Puch 500
| Puch 500 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Puch |
| Production | 1957–1975 |
| Assembly | Graz, Austria |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | City car (A) |
| Body style | |
| Layout | Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Related | |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine |
|
| Transmission | 4-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 1,840 mm (72.4 in) |
| Length | 2,970–3,054 mm (116.9–120.2 in) |
| Width | 1,320–1,374 mm (52.0–54.1 in) |
| Height | 1,302–1,325 mm (51.3–52.2 in) |
| Curb weight | 470–580 kg (1,036.2–1,278.7 lb) |
Puch 500 was a city car produced by the Austrian manufacturer Puch, a subsidiary of Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Graz. It was built under licence from Fiat and was based on the Fiat 500.
In 1954 it was decided at Steyr-Puch to resume car production after the war. Because of the high costs associated with the development of a completely new design, an agreement was made with Fiat to acquire and adapt the body in white of their Nuova 500 (Italian: Cinquecento) model designed by Dante Giacosa. Of the body, only the engine cover and later the roof was produced in-house. On the other hand, engine, transmission and carriage were all manufactured by Steyr-Puch. The engine was a two-cylinder (16 hp/12 kW) flat engine which proved to be far more smooth-running than the straight-two engine used by Fiat. It brought good driving behaviour for its time, especially in mountain rides. The Italians too had experimented mounting this engine to their car originally, but it was dropped in favor of the simpler in-line twin.
The first Steyr-Puch 500 Modell Fiat was launched in 1957 and sold well. At first it was offered with a folding roof only, and it was expected to draw in motorcyclists as a buying audience. The Puchwagen or Pucherl, as it was called, was the official car for the Austrian AA-service.
In 1959 came the first revision. The model Steyr-Puch 500 D was provided with the metal roof produced by Fiat (D for Dach, i.e. "roof" in German), and in addition to that the luxury model 500 DL was equipped with a stronger engine (20 hp/15 kW). 1961 saw the launch of two estate models, 700 C (C for Combi) and 700 E (E for Economy), both featuring a larger 643 cc engine but with different power ratings. In 1962 the sedan, too, was equipped with the larger engine, leading to the 650 T (T for Thondorf, the location of the manufacturing plant in Graz).
A few years later the engine was boosted even more, resulting in the models 650 TR and 650 TR II (R for Rallye) – models at first intended for police use, but later also offered as standard. Going through homologation in the Group 2 racing class, they successfully participated in motorsport events, competing with its Abarth sister models. In 1966 the Polish driver Sobiesław Zasada won the European Rally Championship with a Steyr-Puch 650 TR II, the smallest vehicle ever to achieve such victory. Gerard van Lennep won the Production Cars Championship (up to 700 cc.) of the Netherlands in 1966 and 1967 with a yellow 650 TR. He also competed in European Cup races, winning in Belgrade.
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