The car fleet of the Third Reich: what the German elite rode and how ordinary Germans were deceived
When German troops occupied France, for some reason, they banned the production of two electric cars. The copies were interesting, in the spirit of “star warriors” and it is a pity that only 377 of them were produced. At the same time, Hitler himself recognized cars and did not harbor any ideological hatred for them.
Nazi propaganda regularly printed photographs of Hitler in a car in magazines and newspapers. Most often, the leader drove a Mercedes-Benz 770K, which was the most expensive and most roomy German car. That’s why it was nicknamed the Großer Mercedes. It was an elite car at that time.
The engine of the Mercedes-Benz 770K was 7.6 L (150 hp). Mechanical gearbox, 4 stages. The interior is trimmed with leather, and even natural wood is present.
Hitler drove two versions of the Mercedes-Benz 770K: a regular and a convertible. Moreover, the leader of the Nazis chose a convertible more often.
The cost of the car started at 29,500 Reichsmarks. The expensive toy was generally loved by the German elite of that time, not only Adolf Hitler.
The second-generation Mercedes-Benz 770, also Hitler’s favorite, was already significantly more powerful than its previous version:
- 7.7 liter engine;
- 230 hp;
- acceleration to 170 km/h, which was very important at that time – not every racing car could reach such a speed;
- Fuel consumption is huge, 30 liters per 100 km.
The Mercedes-Benz 770 was not a production car. It was produced from 1930 to 1943, and only 207 cars were produced during the entire time.
Moreover, 7 cars ended up in Hitler’s car park. In 2004, one of them was sold at auction for a fabulous sum of $18 million.
Also, the German elite had a lot of respect for Maybach cars. Even then, they were prestigious.
The Maybach SW38 deserves special attention. This car had a 3.8-liter engine, and was produced from 1936 to 1939. Over the years, different versions of the car were made: it was a convertible, a four-door car, and a roadster. Party leaders of the Third Reich often chose the Maybach SW38.
And what did ordinary, ordinary German citizens drive? It is clear that the elite chose Maybach and Mercedes. For the burghers, “people’s cars” were specially developed. And, as you’ve probably already guessed, these were car brands… Volkswagen.
The first people’s Volkswagen was the “beetle”, or Käfer. In Germany, it was presented to people in 1939, at an exhibition that took place in Berlin. The engine of the “beetle” was located at the rear, and was very easy to manufacture and maintain. In particular, for this reason people fell in love with the machine – it was in demand for a long time.
The “beetle” cost only 990 Reichsmarks. But there was a nuance – the car was not sold for cash. To buy it, it was necessary to first have a “Savings Book”, and once a week to put specially issued stamps into it. If you miss at least one week, all your savings are “burned out”. That’s a tricky system.
