Tatra's Streamliners - Yesterday's car of tomorrow

The Great War resulted in quantum leaps forward in a range of technologies; none more so perhaps that the motorcar. The demands of total war saw the automobile transformed from an expensive and unreliable novelty of the very wealthy into a reliable, and essential, mode of transport. The world was now moving much faster. There could be no going back and everywhere the world was being redesigned to accommodate the automobile.

With the fundamentals of automotive design resolved, designers were universally focused on making their cars faster, sleeker and more powerful. The advantages of streamlining were generally understood, especially in relation to racing, but the market's ideas of what a car should look like, remained very fixed. The Austrian Rumpler company introduced the first streamlined production vehicle with their Tropfenwagen (teardrop car) in 1921. It caused a sensation at the Berlin Show with its distinctively nautical lines but sales were low and only 100 cars were built. The car was simply too different to be successful.

Although poor sellers, they were successfully employed as taxis during the 1920s and 30s. Only two examples have survived - one in the Berlin Technikmuseum and this one in the Munich Technikmuseum. Tests of the Tropfenwagen in the 1970s revealed that it was astonishingly well streamlined with a drag co-efficient of only 0.28 - better than almost any modern car.

In Germany, an aeronautical engineer named Paul Jaray was hard at work trying to put the aerodynamic lessons he'd learnt at Zeppelin to new use. Born in Vienna in 1889, Jaray studied aeronautics at Prague and wrote extensively about wing design and aeronautical theory. He went of join the Zeppelin Airship Company as its chief designer, but following Germany's defeat in the First World War, Zeppelin was banned from building any more airships. Zeppelin however managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat with a contract to build two small civil airships as part of a reparations deal. Jaray's was able to use the opportunity to realise his concept for a fully streamlined, aerodynamic airship. The resulting LZ Bodensee and LZ Nordsten pointed the way towards the magnificent LZ Graf Zeppelin that would come to dominate the skies over Germany in the 1930s.

Jaray's tear drop design for the Zeppelin LZ120 Bodensee benefited from thorough wind tunnel testing. He also used Zeppelin's wind tunnels to test his aircraft and auto design concepts.

The Treaty of Versailles effectively shut down the German airship and aircraft industry, but fortunately Jaray had wide ranging interests, including automobiles. The release of the Tropfenwagen in 1921 prompted him into action and he patented a series of automobile design concepts that took streamlining to its logical limits. His auto designs, which had all been tested in Zeppelin's wind tunnels, featured a smooth, flattened underside, enclosed wheels and a rear mounted engine. He shopped the design around to many auto manufacturers who experimented with the design with various degrees of success.

DKW built this Volkswagen-like, rear engined stromliner in 1934 but it did not make it into production. Instead they released the more conventional Schweberklasse. DKW's streamlining efforts reached their peak with the F9 in 1939.

Mercedes-Benz released a series of rear engined cars between 1934 and 1939. The 130, 150, and 170 H all proved poor sellers due engine noise and poor handling, but the overall design and appearance of the car was pleasing so Mercedes-Benz introduced front engined versions as well. These cars' poor handling meant they were not requisitioned for military use during the Second World War and so a surprising number of these unpopular cars survived.

The British Crossley motor company introduced this conventional looking rear engined streamliner in 1934. It was an oddly thought out vehicle that did not make the best use of the space saved by the rear engine mounting. The fuel tank and radiator were mounted under the bonnet and the spare wheel was mounted on the inside of one of the rear doors. There was effectively no room for a trunk. As with other rear engined car of the period, handling was less than optimal and the car resolutely failed to sell, even after the loss making price of 750 pounds was slashed in half. Only 25 were built. http://www.crossley-motors.org.uk/history/1930.html

A line up of Jaray designs of the mid-1930s. From left to right is the Tatra 77, the Fiat Balilla Sport Aerodynamica, the Maybach Zeppelin Stromliner (http://www.maybach.de/stromlinie.htm), and the Audi Front Stromliner. Only the Tatra77 made it into production.

Enter Tatra
Tatra originated as a carriage marker in 1850 from the Czechoslovakian town of Koprivnice. In 1897 they built their first automobile, the Nesseldorfer President.

The President of 1897 was based on an early Benz. The original is preserved in the Tatra Museum.

