Car "Horch": the history of the famous brand

The multifaceted, eventful history of the famous automobile brand "Horch" goes back to the 19th century. On November 14, 1899, the talented German engineer August Horch founded his own company for the production of Horch & Cie vehicles in Cologne. Motorwagen Werke. A year later, the light saw the first car of the brand "Horch", featuring design innovations. Subsequently, August Horch became one of the first famous automotive designers in the world.

August Horch

The future talented engineer and successful businessman was born on October 12, 1868 in Winningsen, in the family of a blacksmith. The Augusta Horch family could not boast of prosperity, and so he had to work at the age of 13. After changing several types of pursuits, the purposeful and unhappy Horch was not inspired by any of them and in 1888 decided to enter the Saxon Engineering School. Compensating for the lack of knowledge, the persistent young man successfully graduated from the school and got a job first at the foundry, and then at the design department of the shipbuilding company, where he first encountered internal combustion engines.

His life changed dramatically after he hit motorcycle racing in 1896. At that time this vehicle was a miracle of technology. Horch asked many mechanics about motorcycles and by the evening decided to write a letter with detailed information about himself and a request for employment in the firm Benz. Not expecting a quick response, Augustus was pleasantly surprised when he soon received news that he was accepted and should immediately start working. 27-year-old Horch was appointed assistant chief in the engine development department, but after four months, due to diligence, was put in charge of the production of cars.

Foundation of the company

Karl Benz was too conservative for a young ambitious German, and in 1899 August Horch with the financial support of a wealthy merchant in the suburbs of Cologne Ehrenfelde opened the firm Horch & Cie. Motorwagen Werke. At first, a small company with a staff of 11 people was engaged exclusively in the repair of other cars. But already a year after the company was founded, the first "Horch" car appeared with a 5-liter twin-cylinder engine. from. The beginning of a story called Horch was laid. The press was still discussing a new car, when the company had already released a second model - the first car in Germany with a gimbal transmission.

First cars

The first two Horch models, produced before 1901, were 5 and 10 liters. from. Equipped these cars with two-cylinder engines, located in front. In the first model (4-15 PS), the drive to the rear drive wheels was carried out by means of a belt drive. In the second model (10-16 PS) for the first time in Germany, the drive was carried out using a cardan gear. The main constructive merit of the first "Horch" cars was the gearbox, located in a solid block together with the main transmission. For those times it was a revolutionary decision.

The car body was of an open type, the work of a coach workshop. Lighting was carried out by candle lanterns. Unlike the powerful cars of later years, the first Horch could barely reach a top speed of 32 km / h. Nevertheless, this was a significant indicator at that time. The cars used friction clutch. The first "Horch" (car) photo, located below, clearly demonstrates.

Way to success

From customers to the new car "Horch" with an engine capacity of 10-12 liters. from. And a noiseless box was not lights out. The staff grew to ninety people. To work on the engine, a talented engineer Fritz Seidel was involved. In the previous framework, the company became crowded, and in 1902 production was moved to Reichenbach, and two years later to Zwickau (Saxony), where the company was transformed into a joint stock company with an impressive statutory capital of 140,000 marks.

The first model, produced by the new production, was characterized by a large number of constructive novelties. On it was installed a new gearbox, working noiselessly, with gears made of high-alloyed chromium-nickel steel. The clutch was located between the gearbox and the engine. The torque to the rear drive axle was transmitted by means of a cardan gear. In 1906 the car "Horch" for the first time won a car race, which brought the company even more popularity and even more orders. In the same year, new models of Horch began to be exhibited in the Berlin and Paris motor shows. A year later was presented a luxury model with a six-cylinder eight-liter engine capacity of 60 liters. With., The first owner of which was the sultan of the Indonesian island of Java.

Four rings - four brands

An innovative approach and constant search for new solutions by August Horch in the design of cars required constant financial injections. This did not please the shareholders in any way and led to constant disagreements. Horch considered participation in motor racing as the best advertising for the trade mark. The company's cars became permanent participants of the competition, and the designer often himself sat behind the wheel.

The world of speeds requires constant investment and growth. So, in 1906 the company released a new model ZD. German car "Horch ZD" with a 5.8-liter engine and lightweight bodywork was specially assembled to participate in the prestigious race of Henry of Prussia. The unsuccessful appearance in the competitions led to an aggravation of already complicated relations with shareholders who were extremely unhappy with the sales of the previous Horch Z model. The stubborn designer rejected any proposed compromises, wholly defending his point of view. As a result, in the summer of 1909, under the pressure of shareholders, Horch left the company he founded, but a month later in the same Zwickau he registered a new firm August Horch Automobilwerke GmbH.

Two firms with almost identical name and practically on the same street angered the owners of the previous company. After the trial, which Horch lost, the question arose about the new name. During a discussion about this in the house of his friend, the master's son, who studied Latin, simply translated Horch from German into Latin. So there was a name Audi, and subsequently - and company Audi Automobilwerke GmbH.

The four AUDI rings familiar today appeared much later. Under the influence of the economic crisis of the early 1930s, four companies decided to unite in one Auto Union AG concern. The group includes Horch, Audi, Wanderer and DKW. The emblem in the form of four rings symbolized the unification of these four companies and was supposed to be present on all the cars of the concern. Horch and Audi produced luxury cars, Wanderer - middle class, DKW - budget and small cars. There is an erroneous opinion that the car "Horch" is the same as Audi, just renamed with time. The thing is that after a while three of the four representatives of the concern ceased to exist. Remained only Audi, which inherited the logo.

Most popular models

The most popular models of "Horch" are considered to be cars with four-cylinder engines of medium-displacement. Sales volumes of cars with larger engines (sports, entertainment) have always been less for several reasons. Exceptions were models produced from 1937 to 1940 (851/853 / 853A / 855/951 / 951A). These solid representative cars were remembered as a symbol of the brand "Horch". The car (photo of 1939, located below, it proves) looked great.

In addition to the production of civilian cars, Horch had considerable experience in the production of military vehicles. One of the most famous is the medium multi-purpose car "Horch 901" with increased cross-country capability. This machine was produced from 1937 to 1940 by the Wehrmacht's target program for equipping the army with all-wheel drive cars of three types: light, medium and heavy.

The post-war sunset of the company

Beginning in the mid-1930s, the management of the company August Horch was of a formal nature. He more and more engaged in social activities, held a number of leading posts. After the war, the city of Zwickau remained in the territory controlled by the Soviet Union. The enterprises were nationalized and became part of the IFA, although for a while cars under the Horch brand were still manufactured, for example, the representative model 930S.

Horch cars in chronological order

The model range of civilian cars by year can be seen in the table below.

Now you know the history of these amazing machines and their talented creator.