Personenauto

Rapid, Cabriolet

Dating

1946

Persons

Rapid Maschinen und Fahrzeuge AG (1926), Hersteller/in, archivalisch belegt

MAG Motosacoche Acacias Genève SA (1917), Hersteller/in Motor, archivalisch belegt

Josef Ganz (1898), Konstrukteur/in, archivalisch belegt

Description

Exemplar einer Vorserie von 36 Stück - Zentralrohrrahmen - Gegenkolbenmotor im Fahrzeugheck - Mehrscheiben-Trockenkupplung - 3 Vorwärts- und 1 Rückwärtsgang, ohne Differenzial, im Heck mit Achse verblockt - Federaufzugstarter über ein Fusspedal - Schwingachse vorne und hinten - mechanische Vierradbremsen - sehr tiefer Schwerpunkt

Object type

Object (three-dimensional)

Material / Technique

Alukarosserie

Dimensions

290 x 130 x 130 cm 400 kg

Inventory number

VHS-3833

Legend

Rapid Switzerland 1946 The inventor of the "Volkswagen"? Josef Ganz (1898 - 1976) is a belligerent personality, always at odds with his contemporaries, critical and beyond the norm. He was an early protagonist of the rear engine, a central, tubular chassis and fully independent suspensions. His vision included a mass producible "people's car". After Hitler seized power in 1933, Ganz, a Jew, emigrated to Switzerland. Subsidised development After the war, a maximum-utility, or mini-car was to be produced by farm machinery manufacturer Rapid with the help of public funds. The preparatory work began already in 1944. The design submitted by Ganz was only modified in a few details and equipped with an unconventional, opposed-piston engine from the Geneva manufacturer M.A.G. No demand for a car from a lawnmower factory By 1947, only 36 pre-series models were made and then came the end. Swiss people who could afford a car preferred to fall back on well-proven foreign makes that had a service network and that did not still project the image of a farm machinery manufacturer, for which Rapid had become famous and popular in its core field of business.