1939 Steyr Type 55
Best known for its precision firearms, the Austrian firm Steyr originally built rifles and military equipment before expanding into automobiles in the early 20th century.
Austrian engineers applied their technical expertise to create an aerodynamic small car with unitary construction and all-independent suspension in 1936 (well before such features became commonplace).
The Type 55 arrived in 1938 as an improved version of the earlier Type 50, featuring increased power and a slightly longer wheelbase. Its streamlined body included two-tone paint schemes and bumpers as standard equipment, along with a large sliding sunroof that opened up the surprisingly spacious cabin.
A water-cooled, horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine sat far forward in the chassis, displacing 1,158cc and producing 25 horsepower. This flat-four layout, combined with the car’s front-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration, allowed for exceptional interior space despite compact exterior dimensions.
The drivetrain featured a four-speed manual transmission and an innovative dynastarter unit that served double duty as both starter motor and generator.
Affectionately nicknamed the “Steyr Baby,” approximately 7,800 examples of the Type 55 were built before wartime production needs redirected the company’s focus back to arms manufacturing in 1940. The model never returned to production after the conflict ended, making surviving examples particularly rare today.
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