Austro-Daimler
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The Austro-Daimler was an Austrian automobile manufactured from 1899 until 1934.
The Austro-Daimler works were located at Wiener-Neustadt, and were originally a branch of the German Daimler factory. The firm gained its independence in 1906, and began producing cars which are still seen as excellent examples of their kind.
The first designer employed by the firm was Gottlieb Daimler's son, Paul Daimler; he was succeeded by the great Ferdinand Porsche, who was responsible for the Mercédés-Electrique-Mixte (manufactured from 1902 to 1907). Designers Karl Rabe and Oskar Hacker were also employed by Austro-Daimler, as were others. The company also competed in sporting events, with great success.
In 1911 Austro-Daimler began production of the Prinz Heinrich (in English: Prince Henry) model; this car, which featured an ohc 5714cc four cylinder engine, quickly became famous. It could develop 95bhp at 2100rpm; there was also a less potent version with side valves and a 6900cc engine capable of developing 60hp at only 1200rpm. Both designs were by Porsche, who also created the 1ˇ3-liter "Sascha" racing cars (named after their backer, Count Sascha Kolowrat) in the early 1920s. The smallest model the company offered was a 2212cc four cylinder.
The outstanding production car offered by Austro-Daimler during the 1930s was the ADM, which featured ohc six-cylinder engines of 2540cc, 2650cc, and 2994cc. The last-named (the ADM III) developed 110hp at 4000rpm and was one of the greatest automobiles of the decade. Also offered was a less luxurious sporting version, the 100hp ADR.
1931 saw Austro-Daimler introduce a 4624cc eight cylinder car, a superb, highly expensive luxury vehicle. The last great car built at the Austrian works was the six-cylinder "Bergmeister", which featured an ohc 3614cc engine that could develop 120hp at 3600rpm; this car had a top speed of 90 mph.
Austro-Daimler had amalgamated with Puch in 1928 as Daimler-Puch. In 1934 the company also took on Steyr Automobile, creating the Steyr-Daimler-Puch conglomerate.de:Austro-Daimler no:Austro-Daimler