1932 Austro-Daimler 635

The Austro-Daimler Motor Company produced automobiles from 1899 through 1934. Their factory was located in Wiener-Neustadt, which is located south of Vienna, in lower Austria. Austro-Daimler was a branch of the Daimler Company until 1906 when it began producing vehicles on its own.

Gottlieb Daimler's son, Paul Daimler was the first designer employed by the Company. The legendary and well-known Ferdinand Porsche was his successor who stayed with the company until 1925. Porsche designed a 6900 cc side-valve that produced sixty horsepower and a 5714 cc four-cylinder OHC engine that produced 95 horsepower. These were used to power the Prinz Heinrich, 'Prince Henry', model that quickly grew in popularity. Porsche later created a 1.3-liter engine that was used in their racing vehicles.

During the 1930s the company produced the ADM which was powered by a variety of six-cylinder OHC engines. The final version as the ADM III which produced an impressive 110 horsepower.

This Austro-Daimler 635 Sport 'Bergmeister' Cabriolet was an exclusive automobile. It was built in Austria and powered by a six-cylinder aluminum engine. It traces its sporting heritage to early Austro Daimler race cars designed by Ferdinand Porsche and the hill-climbing champions of 1928, 1929 and 1930 driven by Hans Stuck. Though the engine was not designed by Porsche - who moved to Daimler in the early 1920s, the engine incorporated several of Porsche's designs. Examples include the aluminum block and the overhead camshaft which is gear-driven.

The coachwork for this car was done by Armbruster. This vehicle was owned and exhibited by Austro Daimler at many European Concours d'Elgance.

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2011