1938 Steyr 220 (one of six produced)
Of the six Glaeser-bodied Steyr 220 Sport Roadsters built before World War II, three were destroyed in the war, one resides in an Austrian museum, and one has been lost to history. That leaves the 1938 Steyr 220 Sport Roadster that took top honors at this past weekend's inaugural Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance as the last known example still in private hands. The Steyr had previously taken second in the European Classic: Grand Touring class at last year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The current owner bought the Steyr in 2011 and had it restored last year. Steyr, or as it later became known, Steyr-Daimler-Puch, is perhaps best known for building trucks and military vehicles, but the Austrian firm once enjoyed reasonable success building luxury sedans, convertibles and sports roadsters. Debuting in 1937, the Steyr 220 series built on the success of the company's earlier and less-powerful models, such as the 120, 125 and 200. Available in four body styles (five-passenger limousine, five-passenger cabriolet, and two cabriolet versions with bodies by Glaeser Coachworks of Dresden, Germany, all 220 models received a 2.3-liter inline six-cylinder engine, rated at 55 horsepower and mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Though Steyr built a total of some 5,900 220 series models from 1937 to 1941, the pre-war European economy didn't encourage purchases like a custom-bodied two-seat sports roadster, and only six of this Glaeser-bodied Steyr variant are known to have been constructed.
Originally built as a demonstrator model for a Berlin dealer, this roadster features dual carburetors, dual exhausts, a longer-duration cam and bigger valves, all of which were available as factory upgrades from Steyr. Restorer Roger James of D&D Classic Automobile Restoration estimates the changes bump output to around 85 horsepower. Given the car's lightweight and rigid chassis with four-wheel independent suspension, its performance and handling would have been exceptional for the day. Restoring the 1938 Steyr took nearly a full year, as parts for the car were available only from a single German source with a history of Steyr restorations that spanned two generations. Worse, the supplier wasn't interested in selling a single component, requiring D&D to purchase the entire remaining Steyr parts inventory to get the items needed. In the case of this nearly one-of-a-kind automobile, the end certainly justifies the means. The maroon-over-cream Steyr Sport Roadster is a stunning and unusual example of pre-war European design. The impact of the Art Deco Streamline Moderne movement on the car's styling is evident, including the subdued primary color with darker accents; the chrome windshield frame, headlamps and wheels; the flowing design of the front fenders and skirted rear fenders; and the plunging chrome trim line used to convey a sense of speed, even when the Glaeser-bodied roadster was parked.
Source: Kurt Ernst, Hemmings
1938 Steyr 220 (one of six produced)
Of the six Glaeser-bodied Steyr 220 Sport Roadsters built before World War II, three were destroyed in the war, one resides in an Austrian museum, and one has been lost to history. That leaves the 1938 Steyr 220 Sport Roadster that took top honors at this past weekend's inaugural Pinehurst Concours d'Elegance as the last known example still in private hands. The Steyr had previously taken second in the European Classic: Grand Touring class at last year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The current owner bought the Steyr in 2011 and had it restored last year. Steyr, or as it later became known, Steyr-Daimler-Puch, is perhaps best known for building trucks and military vehicles, but the Austrian firm once enjoyed reasonable success building luxury sedans, convertibles and sports roadsters. Debuting in 1937, the Steyr 220 series built on the success of the company's earlier and less-powerful models, such as the 120, 125 and 200. Available in four body styles (five-passenger limousine, five-passenger cabriolet, and two cabriolet versions with bodies by Glaeser Coachworks of Dresden, Germany, all 220 models received a 2.3-liter inline six-cylinder engine, rated at 55 horsepower and mated to a four-speed manual transmission. Though Steyr built a total of some 5,900 220 series models from 1937 to 1941, the pre-war European economy didn't encourage purchases like a custom-bodied two-seat sports roadster, and only six of this Glaeser-bodied Steyr variant are known to have been constructed.
Originally built as a demonstrator model for a Berlin dealer, this roadster features dual carburetors, dual exhausts, a longer-duration cam and bigger valves, all of which were available as factory upgrades from Steyr. Restorer Roger James of D&D Classic Automobile Restoration estimates the changes bump output to around 85 horsepower. Given the car's lightweight and rigid chassis with four-wheel independent suspension, its performance and handling would have been exceptional for the day. Restoring the 1938 Steyr took nearly a full year, as parts for the car were available only from a single German source with a history of Steyr restorations that spanned two generations. Worse, the supplier wasn't interested in selling a single component, requiring D&D to purchase the entire remaining Steyr parts inventory to get the items needed. In the case of this nearly one-of-a-kind automobile, the end certainly justifies the means. The maroon-over-cream Steyr Sport Roadster is a stunning and unusual example of pre-war European design. The impact of the Art Deco Streamline Moderne movement on the car's styling is evident, including the subdued primary color with darker accents; the chrome windshield frame, headlamps and wheels; the flowing design of the front fenders and skirted rear fenders; and the plunging chrome trim line used to convey a sense of speed, even when the Glaeser-bodied roadster was parked.
Source: Kurt Ernst, Hemmings