Glass Goggomobil - the perfect compromise

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Glass Goggomobil - the perfect compromise

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Created in 1983

Text:

J. E. Hofelich

Photos:

Josef und Daniel Reinhard

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Goggomobil T 250 (1958) - picnic scene - from an annual calendar of Glas GmbH

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Goggomobil (1955) - Fully loaded, the Goggomobil loses surprisingly little of its remarkable temperament - large and comfortable doors

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Goggomobil T 250 (1956) - when the whole family goes on a trip - illustration from a 1956 sales brochure

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Goggomobil T 250 (1958) - on a long journey - picture from a Glas GmbH calendar from 1959

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Goggomobil T 250 (1954) - very early model - from a contemporary sales brochure

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Goggomobil T 250 (1956) - in tough gravel rally use

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Goggomobil T 250 (1956) - Test drive on unpaved roads

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Goggomobil T 250 (1955) - the sensation of the Alpine tour

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Goggomobil T 250 (1956) - nobody is too big to be a Goggomobil fan

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Goggomobil T 250 (1958) - on a long journey - photo from a Glas GmbH calendar

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Goggomobil T 250 (1955) - ideal for the young family - illustration from a contemporary sales brochure

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Goggomobil T 700 (1958) - you probably wouldn't want to go on longer trips like this - photo from a Glas GmbH calendar

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Goggomobil T 250 (1958) - Goggomobiles as far as the eye can see - photo from a Glas GmbH calendar

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Goggomobil T 250 (1956) - X-ray view through the Goggomobil - good space economy for two adults, two children and luggage

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Goggomobil T 250 (1954) - chassis without body - from an early sales brochure

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Goggomobil T 250 (1955) - compact dimensions without restrictions on use - Illustration from a brochure

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Goggomobil T 250 (1957) - Sketch shows the three-way adjustable seats of the saloon, which even allowed a reclining position

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Goggomobil T 250 (1965) - Transparent drawing of the two-stroke engine with two parallel cylinders

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Goggomobil T 250 (1958) - Sketch of the semi-automatic electromagnetically shiftable Getrag gearbox

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Goggomobil (1955) - The two-cylinder rear engine has two exhaust silencers, differential and gearbox are in one block

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Goggomobil (1955) - frame made of profiled sheet steel and as flat as a board

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Goggomobil TS 250 (1958) - the coupé at the motor show

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Goggomobil TS 250 (1958) - Coupé at the 1958 Geneva Motor Show

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Goggomobil Coupé (1958) - Glas has now equipped the pretty coupé with a 400 cm3 engine - Geneva Motor Show 1958

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Goggomobil TS 250 (1958) - Coupé with an individual touch

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Goggomobil TS 250 (1957) - the coupé also offered four seats

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Goggomobil TS 250 (1956) - elegant small coupé also adorns the woman of the world - illustration from a sales brochure

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Goggomobil TS 250 (1957) - the coupé also initially had rear-opening doors

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Goggomobil TL 300 (1958) - the commercial vehicle version in use for the ADAC - photo from a Glas GmbH calendar

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Goggomobil TS 250 (1958) - the coupé for the elegant lady - from a sales brochure

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Goggomobil TS 250 (1958) - the coupé revealed visible charms - photo from a Glas GmbH calendar

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Goggomobil Cabriolet (1958) - the Cabriolet never made it into series production - illustration from a 1958 sales brochure

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Glass S 1004 (1961) - old (Goggomobil Coupé) next to new S 1004 - considerable difference in size

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Goggomobil Isar S 35 (1959) - the coupé from Dingolfing for the private Grand Prix

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Goggomobil Isar S 35 (1960) - elegant little coupé

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When the small Goggomobil was no longer enough car, the larger T600 and T700 saloons were created

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Goggomobil T 600 (1958) - the successor with front engine - more space and more luggage compartment

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Goggomobil T 600 (1957) - International Automobile Exhibition (IAA) in Frankfurt 1957 - Transparency drawing, left-front

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Goggomobil T 600 (1958) - the big brother of the classic Goggomobil, with front engine and more space

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Goggomobil T 600 (1958) - front view of the front-engined model

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Goggomobil T 600 (1958) - during the road test, the radiator cover is clearly visible, which was intended to ensure that the engine could warm up sufficiently in winter

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Goggomobil T 600 (1957) - combining practicality and elegance

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Goggomobil T 600 (1958) - Sketch - Steering wheel and dashboard

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Goggomobil T 600 (1958) - the advantage of the larger model was the easily usable luggage compartment

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Goggomobil T 600 (1957) - View into the engine compartment, on the occasion of the IAA 1957

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Summary

With the Goggomobil, Glas perfectly captured the spirit of the times. The car was small and could also be driven with a motorcycle license due to its small displacement. However, the most important thing for buyers at the time was probably that the Goggomobil looked and drove like a fully-fledged car. This made the small car very popular not only in Germany, but throughout Europe. This report describes the history of the Goggomobil and its special features, illustrated with historical pictures and sales literature from the time.

This article contains the following chapters

Solid direct hit
A "real" car
Self-supporting body
Reasonable price
Technical overweight
A vehicle of the century

Estimated reading time: 11min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The economic upturn in the early years of the Federal Republic of Germany came in waves. And after the first of these waves had already washed over us, the most elementary need and the resulting need for food, clothing and - often still provisional - housing furnishings had been satisfied, the first great wave of motorization came around 1950. People's aspirations were still modest, and in most cases they did not have enough for a car. What mattered most to people at that time was the possibility of free, timetable-independent transportation by means of motor power. There was a boom in motorcycles and scooters: more than conventional, uncovered motorcycles, these single-track hybrids of car and motorcycle - known in Italy since 1946 - seemed more suitable as a substitute for cars for financially weak citizens.

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