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DKW F 12 in (historical) test - Compact two-stroke with ambivalent character

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Created on June 15, 1963

Text:

Olaf von Fersen

Photos:

Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

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Archiv

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Archiv Reinhard / Max Pichler

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Archiv

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DKW F12 (1963) - notchback and modern design

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DKW F12 (1963) - 900 cm3, 40 hp, 7.8 liters consumption per 100 km

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DKW F12 (1963) - 7.8 liters standard consumption stated by the manufacturer at the time

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DKW F12 (1963) - two reversing lights were not common among the competition at the time

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DKW F12 (1963) - women loved the car too

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DKW F12 (1963) - at the photo shoot

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DKW F12 (1963) - at the IAA in 1963

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DKW F 12 (1963) - new model between Junior and 1000, with automatic fresh oil lubrication and front-wheel drive

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DKW F12 (1963) - front-wheel drive and fresh oil automatic transmission

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DKW F12 (1963) - a car of the modern European class, wrote AU at the time

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DKW F12 (1963) - with reversing lights, that was something back then

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DKW F12 (1963) - good access to the rear

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DKW F 12 (1964) - larger car developed from the DKW Junior with more power and interior space - Geneva Motor Show 1964

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DKW F12 (1963) - valveless three-cylinder engine with 900 cc and 40 hp at 4300 rpm, the 3.8-liter oil tank of the automatic fresh oil system is easily accessible at the front right

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DKW F12 Roadster (1964) - with disc brakes and well thought-out interior

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DKW F12 Roadster (1964) - quite sporty with 45 hp

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DKW F12 Roadster (1964) - a spirited car for fans of open-top sporty driving

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DKW F11 (1964) - looks similar to that of the F12

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DKW Junior (1965) - pretty little car - Geneva Motor Show 1965

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DKW (1964) - Advertising from 1964 -

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DKW F12 (1963) - 7,8 Liter Normverbrauch gab der Hersteller damals an

DKW F12 (1963) - zwei Rückfahrscheinwerfer waren damals nicht üblich bei der Konkurrenz

DKW F12 (1963) - auch die Frauen liebten den Wagen

DKW F12 (1963) - beim Fototermin

DKW F12 (1963) - auf der IAA von 1963

DKW F 12 (1963) - neues Modell zwischen Junior und 1000, mit automatischer Frischölschmierung und Frontantrieb

Summary

The fact that a large majority cannot understand the views of a small minority and collectively shake their heads in resignation is not only seen in times of medical crises. In an automotive context, society was probably similarly divided at the beginning of the sixties. At that time, the dominance of four-stroke engines had long been established, but a few stubborn manufacturers were still producing two-stroke cars, including DKW. Although the F 12 had its flaws, its performance and equipment were more than respectable even in comparison with the four-stroke competition... You can find out more about this small mid-range car in the original test report from 1963 and from the historical photos.

This article contains the following chapters

Strong connection to motorsport
Peculiarities of the two-stroke
Engine not at all like a small car
Fine gearbox
Suspension and interior
Seats, visibility, equipment
How it drives
Less demanding maintenance
Is it worth the money?
Technical data and test results

Estimated reading time: 20min

Preview (beginning of the article)

You can offer the best cigars to people who smoke a pipe. They don't like them. It's not much different with die-hard DKW drivers: they are "trained for two-strokes", so to speak, and don't come into intimate contact with "normal cars". They are spoiled, as they themselves believe... This is the reason for a certain unease that always creeps up on me when I, as an "outsider", have to write a DKW test. You can't please anyone. The two-stroke community screams murder and fire because they believe they are inevitably under attack, the "four-strokes" among our readers write angry letters because, in their opinion, these stinking relics of the period between two world wars have been treated all too kindly.

Welcome to Zwischengas!

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Images of this article

DKW F12 (1963) - 7,8 Liter Normverbrauch gab der Hersteller damals an

DKW F12 (1963) - zwei Rückfahrscheinwerfer waren damals nicht üblich bei der Konkurrenz

DKW F12 (1963) - auch die Frauen liebten den Wagen

DKW F12 (1963) - beim Fototermin

DKW F12 (1963) - auf der IAA von 1963

DKW F 12 (1963) - neues Modell zwischen Junior und 1000, mit automatischer Frischölschmierung und Frontantrieb

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