Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 8,823
Too Modern For It's Time!
On March 4, 1934, the world's first mass-produced car with the so-called "streamline shape" is presented as part of the "Prague Automobile Salon" exhibition!
It is a product of the technically leading Czechoslovak automobile manufacturer "Tatra" in Kopřivnice at that time in Europe, one of the oldest automobile manufacturers at all.
The "Tatra 77" causes a tremendous stir, because it makes the products of all competing brands look old in one fell swoop!
In addition, due to its streamlined body with a lower engine power (3.0 liters, 44 kW), the car drives significantly faster than the competition (top speed 145 km/h) and also consumes less petrol!
Due to the fact that the "Tatra" engineers installed the air-cooled V8 engine in the rear of the car...
... the space-eating cardan tunnel in the interior is omitted, which means that the "77" also has more space to offer than the competition!
However, the shape of the car with the distinctive air-guiding fin at the rear...
...extremely took some getting used to, and due to the weight distribution with the engine installed at the rear, the car was quickly considered a "back spin", i.e. difficult to drive in borderline situations.
There are not many buyers...
...the "Tatra 77" was simply too modern for its time!
As a result, only 255 vehicles were made, many of which were added (or left out) at the customer's request, which is why no "Tatra 77" was alike!
On March 4, 1934, the world's first mass-produced car with the so-called "streamline shape" is presented as part of the "Prague Automobile Salon" exhibition!
It is a product of the technically leading Czechoslovak automobile manufacturer "Tatra" in Kopřivnice at that time in Europe, one of the oldest automobile manufacturers at all.
The "Tatra 77" causes a tremendous stir, because it makes the products of all competing brands look old in one fell swoop!
In addition, due to its streamlined body with a lower engine power (3.0 liters, 44 kW), the car drives significantly faster than the competition (top speed 145 km/h) and also consumes less petrol!
Due to the fact that the "Tatra" engineers installed the air-cooled V8 engine in the rear of the car...
... the space-eating cardan tunnel in the interior is omitted, which means that the "77" also has more space to offer than the competition!
However, the shape of the car with the distinctive air-guiding fin at the rear...
...extremely took some getting used to, and due to the weight distribution with the engine installed at the rear, the car was quickly considered a "back spin", i.e. difficult to drive in borderline situations.
There are not many buyers...
...the "Tatra 77" was simply too modern for its time!
As a result, only 255 vehicles were made, many of which were added (or left out) at the customer's request, which is why no "Tatra 77" was alike!
