Motor und Sport Magazine - Germany 1951

By 1950 Germany's economy really began to recover after the devastation wrought by the Second World War. The automobile industry was now in a position to produce quality vehicles, both luxury and budget vehicles. In early 1951 Auto Motor und Sport magazine presented their readers with an overview of new cars to be presented at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in May.

DKW started production almost immediately after the War building motorcycles from stocks of spares scattered across a number of service stations and repair shops in West Germany. Real production didn't really begin until 1948. In 1949 DKW released the F89L Schnellaster van. The F89 Meisterklasse sedan make its appearance until the following year.

The Parade of New Models

The new BMW 501 'baroque angel.' BMW's first Post-War car was a large, expensive family sedan powered by a V8 engine. The car was debuted at the Frankfurt show.

The Borgward-Hansa 1500 was released in 1949. Released originally under the Hansa brand, it was soon rebadged as a Borgward. Borgward was one of the first car companies to get back into production.

Some of the new small cars on the market.  From the top: the Champion 400, the Lloyd LP300 'leukoplast bomber', and the DKW F89 universal estate.

Truck and tractor manufacturer Hanomag presented their new sedan, powered by a 700cc three cylinder two-stroke engine. The car never made into production.

Mercedes-Benz type 220 and Porsche 356

Foreign Cars at Frankfurt

All across Europe export markets were opening up. The UK, France and the US attempted to break into the German market and displayed new models.

British cars -  Standard-Vanguard; Armstrong-Siddley; Ford Zephyr; and the Hillman Minx.

Continental cars - from top to bottom: France's Volkswagen, the Renault 4CV; Czech Tatraplan T600; Italian Fiat Topolino; French Panhard Dyna X,

American cars - of a whole different class of vehicle. The Buick Super 50 and a Studebaker.

The Czechoslovakian board of trade posted an advert for Skoda, Tatra, Jawa and CZ.

The new DKW F89 Meisterklasse




NSU - the Fastest Motorcycle in the World




A special feature on the NSU world record motorcycle speed attempt.

A Table of German Car Specifications

Champion and Maico microcars

The Champion motor company was first established in 1946 by motorcylce engineer, Otto Maisch to build a budget motorcar. Several prototype cycle cars were developed and tested over the next couple of years, none really making it into production. The company was always teetering on the verge of insolvency and changed hands three times in three years before Champion produced its first viable vehicle, the Champion 400 in 1951. Powered by a rear mounted 398cc JLO two-stroke engine, the Champion 400 was a handsome and streamlined two-seater coupe. In 1953, the JLO engine was replaced by 398cc Heinkel two-stroke engine, the same type powering the contemporary Tempo Hanseat tricycle.  This became known as the Champion 400H.  A larger engined kombi version, the 500G was also manufactured.







Maico 500

In 1955 the Maisch brothers retook control of Champion and bought it under their Maico motorcycle brand.  They decided to release an improved, enlarged sedan version of the car as the Maico 400 and 500.  In terms of size and comfort, the Maico 500 was an improvement over its predecessor, but the car was dogged by mechanical problems, which required a complete redesign of the front end and suspension.






The Maico 500 was widely exported. It was sold in the US by the Whizzer Company.


In Argentina it was built under license as the Alcre Susana 500.



It was even exported to Egypt.


Despite selling over 6500 cars, Maico could not compete with the larger manufacturers and, unable to raise additional capital, was forced to rationalise its product line. By 1958 Maico stopped manufacturing cars and scooters, such as the Maicomobil and Maicoletta, and their over engineered prestige motorcycles, like the Typhoon, in order to concentrate on tough trail and racing bikes. In this way they were able to stay in business long after many other German motorcycle giants, such as DKW, had bitten the dust. They finally shut down in 1986.

Maico 500s continue to show up all over the world. This unmolested example went up for sale in eastern Europe in 2013.