1926 Hanomag 2/10 PS

The Hannoversche Maschinenbau AG, or Hanomag as the company was named in 1904, has a history that dates to 1835 with locomotive manufacturing. Various forms of development of mobility and motorization followed, with trucks and commercial vehicles added to the lineup in 1905. Passenger cars, tractors, and agricultural and construction machinery followed as the years progressed.

The first Hanomag motor car was the 2/10PS (two taxable / ten brake horsepower), introduced in 1925, and powered by a single-cylinder water-cooled engine displacing 503cc and offering 10 horsepower. The engine drove the rear axle by a chain, eliminating the need for a differential and allowing the floor to be lower, offering easy entry and exit, and eliminating the need for a running board.

The 2/10 PS was one of the earliest cars to feature envelop styling, and due to its squarish shape is often nicknamed the 'Kommissbrot' or 'Loaf of Rye Bread.' Due to its lightweight and low-friction engine, it was able to achieve nearly 60 mph (U.S.) fuel economy, making the 2/10 PS the world's most fuel-efficient mass-production car built between WWI and WWII.

Production lasted until 1928 with a total of 15,775 examples built.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2020