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Belt trick - DAF 1300 Marathon in (historical) test

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Created on March 9, 1974

Text:

Olaf von Fersen

Photos:

Archiv

28

Archiv

28

DAF 66 Marathon 1300 Coupé (1973) - The sportiest model variant

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DAF 66 Marathon - the most powerful model in the 66 series, on the market since September 1973 - at the 1974 Geneva Motor Show

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DAF 66 Marathon Break (1973) - with estate rear end and De Dion rear axle - at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show

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DAF 66 1300 Marathon Break - larger 1.3-liter engine provides more torque - at the 1974 Geneva Motor Show

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 Coupé (1973) - Dimensions

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 Coupé (1973) - In the advertisement

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 station wagon (1973) - 145 km/h top speed

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 Sedan (1973) - With halogen light and integrated headrests

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 (1974) - Something's up

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 (1975) - Snarling beast or purring kitten?

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 (1975) - The Coupé

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 (1975) - The sedan

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DAF 66 Marathon (1973) - A version of the DAF 66 SL with increased engine power, sporty optional extras and a top speed of 145 km/h

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 (1973) - With 55 hp

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DAF 66 SL Estate (1973) - Its specialty is the belt-driven Variomatic

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 (1973) - Cockpit

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 (1973) - Variomatic with two V-belts for power transmission

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 (1973) - De-Dion rear axle with Variomatic gearbox

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 (1973) - The robust 4-cylinder engine delivers 57 hp at 5200 rpm

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 (1973) - Trunk

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DAF 66 (1973) - The wooden dashboard and floor carpet are standard features of the SL model

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DAF 66 (1973) - De-Dion rear axle with fully automatic Variomatic transmission

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DAF 66 (1973) - De Dion rear axle

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DAF 66 (1973) - These constant velocity joints also compensate for the length variations of the axle shafts during compression

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DAF 66 (1973) - Engine with 1100 cc

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DAF 66 (1973) - Front with stainless steel bumper and rubber corners

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DAF 66 (1973) - Central reduction gearbox with differential gear

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DAF 66 Marathon 1300 (1975) - Engine with 57 hp

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Summary

The Marathon was a sports coupé, but with 57 hp and 145 km/h it was not incredibly sporty. The special thing about the DAF was that it could drive just as fast backwards as forwards thanks to its variomatic transmission. In the 1974 test, you can find out what else the little vehicle had to offer - and what the Indian fakirs had to do with it.

This article contains the following chapters

Evolution in stages
Numbers games and comparisons
Furniture show
Practical perspective
Marathon at the limit
Plus points
Minus points
mot overall verdict
Technical data

Estimated reading time: 9min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Indian magicians occasionally climb up a miraculously vertical rope. Holland's only car makers, the van Doorne brothers, used a V-belt to gain prestige in the automotive world and a secure place in hotly contested markets. Van Doorne's automobile factory - commonly known as DAF - also worked its way up through the engine sizes: 750-850-1100 cc and now with the Marathon 1300 to 1.3 liters. DAF would certainly have failed with its small cars just as Lloyd, BMW, NSU and others once did. The DAF cars owe their survival - and more - to the Variomatic. This only standard automatic transmission without steps has two V-belts for power transmission, which run via pulleys with an automatically variable working radius. This drive makes the DAF a completely non-technical driving machine that even a person with a lot of thumbs on their hands can hardly do anything wrong when operating: He steps on one pedal and the car drives off, he steps on another - and it stops. But you have to steer it yourself...

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