Edmund Rumpler of Tropfenwagen fame was one of the company's chief engineers before he struck out on his own. He was succeeded by Hans Ledwinka. Born in southern Austria in 1879, Ledwinka, had risen through the ranks from a humble mechanic to become Tatra's chief designer. Amongst his revolutionary designs were the backbone chassis, fully independent suspension and four wheel brakes.

The simple tube chassis of the Tatra T11 with transverse leaf spring suspension. The simplicity of the design would be adopted by numerous car markers around the world. This link will take you to an explanatory video of the system - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRAqzv-bHS0

During the First World War Tatra stopped building automobiles in favour of railway carriages for the Austrian war effort so Ledwinka went to work for the Austrian automobile company, Steyr-Puch, where he designed a versatile six cylinder car. After designing a number of successful vehicles for Steyr-Puch, Ledwinka came into conflict with management over the direction of the company and in 1921 Ledwinka returned to Tatra as chief designer.

One of the designs that Ledwinka bought with him from Steyr-Puch was a low-cost car powered by an opposed two-cylinder, air-cooled engine. The resulting Tatra 11 showcased a raft of Ledwinka's advanced design features including the lightweight tube chassis and independent suspension. The use of a fan-assisted air-cooled engine removed the need for a heavy radiator, giving the Tatra its distinctive snowplow shaped bonnet. The T11 went on to spawn a distinctive range of air-cooled engined cars during the 1920s and early 30s.

The Tatra 11 introduced Ledwinka's air cooled engine and tube chassis to Tatra. It was a popular vehicle but it did experience engine cooling issues in hot weather.

In the 1930s Tatra engaged Paul Jaray as a consultant designer for their budget Tatra 57 project. Jaray presented a radical streamlined design but Tatra opted not to proceed. Instead the project was handed over to Ledwinka's son Erich and designer Erich Uberlacher. The prototype that Ledwinka Jnr and Ubelacher's eventually presented was hardly more streamlined than the Tatra 11 but it did feature a rear mounted boxer air-cooled engine. Neither Jaray or Ledwinka Snr were impressed with the result and totally revised the second prototype to include Jaray's streamlined body design and the result was striking.

The actual Tatra V570 prototype still exists and is preserved in the Tatra Museum in Koprivnice. http://www.tatramuseum.cz/index.php?r=5&idj=2. To all intents and purposes the Tatra V570 looks identical to Ferdinand Porsche's' original Volkswagen prototype. Porsche, who was also a Bohemian, worked at Steyr during the 1920s and later admitted he designed the Volkswagen with at least one eye on Ledwinka's work .

Rear mounting of the engine was a key component of Jaray's designs as it made the best use of the teardrop shape and the weight of the engine directly over the driving wheels provided better traction, but it was also the cause of significant problems with both cooling and handling. Numerous other companies, including Zundapp, NSU, DKW, Framo, and Steyr-Puch, had taken a stab at Jaray's designs but all found the effort required to overcome the technical challenges of the design made it an uneconomical proposition for a private company. In fact it was only the Nazi Party's unconditional backing of the Volkswagen project that allowed it to become a success. So, while Ledwinka and his team worked through the engineering problems, Tatra released the partially streamlined but conventionally engined Tatra 57 to great acclaim and market success. The success of the T 57 led Tatra to shelve the V570 project indefinitely.
The Tatra 57 was such a successful little car that it was manufactured right through the Second World War and into the early 1950s.

Tatra T77

Despite all the problems of the V570 project, Tatra made a brave decision to continue with a rear engined, streamliner project, this time recast as a luxury car. The increased size and budget available to the luxury car project allowed the team to address many of the issues that had plagued the smaller, budget car. The longer and wider wheelbase made for a more stable platform for the rear mounted engine and allowed the maximum streamlining to be achieved. The vehicle's drag co-efficient of 0.212 was outstandingly efficient and has rarely been achieved in modern production vehicles. The car's new 3.4 litre, air cooled v8 engine was mounted far in the rear and delivered 75 horsepower. Lightweight Magnesium alloy was used in the engine to reduce the weight. Air scoops were mounted in the rear bodywork to ensure a stream of cooling air was directed across the engine. Performance in trials was excellent and although the engine was not exceptionally powerful the car could maintain speeds of up to 150 kilometres per hour.

