1939 Horch 930V Phaeton

The Horch Company is best remembered for their large-displacement 850-series touring automobiles of the late 1930s. During the economic challenges brought about by the Great Depression, they conglomerated with three other concerns to form the Auto Union in1 932. The company further responded to market unrest by introducing a junior model at the 1933 IAMA exhibition in Berlin, the 830.

The 830 Series was powered by a newly designed 3-liter V8. The engine was developed over the ensuing years and ultimately succeeded in January 1937 with the 930V. The Horch 930V models started after the 'Horchbl' series ended. The first 930S were built from 1937 to 1939, with a V-8 engine and 82 hp output. It had also a shorter wheelbase than the 830BL 3100 MM instead of 3350 MM. In 1938 the engine output increased from 82 hp to 92. A total of 2054 930V's were built from 1937 to 1939. In 1939 the production was 795 vehicles that year. Many body styles were available, including sedans, 4-door cabriolets, 2-door cabriolets, and 2-door roadsters (Glaser). The 1939 930V 4-door open tourer, there were very few produced, as a matter of fact, it was never included in the official sales list or prospectus it was a special order car.

There are only two survivors! One is at the military collection of Oliver Bentfort in England and the other is this example. It is believed that approximately 795 chassis were built in 1939. This example was imported to the United States by the mid-1970s and offered in 1976 by Classic Car Investments of Smyrna, Georgia, from whom it was purchased by Ethel Spencer of Cincinnati, Ohio.

In September 1981, the Horch was sold to a collector from Central America. He had a sympathetic freshening performed on the car in 1982. The owner presented the 930 V at the 1999 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it participated in the Auto Union Anniversary Class, and ten years later, the phaeton returned to Pebble Beach as a non-judged entry. The car was also exhibited for some time at the Auto Collections in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Currently, it displays 42,945 kilometers. It has a period speedometer, a wood-surfaced dashboard and doorsills, a classic interlocking four-ring badge, and a prominently raked V-grille.

Power is from a 3,823cc Horizontal-Valve V8 engine fitted with 2 Solex carburetors. The powerplant produces 92 horsepower and there is a four-speed manual transmission with overdrive.