Champion (automobile)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Champion Automobilwerke GmbH was a German producer of small cars, initially manufacturing in Paderborn. The cars were produced and sold by a succession of businesses between 1952 and 1958. At the outset the cars were impressively simple and inexpensive, but as they became slightly less simple they also lost much of their price advantage. As larger manufacturers moved centre stage in the German auto-market, the producers of the Champion failed to achieve the volumes necessary to justify the investment needed to develop and produce the cars: the brief story of the marque is one of a succession of financial crises and failures.
The car originally developed by ZF of Friedrichshafen was a two-seater with a single-cylinder 200 cc rear-mounted two-stroke lawnmower engine[1] supported by a supercharger. Power was delivered to the wheels via a three-speed gear box: despite the low weight of the car, there was also a reverse gear.[1] The first prototype was actually built further to the south at Herrlingen near Ulm in 1948. The car was based around a central steel frame and employed a rear-mounted engine, being clearly inspired by the Volkswagen lay-out, but smaller and simpler having regard to the availability of production facilities and materials in the late 1940s.[1]
In 1949 a former BMW engineer then known for his work on early post-war racing cars and named Hermann Holbein acquired the production rights for the car. One year later, Holbein introduced the Champion, which would be assembled at the newly created Champion Automobilwerke plant in Paderborn until 1952. In 1952 production was taken over by the Ludwigshafen based "Rheinische Automobilfabrik Hennhöfer & Co" company. When this business went into liquidation a Dane named Henning Thorndahl took charge of assembling the vehicles until October 1954 when the last car was produced.
In 1955 production was taken over by Maico, a firm then as subsequently better known for its motorcycles.
Champion 250
The Champion 250 built under Holbein’s direction featured a rear-mounted Triumph (Germany) single-cylinder engine of 250 cc producing a claimed 6 PS or a two-cylinder engine providing a stated 10 PS of output. Weights given for the car vary between 220 kg and 250 kg. It was just 285 cm (724 in) long and 136 cm (345 in) wide. The single-cylinder version was said to be capable of 60 km/h (37 mph) and the two-cylinder version of 70 km/h (44 mph).
The specification of the car was basic. The steel dish wheels were of a thinness commonly associated with basic motorcycles and needed therefore to be pumped to a relatively high pressure.[1] The hardness of the tires and the minimalist approach taken to shock absorption made the cars strikingly uncomfortable.[1] Except for users of cabriolet versions with the roof open, above average agility was vital for anyone wishing to get in or out of a Champion.[1] Driver fitness was also encouraged by the need to start the engine with a starting handle, there being no electric starter-motor.[1]
The selling price was initially, DM 2,400 rising to DM 2,650 for the twin-cylinder version: this compares with DM 5,300 then being asked for a Volkswagen Beetle.[1] 225 or just under 400 of the cars were produced.[1] Sources differ.
