Osterreichische Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft Bierenz, Fischer & Co.,

Wiener-Neustadt. 1899 - 1902

Osterreichische Daimler Motoren GmbH, Wiener-Neustadt. 1902 - 1910

Osterreichische Daimler Motoren AG, Wiener-Neustadt. 1910 - 1928

Austro-Daimler-Puch AG, Wiener-Neustadt 1928 - 1934

Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Wiener-Neustadt 1934

The Austrian engineering company of Bierenz-Fischer headed by Eduard Fischer saw, like so many others, that there were opportunities to expand into the new motor industry. The company started by making Daimlers under licence to the Phoenix design from Cannstatt.

In 1901 Gottlieb Daimler's son Paul became technical director and he was responsible for a few of his PD-Wagen being made in Austria. They had an engine of 9hp with two cylinders and chain drive transmission and were smaller than the Daimlers from which the design originated.

A significant turning point occurred in 1905 when Paul Daimler left the company to be replaced by Ferdinand Porsche as engineering director, a post he held until 1923. It was during this time that his equally famous son "Ferry" was born.

In 1906 the Austrian company became financially independent of Daimler, although it did not sever all connections until 1911. At the earlier date Emile Jellinek, the influential motor trader from Nice who was responsible for having a Daimler model built and named after his daughter Mercedes,

formed an Austrian company. This company was set up in order to sell a car called the Maja, after his younger daughter, to be manufactured by the Austro-Daimler factory. It was a 4 cylinder side-valve T head 4,520cc engined car of conventional design, but was available with either chain or shaft drive transmission. It was designated the 24/28PS. Although the original order was for 600 cars, to be sold in France, a lower number were actually delivered.

This car was renamed and improved in 1909 as the Austro-Daimler 28/36 PS and remained in production until 1914.

The Austrian company made various other models during this period including the 18/22PS, 23/30PS and 27/60PS.

Then, as now, competition improved the breed and the performance of their 28/36 model in the prestigious Prince Henry Trials of 1909 encouraged Ferdinand Porsche to design a new car for the 1910 event. This was a much more advanced design than the company had previously undertaken. It had a 4 cylinder engine of 5,714cc with inclined overhead valves operated by a shaft driven overhead camshaft, twin magnetos and lightweight steel pistons. It retained chain drive transmission but was fitted with a very unusual tulip-shaped body designed by the pioneer aerodynamicist Ernst Neumann-Neander. Driven by Porsche, Fischer and Count Heinrich Schonfeld they were 1-2-3 overall and two similar cars were placed, giving them nine cups out of a total of twelve.

These cars powerful cars were put into production in 1911 as the 22/80PS "Prince Henry" with shaft drive transmission and along with the Vauxhall Prince Henry and Hispano Alfonso can lay claim to being the world's first sports cars. Their charm was due to their technical innovation which gave 95bhp from the 5.7 litre engine rather than the 60bhp from the 7 litres of their side valve stablemates. They were popular in England and America, but they were costly and only about 200 were made before war stopped play in 1914.

Porsche also designed the 9/30PS of 2,210cc and the 14/32PS of 3,560cc which were all conquering in the Alpine Trials of 1911 and 1912. Apart from these the production models included the 18/36PS of 4,520cc, 27/60PS of 6,900cc and just prior to the war the smaller 6/25PS of 2,009cc which was reintroduced after the war. It was joined, in 1920, by the larger 4 cylinder side vale 15/35PS of 3,300cc.

A major change occurred in 1921 with the arrival of the AD617 which featured a 6 cylinder engine with a single overhead camshaft of 4,420cc. It was a Porsche design but he was assisted by the talented young Karl Rabe who became responsible for all the company's larger models until production ceased.

Meanwhile Porsche designed an even more advanced racing car for the "voiturette" class. It was named the "Sascha" after the colourful pre-war sportsman, Count Sascha Kolowrat who competed in the Alpine Trial with his pet pig in the rear seat of his Laurin & Klement. This "racer" had a 4 cylinder twin overhead camshaft engine of 1,090cc which gave 45bhp. It could be driven to race meetings and then "stripped" of its road equipment and then driven home afterwards. This largely amateur racing formula was popular in the early post war austerity.

They entered three cars for the Targa Florio in 1922 and two won their class easily. The third had an enlarged engine and was driven by Alfred Neubauer into 6^th place. Neubauer went on to become the famous director of the Mercedes Racing Team.

The death of the works driver Fritz Kuhr in a 2 litre "Sascha" at Monza in 1923 put paid to the racing programme and Ferdinand Porsche left to join Mercedes-Benz. His first task was to redesign the 2 litre racing cars which had failed at Indianapolis the previous year. The result was the 2 litre Mercedes which won the Targa Florio in 1924. (Your editor has had the privilege of racing this very same car in the 1990's).

Karl Rabe continued where Porsche had begun and improved the AD617 by adding front brakes in 1924, it became the ADV and remained in production until 1927. He was also responsible for the ADM I a smallish 6 cylinder car of 2,540cc which was produced in 1923 &1924 and then with an enlarged engine of 2,613cc to become the ADM II in 1924 and finally the ADM III in 1926 with an engine capacity of 2,994cc. The final version was capable of some 90 mph and was made in touring or sports guise.

By 1927 Rabe had designed the ADR a car which was far ahead of it's time. The chassis was a huge single tube through which the transmission ran from a splayed section at the front in which the 2,994cc ADM engine was mounted. The suspension was by swing axles at both ends with transverse leaf springs which gave all round independent suspension at a time when most cars were still mounted on cart springs and beam axles. It was available as a long wheelbase tourer with 70bhp or in sports trim with 100bhp and the option of long or short wheelbase. It was a successful competition car and was favoured by Hans Stuck. About 2,400 of this model were built before production ceased in1931.

The market for these expensive cars dwindled in the early 1930's and the later Bergmeister with 6 cylinder 3,614cc engine and the ADR8 with straight 8 cylinder engines of 4,624cc engine capacity were only sold in very small numbers, no more than 50 of each. Although the ADR8 was not made after 1933 the Bergmeister continued until 1934 with some chassis being bodied as late as 1937.

The company had merged with Puch in 1928 and a full amalgamation with Steyr, Austria's largest motor manufacturer, was agreed in 1934 following an association which had started in 1929. The terms of this merger, dictated by the joint bankers, meant that on marque had to go and that was Austro-Daimler. The name survived within Steyr as a military vehicle until 1942.