Munich-based Schumann-Ursula Group is currently Germany’s (and Europe’s) largest automaker. The group was formed in 1968 after a merger between fellow automakers Schumann and Ursula. Currently the firm has hundreds of factories over 30 countries, producing more than 10 billion cars per year.
VAG: Automation Edition
Companies involved:
Company
Location
Founding Date
Acquisition Date
VAG Equivalent
Availability in Sweden
Schumann
Munich, Germany
1902
1968 (co-founder)
Volkswagen (both passenger and commercial)
Yes (since 1950)
Ursula
Bremen, Germany
1955
1968 (co-founder)
Audi
Yes (since 1963)
Altus
Sttugart, Germany
1970
*
Porsche/Lamborghini
Yes (since 1973)
Brighton-Kinley
Swindon, England
1900
1984
Bentley
Yes (since 1955)
Tovali (SAZ)
Sochi, Russia
1933 (as SAZ), 1992 (as Tovali)
1992
Skoda
Yes (1973 - 1989 as SAZ, since 1996 as Tovali)
Nishiki
Osaka, Japan
1939
1998
Seat
Yes (since 1969)
Rave Motors
Miami, FL, USA
2002
2004
Bugatti (+ Hennessy)
Yes (since 2005)
Permata
Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
1988
2008
Skoda (but Asian-focused)
No
Gujarat
Bangalore/Mumbai, India
1950
2010
None (should be Dacia)
No
Axion
Nanjing, China
2014
*
None (should be Lynk & Co + Tesla)
Yes (since 2017, but out of scope)
Note: bold entries means that the company in the group will be involved in the challenge * Created by the group
1953 Schumann A160 Deluxe
In the year 1950 Schumann officially entered the Swedish market as the firm’s second export market of vehicles after France. Prior to that, imports of Schumann vehicles were done without the company’s official involvement, and it stayed this way until the war started. Post-war Schumann focused on cheaper, but high-quality vehicles instead of luxury cars like they did on pre-war due to the dire situation in Germany at that time.
In 1952, the new A-series mid-size vehicles were launched. As the firm’s first post-war design, the front-engined monocoque A-series represents a new era of the firm’s lineup, with similarly designed models coming in the most of the 50s.
The A-series also introduced a new lineup of engines. Base models (A120) were equipped with 1.2 liter boxer-4 engines, with options for more powerful 1.4 and 1.6 liter engines (A140 and A160) are also offered. 3-speed manual is standard, but a 2-speed automatic transmission is also offered for the A160 model.
The A-series is also offered with 5 different body styles, which are 2 and 4 door sedans, an estate, a fastback sedan (shown on the pics) and a van. All models have double wishbone front suspension, but only the van has rear leaf springs while the rest of the lineup uses solid axles with coil springs.
This model shown is the mid-range Deluxe fastback model, with the optional 1.6 liter boxer (Deluxe models were offered with the 1.4 as standard) The Deluxe models have a radio and bucket seats as standard as well as more chromed parts to match its style.
The A-series got a facelift in 1956 with a refreshed design and more equipment, but the engines and transmission options still stayed the same. Sales of this generation of the A-series continued until 1958 when its replacement was introduced. However, the fastback was dropped on the release of the second generation model in Sweden, despite the body style still being sold in its home market.
The war is over, and peace has returned. Automotive Manufacture of Malmo (AMM) has sprung up from the ashes, seeking to make cars. Their first effort is inspired by the military vehicles designed and made in the war - simple, spartan affairs which are easy to make. Just about everything is designed for economy, with simple, flat steel panels and a somewhat basic fabric top. The car is powered by a 2.1L inline four, making an adequate 47 kW. Chunky offroad tyres, a 4x4 drivetrain and a manual locker provide an unmatched capability, allowing the car to venture through the forests and the various damaged roads in postwar Sweden. The sturdy door at the rear provides ample access to the cargo area, and a limited amount of impact testing has been performed. The car costs just ten thousand AMU, making it an attractive proposition.
Would you be good with a low volume sportscar for this first round? Since technically my company doesn’t release it’s first mass production car until 1959.
During the war, Mara had been tasked to build first the engine and then later - as one of several manufacturers - the whole of the Archanan JC-9 4x4 light reconnaissance and transport vehicle. It was available with a softtop and either a cargo bed for equipment or longitudinal benches for troop transport. It was one of the universal vehicles in the Archanan military who were quite keen on standardisation.
The JC-9’s body-on-frame construction allowed a quick adaption to differing needs and additional roles. Due to their ubiquitous numbers across various roles at and behind the front, the quite swift acceleration in the very short first gear and the common yellow/green-ish base colour, the JC-9 received the nickname Konyk (‘grasshopper’). After the war, Mara adapted the JC-9 for sales to civilians and carried over the nickname to become the actual product name.
Built (and coloured) for the dusty Archanan steppes, the Konyk felt most at home off the road.
Mara ended up offering two variants to the public: one with an open cargo bed and one with a regular bench in the back plus a cargo area in an enclosed cabin. Instead of a softtop, the cabin in both cases was of a rather crude, boxy and flimsy construction of painted sheetmetal and acrylic glass, to save cost, precious resources and also weight. Manufacturing at scale was quite difficult at the time in Archana due to the general scarcity of resources and car ownership was something of a luxury.
