About What is it quiz #463: "Turbo"

„Er ist Schweizer Fabrikat und trotzdem billig.“ („It is Swiss made and nevertheless cheap.”)

I really thought, this quiz was very hard to solve, but seven answers arrived and every single one was very good. The car, we have been searching for is the “Turbowagen” of 1923.

The companies name was “Automobilfabrik G.W. Müller & Co”. Production of the first Turbo started in 1921 in the Swiss city of Oerlikon. Exceptional was the engine, which powered the car: a 1540 cc five-cylinder air-cooled OHV radial engine with an output of 25 HP, fitted to a tubular chassis with coil-spring suspension. Different bodies, two- and four-seaters, open or closed, were available. High-speed of the 600 kg car was 60 mph and you had the chance to become a proud Turbo owner for 7500 Swiss Fränkli. From early 1922, a Soden gearbox was offered as an option. It had a speed selector on the dash and was placed in the middle of the chassis, linked with prop shafts to the multi-disc-clutch, as well as the rear differential. After nearly two years without success, the company settled in Stuttgart-Gaisburg/Germany and was now called the “Turbo-Motoren AG”. The radial engine was still available as type 6/25 HP with 1.5 liter but a new type 8/32 HP 1.9 liter unit and a 75 HP – 88 mph racecar completed the range of offered cars. Three 75 HP Turbo started at the 1924 Solitude Bergrennen, where Turbo driver Friedrich Eitel won the 8 HP class, another Turbo driven by Müller himself was finishing third.

Sadly, this racing success had no positive effect on the order book, and later that year, the production came to an end.

Six answers, all correct came from “Fёdor”, Gerd Klioba, Fried Stol, Alan Spencer, Luc Ryckaert and “Fritz”. You can all add 3 Points to your account!

This week, the 5 points go to Henk Visscher, who was the only one, who added the “Swiss made…” slogan to his answer. Congratulations Henk!

Words by Hubertus Hansmann.