Tatra 57 S. Made in 1934. Power – 18 hp. Moscow transport museum

The Tatra 57 are a series of two-door compact cars, built by Czechoslovakian company Tatra from 1932. They are popularly known by the nickname “Hadimrška”.

Tatra updated the model as the 57A in 1936, and as 57B in 1938. A military adaptation, the 57K, (for Kübelwagen) was introduced in 1941. Through 1945, more than 5,000 Tatra Kübelwagens were built.

All versions have a characteristic Tatra backbone chassis, with the drive-shaft running encased in its central structural tube.

Tatra ended production of the 57K in 1947, and of the 57B in 1949. With that the company altogether withdrew from making compact cars; from 1948 its smallest model was the 2 litre Tatra 600.

The Tatra type 57, introduced in 1931, succeeded the Tatra 12. Styling continued the same streamlined, closed nose front as its predecessors – Type 11 and 12. It has a 1,155 cc overhead valve flat-four engine that produces 18 hp (13 kW).

Its fuel consumption is between eight and 10 litres per 100 km.

Bodies offered included a four-seat saloon, four-seat convertible and two-seat convertible. All were two-door.

 

Read more: Technologies, transport and equipment ...