The 1.3 litre engine - a major difference to the JC-9’s Gasmean ‘jeep’ counterpart - had proven adequate for Archanan wartime purposes (and still was for off-road trails) but it quickly ran out of steam on the open asphalt road. Otherwise, amenities such as adjustable seats and a more asphalt road-oriented suspension were added, but without compromising off-road prowess too much.
If you encountered a Konyk on asphalt, you had to hope that the road ahead was wide and open enough for a safe overtaking maneuver…
In the 1950s, Konyk sales began to slow since the demand in rural areas was beginning to be satisfied, and also because less crude options for motorised on-road transportation began to appear on the Archanan domestic market. Hence, Mara started to look beyond the Archanan borders to generate additional sales in the short term.
Well, it is inspired by COP, unfortunately it will be very much more like COP than I had thought about in my head, so I guess I will look like a copycat, but on the other hand I have asked Vic for permission.
The new Zerve PS51 saloon: your reliable freind. A modern, rear engined, aerodynamic 4-door with your name on it! More history/lore coming soon!
[spoiler]The Zerve Agriculture & Truck company is an eastern-bloc automaker that started out making tractors in the early 1850s. The company was part of Zerve holdings, a Ukrainian holdings company that originated making boats in the early 1800s. The company was dissolved shoetly after Ukraine joined the Soviet Union, into its many branches. Only the auto arm kept the Zerve name. Zerve continued to produce tractors (still the 4th largest agricultural machinery producer in the world), and trucks for the Soviet Union into WWII. The Jobmaster van and Trekmaster feild truck (which rode on the same chassis) were originally made for the war, and the boxer-4 engine originated from a small amphibious transport. The PS32 postwar car was based on the chassis of the WWII Trekmaster, with the same front and rear coil-sprung live axles and 32ps boxer engine. It was a simple 2-door sedan, and was a flop because of critical cooling issues. 1951 brought he PS51 4-door was nade with an upgraded versionof the 32ps boxer, pushed to 51ps. The body was a rather badly executed attempt to copy German and Czech aerocars. The car was a success. In 1952, the Jobmaster and Trekmaster became available to the general public, and in 1955, a larger van, the Workmaster with a stroked version of the PS51 engine was released, and the stroker motor became optional on the Jobmaster and Trekmaster.[/spoiler]
I know it’s a bit late and there’s already been several entries, but does it matter what side the driver is located on? I see that Sweden drove on the left hand side until '67, then switched to right hand drive.
Also, was there any regulations on reversing lights? I didn’t see anything mentioned. And do we require both a front and rear license plate?
Moravia was founded in what would become Czechoslovakia, then part of Austria-Hungary, in 1887. They got their start building sewing machines and other such equipment for the textile industry. Over time, they began to branch out into other areas of fabrication and in 1928 introduced their first car. All production was halted in 1939 due to the occupation of German forces. After the war, the country was in need of a way of mobility for the people, so the company began work on an all new car.
Featuring a monoque steel chassis, four wheel independent suspension (McPherson struts up from, a swing arm double wishbone in the rear), and an air cooled three cylinder engine mounted in the rear. The overhead valve mill displaced 850cc making 31 horsepower and 40 pound feet of torque. Mated to a four speed manual transmission, it allowed this people’s car adequate performance and fuel economy.
Introduced in 1953 at the price of $11,000AMU, it helped the war torn country get back on it’s feet. It soon earned the nickname “Veverka”, Czech for squirrel, due to it’s adorable looks and sometimes tricky handling characteristics. Import sales of the little Moravia began the following year.
Founded not long before WWII, Tack is a Swedish based manufacturer of cars, trucks and light aircraft.
Just after WWII, Tack debuted their first car for the general public, the 20F. This small two door sedan was designed to speedily traverse Swedish backroads and reliably take people wherever they wanted to go. The design was heavily influenced by pre-war Ardent’s and attempted to cash in on the pro USA fervour of post WWII Europe. Tack intended to export the car but realised that, other than to Norway and Finland, exports would have to wait until mainland Europe had recovered.
Because Sweden was a bit odd there. Left hand traffic was a rule from 1734. Since horses has no steering wheel it was never a trouble back then.
When cars started to appear they were for the most part american and left hand drive. Still, with the amounts of traffic back then, it was by no means troublesome.
But it more or less became a standard with left hand drive in Sweden which made for kind of an odd combination. The PV444/544, the car that really brought motoring for the masses, was never even built in a RHD version at all for example. Yet, there was still some RHD cars sold. Mainly some british cars (but not all, I had a 1962 Austin A60 and it was LHD) and I also think some variants of the VW bus.
One of the arguments against switching to right hand traffic was actually that you should not be able to see where the road ended and drive straight down the ditch.
So, generally LHD but RHD a bit more acceptable before 1967.
The other questions are more easy to answer:
Reversing lights - optional
License plate - front AND back.
Here we have the all-new, for 1955, Franklin HiWay 1500. Unlike some British manufacturers Franklin decided to offer our cars in LHD for the export market. This is the base model, of the HiWay, with the base 1500 engine.
The HiWay’s primary design is as a medium sized family car.
Our ethos is the manufacture of reliable and affordable vehicles for the modern family.
