Horch
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2008-06-15T03:54:32Z
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[[Image:Horch-853-sport-cabriolet.jpg|thumb|1938 Horch 853 Sport Cabriolet]]
[[Image:Horch Kühlerfigur.jpg|thumb|Horch [[Hood ornament]], first generation]]
[[Image:Horch 830 bl 1938.JPG|thumb|Horch [[Hood ornament]], Horch 830 BL 1938]]
'''Horch''' was the popular name for high-performance luxury motor cars manufactured in [[Germany]] by the company, '''August Horch & Cie''', at the beginning of the 20th century.
==Founder==
The company was established by [[August Horch]], a former production manager for [[Karl Benz]], and a partner on [[November 14]], [[1899]] with a capital of 30,000 [[German gold mark|Goldmark]] at Ehrenfeld, near Cologne. Horch was also later the founder of the German automaker, [[Audi]], which is named after the Latin translation of his surname (Latin word for the regional Saxon expression, ''horch'', which is the imperative form of “horchen” - "hark" or "listen" in [[German language|German]]).
==Initial cars==
The company initially began producing 5 and 10 [[Horsepower|hp]] twin-cylinder engine automobiles near [[Cologne]] in 1901.
The first Horch had a 4.5 hp engine, with an alloy crankcase, a unique achievement in those days. It had an open-body design, with lighting provided by lanterns with candles in them. In contrast with the powerful cars of later years, the first Horch could barely reach a top speed of {{convert|32|km/h|mi/h|abbr=on}}. It was significant at that time because it used a friction clutch, and also had a drive shaft to power the wheels.
The firm soon ran into financial troubles, not surprising considering the pioneering nature of the automobile business at that time. Horch had to seek new partners.
The company was moved to [[Reichenbach im Vogtland]] in March, 1902, where it produced a 20 hp four-cylinder car with a shaft drive. Horch cars were considered much advanced and superior to those being then built by [[Mercedes (car)|Mercedes]] or [[Benz]] (who were then separate manufacturers).
By 1903, Horch had built a car with a four-cylinder engine. In March of the following year, he introduced his new car at the [[Frankfurt]] Fair.
In 1904, Horch was forced to convert the firm into a joint-stock company, A. Horch & Cie. Motorwagen-Werke AG, an action that he was to later regret.
On May 10, 1904, he moved the new corporation to [[Zwickau]], a city to the southwest of [[Chemnitz]], in the eastern German state of [[Saxony]].
The first six-cylinder Horch appeared in 1907.
==Audi connection==
In 1909, the supervisory board (German equivalent of the Board of Directors) of this corporation forced out Horch. Horch went on to found [[Audi]], Audiwerke GmbH, which became effective on [[25 April]] [[1910]]. The name was a solution to the legal dispute with his old company over use of the Horch brand.
In 1928, the company was acquired by [[J S Rasmussen|Jörgen Skafte Rasmussen]], owner of [[DKW]] (which comes from the German word, ''Dampfkraftwagen'' = steam engine vehicle), who bought the same year the remains of the US automobile manufacturer, [[Rickenbacker (car)|Rickenbacker]], including the manufacturing equipment for eight-cylinder engines.
Eventually, on [[29 June]] [[1932]], Audi merged with Horch, [[DKW]] and [[Wanderer (car)|Wanderer]] to form the [[Auto Union]]. The current Audi four-ring logo is the Auto Union logo. In the 1930s Horch introduced a new line of smaller and cheaper, but still presentable, V8 automobiles.
Auto Union became a major supplier of automobiles to the [[German armed forces]]. Civilian production was suspended after March 1940. After the war, Auto Union continued civil car production. Due to widespread poverty in post-war Germany, only small DKW vehicles were produced. Luxury vehicle production under the Audi name plate did not resume until Audi was purchased in 1964 by [[Volkswagen Group]].
==Trabant connection==
During the [[Second World War]], the factories suffered heavy bomb damage. Later, the advancing [[Soviet]] forces captured the area, and it became part of the [[Allied Occupation Zones in Germany|Soviet sector of divided Germany]] in 1945, and later became part of [[East Germany]].
The factory was renamed as the ''Sachsenring'' factory after the East German firm [[Industrieverband Fahrzeugbau|IFA]] took it over, and produced the [[Sachsenring P240]] from 1955 to 1959. It produced the initial [[Trabant]] "P-50" model from 1957.<ref>[http://trabant.shocauto.com/trabant_history.htm Trabant History]</ref>
==Rare collectibles==
On Saturday, June 24th, 2006, an incredibly rare 1937 Horch 853A Sport Cabriolet in original unrestored, unprepared condition sold at auction in Cortland NY for $299,000 US.<ref>[http://www.rmauctions.com/AuctionResults.cfm?SaleCode=JS06&SortBy=HB&View=Normal&Category=Cars Rm Auctions<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
In the late 1930s, Horch supplied a limited number of promotional scarfs bearing the Horch logo. Only sent to the most wealthy drivers, it is a major collectible amongst die-hard enthusiasts of the pre-war car era. However there is also a degree of controversy associated with these scarfs as they were commonly sought after by senior SS members.
==Horch models==
Some Horch automobiles (year introduced):
* [[Horch 350/375/400/405]] (1928-1931)
* [[Horch 930V]] (1934)
* [[Horch 850]] (1935)
* [[Horch 851]] (1935)
* [[Horch 853]] Sport Cabriolet (1937)
* Horch 853A Erdmann-Rossi Sport Cabriolet (1937)
* Horch 853A Voll-Ruhrbeck Sport Cabriolet (1938)
* [[Horch 855]] Roadster (1939)
==Gallery==
{{commonscat|Horch vehicles}}
<gallery>
Image:Horch 470 Cabriolet 1931.jpg|Horch 470 Cabriolet 1931
Image:Horch 830 BL Cabriolet.jpg|Horch 830 BL Cabriolet
Image:Horch 830 BL Cabriolet 1937.jpg|Horch 830 BL Cabriolet 1937
Image:Horch 830 BL Cabriolet 1938.jpg|Horch 830 BL Cabriolet 1938
Image:Horch 830 BL Cabriolet 1939.jpg|Horch 830 BL Cabriolet 1939
Image:Horch 853 Sport-Cabriolet 1936.jpg|Horch 853 Sport-Cabriolet 1936
Image:Horch 853 Sport-Cabriolet 1937.jpg|Horch 853 Sport-Cabriolet 1937
Image:Horch 853 A Sport-Cabriolet 1938.jpg|Horch 853 A Sport-Cabriolet 1938
</gallery>
==See also==
* [[list of German cars]]
* [[Auto Union]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Volkswagen Group brands}}
[[Category:Horch]]
[[Category:Auto Union]]
[[Category:Audi]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1899]]
[[Category:Defunct companies of Germany]]
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