Staunau 1950-1951 - The euphoria of a new beginning
Summary
There were around 10,000 car brands and designers - most of them have disappeared. One of the brands is Staunau. Like many people, Hamburg-based machine manufacturer Karl-Heinz Staumau wanted to make a fresh start after the Second World War. But he soon realized that it was not so easy to establish himself in the car manufacturing business. All his attempts failed and he had to file for bankruptcy at the beginning of 1951.
Estimated reading time: 3min
Preview (beginning of the article)
In the euphoria of the new beginning after the Second World War, there were also unsuccessful attempts to establish themselves in car manufacturing. One example was the Hamburg-based machine manufacturer Karl-Heinz Staunau, who hired Gerd Krebs, a designer with experience in aircraft construction. For his car model, Krebs combined the front-wheel drive mechanism from DKW with a 400 cc two-cylinder two-stroke engine from Ilo. The design of the four-seater coupé, which at 412 cm long was almost mid-range and self-supporting, was clearly inspired by the American post-war style, with the massive chrome-trimmed air intake at the front and the elongated hatchback being just as striking. Accordingly, the Staunau K 400 was much admired when it was presented in Berlin in the spring of 1950.
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