Rear mounting of the engine transformed the interior space of the car. As there was no drive-shaft beneath the car the floor-pan was flat, allowing six adults to be seated comfortably across the two bench seats. Passenger and driver visibility was excellent to the front and sides thanks to extensive wrap around windows. Rear visibility however was poor as the car had no rear window, only a set of louvers. Oddly, the driver was seated in the central front seat in a small number of the early cars before it was definitively settled on the right hand side (Czechs were still driving on the left hand side of the road at that time). The boot (trunk) was situated under the front bonnet with the spare tyres. Two large headlights were mounted at the front.

The Tatra 77 prototype is easily recognizable by its split front windscreen. Later examples had a wrap around windscreen with two small side windows. Numerous changes were made to each subsequent vehicle as the design was continually improved.

The development of the Tatra T77 had been kept secret so the car created a sensation when it was finally revealed on 3 May 1934 at the Prague Auto Show. Exhibitions followed at the Paris and Berlin auto shows and journalists were lavish in their praise of the extraordinary car, both for its futuristic design as well as its outstanding performance. All commented on the car's speed and smooth handling and the orders started to flow.

The new improved second version of the Tatra 77 featuring the wrap around windscreen and changes to the bonnet, air-scoops and driving position.

The space-age T77 featured in the futuristic 1935 film, "The Tunnel." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tunnel_%281935_film%29

The T77 was very much an experimental car and Ledwinka was not entirely satisfied with the car's performance. Instability caused by the rear mounted engine required the installation of a large and distinctive vertical tail-fin to prevent the car yawing at speed. Drivers still had to be extremely careful however that the car did not become unbalanced and flip off the road. The design team continued to work through these issues and made adjustments to almost every element of the car, which meant that no two T77s or the later T77a were exactly the same. Only 249 production vehicles and 4 prototypes were built.

Hans Ledwinka explains the details of the Tatra 77 engine to Adolf Hitler at the 1934 Berlin Auto Show. Hitler was keenly interested new technologies and although he normally didn't drive himself, he had a particular fascination with automobiles. Hitler found the Tatra's modern styling particularly appealing. Ledwinka met with Hitler and Robert Ley, the Nazi minister of works responsible for the construction of the autobahns on several occasions to discuss automobile design. It is claimed that Hitler told Ley and Ferdinand Porsche that the Tatra "is the car for my autobahns."

Tatra T87

In 1936 Tatra released its new T87 model. The T87 brought together the lessons from the experimental T77 and T77A and featured triple headlights and an improved 2.9 litre V8 engine that delivered 85 horsepower. As the car could easily cruise at over 160kph it was a popular seller, especially in Germany where it was purchased by such automotive and military luminaries as Ernst Heinkel and Erwin Rommel.

For ease of maintenance the engine and drive train could easily be rolled out of the back of the car. In the 1960s T87 owners were able to replace their old engines with the modern 2.5 litre T603 engine.

Tatra 97

In 1936 Tatra attempted to re-enter the streamlined budget vehicle market with the T97. The T97 was basically a shrunk down T87 powered by a 1761cc rear-mounted flat four boxer engine. Certain other features were simplified, such as reverting a dual headlights and a single piece windscreen. Although the engine was only 40 horsepower, the T97 was a much more sleek machine than the V570 prototype or the contemporary German KDF Volkswagen and could easily cruise at 130kph. Only 508 examples were built before production was bought to an abrupt halt when Germany annexed Czechoslovakia in 1938. Tatra had been in the process of preparing a lawsuit for copy-write infringement against KDF, but that was effectively quashed by the Nazis and the T97 was erased from the pages of history.

Tatra was forced to build a wide range of industrial products for the German war effort during the Second World War, especially their range of rugged and advanced trucks, which were used on all fronts. The T87 however continued to be much in demand amongst German officers and Nazi bigwigs and a steady trickle were built by special commission throughout the war years.

Tatraplan

After the end of the Second World War Czechoslovakia found itself firmly within the Eastern Bloc. The Nazi's had depended on Czechoslovakia's heavy industries during the war and the Soviets treated the management of companies such as Tatra and Skoda very harshly. Hans Ledwinka was arrested and charged with collaboration, even though he had been effectively retired during the Nazi occupation. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment with hard labour. When he was released in 1951 he refused to return to Tatra and instead retired to Munich, Germany, where he lived quietly until his death in 1967.

