Adler was a
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
automobileAn automobile, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
and
motorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are the most affordable form of...
manufacturer from 1900 until 1957.
Adler is German for
eagleEagles are large birds of prey which are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa...
.
The Adler factory produced bicycles, typewriters, and motorcycles in addition to cars. Before
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, the company used
De Dion* Jules-Albert de Dion - automobile pioneer* de Dion-Bouton - automobile manufacturer* de Dion tube - automobile suspension...
two- and four-
cylinderA cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before precision features are machined into it...
engines in cars that ranged from 1032
ccA cubic centimetre or cubic centimeter is a commonly used unit of volume extending the derived SI-unit cubic metre and corresponds to the volume of a cube measuring 1×1×1 cm...
to 9081
ccA cubic centimetre or cubic centimeter is a commonly used unit of volume extending the derived SI-unit cubic metre and corresponds to the volume of a cube measuring 1×1×1 cm...
; beginning in 1902, they used their own engines as well. These cars, driven by Erwin Kleyer, Otto (both sons of the company founder, Heinrich Kleyer) and by Alfred Theves won many sporting events.
Adler was a
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
automobileAn automobile, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
and
motorcycleA motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are the most affordable form of...
manufacturer from 1900 until 1957.
Adler is German for
eagleEagles are large birds of prey which are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa...
.
History
The Adler factory produced bicycles, typewriters, and motorcycles in addition to cars. Before
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
, the company used
De Dion* Jules-Albert de Dion - automobile pioneer* de Dion-Bouton - automobile manufacturer* de Dion tube - automobile suspension...
two- and four-
cylinderA cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before precision features are machined into it...
engines in cars that ranged from 1032
ccA cubic centimetre or cubic centimeter is a commonly used unit of volume extending the derived SI-unit cubic metre and corresponds to the volume of a cube measuring 1×1×1 cm...
to 9081
ccA cubic centimetre or cubic centimeter is a commonly used unit of volume extending the derived SI-unit cubic metre and corresponds to the volume of a cube measuring 1×1×1 cm...
; beginning in 1902, they used their own engines as well. These cars, driven by Erwin Kleyer, Otto (both sons of the company founder, Heinrich Kleyer) and by Alfred Theves won many sporting events. In the 1920s, Karl Irion raced many Adlers; popular models of the period included the 2298 cc, 1550 cc, and 4700 cc four-cylinders and the 2580 cc six-cylinders. Many of the
Standard models, built between 1927 and 1934, featured Gropius and Neuss coachwork. These had 2916 cc six-cylinder engines and 3887 cc eight-cylinder engines. The Standard was the first European car to use hydraulic brakes, starting in 1926 when they were fitted with an ATE-Lockheed system. 1927 to 1929
Clärenore StinnesClärenore Stinnes was a German car racer; together with Swedish cinematographer Carl-Axel Söderström, she was the first human to circumnavigate the world by automobile....
was the first to circumnavigate the world by car, in an Adler Standard 6.
In December 1930, Adler assigned the German engineer
Josef GanzDipl.-Ing. Josef Ganz was a German-Hungarian car designer, born in Budapest, Hungary. He was was a brilliant engineer and journalist.-Early years:...
, who was also editor-in-chief of
Motor-KritikMotor-Kritik was the title of a progressive automotive magazine, published by the H.Bechhold Verlagsbuchhandlung in Germany from 1929 to 1945. It originated from the earlier Klein-Motor-Sport magazine.-History:...
magazine, as a consultant engineer. In the first months of 1931, Ganz constructed a lightweight
VolkswagenThe Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft , also known as Volkswagen Group or as VW, is an automobile manufacturer and mobility organisation based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany and is the pioneer brand within the Volkswagen Group, which contains the car brands Audi AG, Bentley Motors Ltd.,...
prototype at Adler with a tubular chassis, a mid-mounted engine, and
independent wheel suspensionIndependent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked - movement on one side affects...
with
swing-axlesA swing axle is a simple type of independent suspension first used in early aircraft , such as the Sopwith and Fokker, usually with rubber bungee and no damping....
at the rear. After completion in May 1931, Ganz nicknamed his new prototype
MaikäferMaikäfer was the nickname of an automobile prototype, built in 1931 by German engineer Josef Ganz at Adler.-History:Josef Ganz, an independent engineer and editor-in-chief of Motor-Kritik magazine, was assigned by Adler in December 1930 as a consultant engineer...
(May Beetle). After a shift in management at Adler, further development of the Maikäfer was stopped as the company's new technical director Hans Gustav Röhr concentrated on front-wheel driven cars.
In the 1930s, the company introduced
front-wheel driveFront-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...
Trumpf and
Trumpf-Junior models, ranging from 995 cc to 1645cc four-cylinder
svSV may mean:* Der Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde, the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany* ESP SV, a series of electric guitars produced by ESP Guitars* Hamburger SV, German Bundesliga team* MG SV a sports car made by MG Rover...
engines. These gained many successes in races, including in the
Le MansLe Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans....
race. The 1943 cc
Favorit, the 2916 cc six-cylinder
Diplomat (featuring 65
hpHorsepower is the name of several non-SI units of power. It was originally defined to allow the output of steam engines to be measured and compared with the power output of draft horses. The horsepower was widely adopted to measure the output of piston engines, turbines, electric motors and other...
(48 kW) at 3800 rpm, and the 1910 cc four-cylinder and 2494 cc six-cylinder models (with Ambi-Budd and
KarmannWilhelm Karmann GmbH, commonly known simply as Karmann, in Osnabrück, Germany is the largest independent motor vehicle manufacturing company in Germany...
bodywork) were all rear-driven; these were built until
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The last new car introduced by Adler was the
2,5 Liter of 1937; it had a six-cylinder engine producing 58 hp (43 kW). Thanks to a streamlined body designed by
Paul JarayPaul Jaray, 11 March 1889 Vienna–22 September 1974 St. Gallen, engineer, pioneer of automotive streamlining.Paul Jaray, of Hungarian descent, was born in Vienna. Jaray studied at Maschinenbauschule in Vienna and worked at Prague Technical University as an assistant to Professor Rudolf Dörfl...
, this car could run at 125 km/h (78 mph).
After
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a decision was made not to resume automobile construction. Motorcycle production resumed in 1949 and continued for 8 years, leading to the production of the MB 250S. As part of the Allies war reparations, Adler motorcycle designs had been taken by
BSAThe Birmingham Small Arms Company was a British manufacturer of vehicles, firearms, and military equipment, and still exists as an airgun sport manufacturer and distributor.At its peak, BSA was the largest motorcycle producer in the world...
in Britain and later used by the British company
ArielAriel was a bicycle, motorcycle and automobile marque manufacturer based in Bournbrook, Birmingham, England. Car production moved to Coventry in 1911. The company name was reused in 1999 for the formation of Ariel Ltd, a sports car producer.-History:...
to produce their 'Arrow' and 'Leader' models. Increasingly, Adler focused on the manufacture of office equipment. The company associated with
TriumphIn 1886, Siegfried Bettmann founded the Triumph bicycle factory in Coventry, England, and in 1896 he founded a second bicycle factory in his native Nuremberg, Germany, under the same Triumph name...
to form
Trumpf-Adler, and was taken over by
GrundigGrundig AG is a German manufacturer of consumer electronics for home entertainment under Turkish control. Established in 1945 in Nuremberg, Germany by Max Grundig the company changed hands several times before becoming part of the Turkish Koç Holding group...
in 1957, then later by
OlivettiIng. C. Olivetti & Co., SpA., known as Olivetti, is an Italian manufacturer of computers, printers and other business machines.- History :...
.
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