plant. The form of the car was unremarkable, despite having been designed by Oldrich Meduna whose reputation till that point came from his work designing military tanks
. The mechanical architecture was also conventional, with a front mounted engine driving the rear wheels.
More remarkable, at least in terms of European cars of the time, was a large 5.2 litre engine delivering 120 hp. The engine came from a Praga truck. Because of the weight of the armour plating, the standard car weighed nearly 4 tons, however. The top speed was restricted to 80 km/h (50 mph) on the orders of the interior ministry. A “Light-weight” version without all the armour plating was also listed.
Unusually for the time, the car was fitted with air-conditioning. However, the air conditioning mechanism occupied most of the space in the boot/trunk, and it became common for dignitaries moving by VOS to travel followed by a second car to carry luggage.
, Zhu De
and Mao Zedong
.
Škoda Auto
Škoda Auto , more commonly known as Škoda, is an automobile manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. Škoda became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in 2000, positioned as the entry brand to the group...
at their plant in Mladá Boleslav
Mladá Boleslav
Mladá Boleslav is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, on the left bank of the Jizera river about 50 km northeast of Prague.Founded in the second half of the 10th century by King Boleslav II as a royal castle...
between 1950 and 1952. For a few years it was the preferred car for senior political and military personnel in Czechoslovakia. It was never sold to the general public.
Background
In 1949 the plant at Mladá BoleslavMladá Boleslav
Mladá Boleslav is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, on the left bank of the Jizera river about 50 km northeast of Prague.Founded in the second half of the 10th century by King Boleslav II as a royal castle...
assembled the last Škoda Superbs, large six cylinder limousines evoking the style of American cars in the late 1930s. The authorities needed a more modern replacement and instructed Škoda
Škoda Auto
Škoda Auto , more commonly known as Škoda, is an automobile manufacturer based in the Czech Republic. Škoda became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in 2000, positioned as the entry brand to the group...
to develop one. This was the car that would become the Škoda VOS. The letters VOS indicated a “special car for the government” in Czech or Slovak („Vládní Osobní Speciál"or „Vládný Osobný Špeciál“).
The car
The car went into production in 1950 with the coach builder (even then better known as a producer of buses) KarosaKarosa
Karosa is a bus manufacturer from Vysoké Mýto town of Czech Republic, since 1999 it is a part of Irisbus holding. Since 1997 started the production of modernized 800-series...
: final assembly took place at Škoda’s own plant. The form of the car was unremarkable, despite having been designed by Oldrich Meduna whose reputation till that point came from his work designing military tanks
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
. The mechanical architecture was also conventional, with a front mounted engine driving the rear wheels.
More remarkable, at least in terms of European cars of the time, was a large 5.2 litre engine delivering 120 hp. The engine came from a Praga truck. Because of the weight of the armour plating, the standard car weighed nearly 4 tons, however. The top speed was restricted to 80 km/h (50 mph) on the orders of the interior ministry. A “Light-weight” version without all the armour plating was also listed.
Unusually for the time, the car was fitted with air-conditioning. However, the air conditioning mechanism occupied most of the space in the boot/trunk, and it became common for dignitaries moving by VOS to travel followed by a second car to carry luggage.
Celebrity connections
Famous owners included President GottwaldKlement Gottwald
Klement Gottwald was a Czechoslovakian Communist politician, longtime leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia , prime minister and president of Czechoslovakia.-Early life:...
, Zhu De
Zhu De
Zhu De was a Chinese militarist, politician, revolutionary, and one of the pioneers of the Chinese Communist Party. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, in 1955 Zhu became one of the Ten Marshals of the People's Liberation Army, of which he is regarded as the founder.-Early...
and Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
.
The end
Production of the VOS ended in 1952, by when 107 had been built. Škoda were not invited to replace the car, and the nation’s political elite switched their allegiance to the Tatra 603.Sources
- Bernard Vermeylen, Voitures des pays de l'Est, Boulogne-Billancourt, ETAI, 2008, 239 p. (ISBN 9782726888087) (OCLC 470767381)
- KRÁLÍK, Jan: Utajené projekty Škoda; GRADA Publishing 2007, ISBN 978-80-247-2416-4
- CEDRYCH, Mario René & NACHTMANN, Lukáš: ŠKODA – auta známá i neznámá; GRADA Publishing 2003, ISBN 80-247-9052-1
- Škoda VOS: Pro bolševiky od Prahy po Peking