Hans' son Erich remained with Tatra and continued his father's work. To kickstart Tatra's car production a new prototype was released in late 1946. Ledwinka undoubtedly buttered up his audience by naming the new T600 the 'Tatraplan', in honour of the Czech Central Planning Committee. They were suitably impressed and gave Tatra the go ahead, but transferred the production to the Skoda works in order to allow Tatra to focus on truck manufacture.

A photo of the Tatra range in early 1947. In the centre is the new Tatraplan, flanked on either side by the older T87s. A trickle of T87s continued to be built as custom requests for Communist part notables with surplus parts and engines right through into 1950.

Under the skin the Tatraplan was effectively a modernised T97, with the old flat four boxer engine increased to 1921ccs and slightly more curvaceous bodywork. They were definitely an elite car, reserved for Party and industry officials and the export market. A little under 6500 were built before the Central Planning Committee decided to stop production in favour of imported Russian Zil limousines in 1952.

A video review from 'Rides with Chuck.'

Tatra 603

Following the demise of its automobile line Tatra concentrated on heavy truck production. Tatra's independent suspension, multi-axle drive trucks were extremely popular with the Soviets and were used both for military and heavy industrial purposes. They were even used as nuclear missile transporters. The Tatra design team however were less than impressed with this decision and continued to work on car designs in secret. The result was the Vatula, a car no less space age in 1954 than the T77 had been in 1934.

The Central Planning Committee soon came to regret their decision to stop production of the Tatraplan. The Russian Zil's proved to be disappointing; deliveries were sporadic and the cars poorly built. Tatra jumped at the opportunity and revealed their Vatula design. The Planning Committee gave them the go ahead for the production of a streamlined luxury car.

Released in 1955, the T603 was powered by a 2.5 litre V8 engine. The cars were all hand built and luxuriously fitted. Despite the contemporary advertising above, the cars were manufactured for official use by party officials and foreign export. Some 20,000 T603s were built between 1955 and 1975 when the car was replaced by the boxy T613. Almost one third of the T603s were exported, primarily to other Eastern Bloc countries but there was a small export market to the west, especially France and Germany. A small number also ended up in western hands when they were sold off by diplomatic and consular offices around the world at the end of their official life.

There were three basic models - the original T603-1 is easily recognized by the close set trio of headlights. The T603-2 was in production from 1962 to 68 is distinguished by its four closely set headlights. The final model, the T603-3, has a slightly more conventional look, with four widely set headlights.

Early and late model Tatras. A T11 and a T603-3 at Tatra show in Belgium.

A contemporary advertising film showing the speed and robustness of Tatra's handling. It's an amazing and interesting film. During the highway scene Tatra were clearly attempting to demonstrate that the problem of yaw at high speed had been addressed by putting car through a deliberate rear end sway. All the way through the film the car is boldly treated. It's also noteworthy that the police car that gives chase in the second half of the film is a Tatraplan kombi van!

The end of the stream line....

By no account could the Tatra T613 ever be described as streamlined, although with this car Tatra finally managed to address the issue of rear end instability. Like other cars of the late 70s and 80s the T613 was boxy and uninspiring and as a consequence is not in the scope of this article.

Tatra survived the fall of Communism, manufacturing cars and trucks until 1999 when Tatra decided to concentrate again on trucks, which they continue to manufacture today. If you want to know why Tatra trucks are so successful, this video should tell you all you need to know:-


Useful links -
http://www.tatraworld.nl/
Tatraworld has an excellent T77 register listing the known survivors and their current condition.
http://www.tatra-register.co.uk/
http://tatraklub.tatraportal.sk/t80.htm
http://home.clara.net/peterfrost/tatra.html
http://www.mzv.cz/washington/en/economy_trade/news/tatra_auto_show.html
http://www.cartype.com/pages/1695/tatra
http://ucapusa.com/lost_marques_tatra.htm
http://oldtimer-veranstaltung.de/en/2011/05/tatra-show-in-Bad-Homburg/?pid=1316
http://www.aerotatra.czweb.org/index.htm
http://www.ecorra.com/en/aktuality/
If you do have a Tatra in need of restoration - this is the place to go.
http://www.openthinkinc.com/tatra/
An interesting cross country trip across the US in two Tatra 87s - that's the way to do it!
http://www.tatratrucks.com/
Tatra's official site