Goliath (company)
Automobile Manufacturing | |
Industry | Automotive |
Founded | 1928 |
Founder |
Carl F. W. Borgward Wilhelm Tecklenburg |
Defunct | 1961 |
Headquarters | Bremen, Germany |
Products |
Vehicles Automotive parts |
Parent | Borgward |
Goliath-Werke Borgward & Co. was a German car manufacturer started by Carl F. W. Borgward and Wilhelm Tecklenburg in 1928, and was part of the Borgward group. Goliath was based in Bremen and specialized in three-wheeler cars and trucks and medium-sized cars. Their vehicles were sold under the Goliath brand.
Early history
The first models were three-wheeler trucks derived from the Blitzkarren previously built by Borgward. The first passenger car was the Goliath Pionier in 1931, which still had three wheels and a one-cylinder engine. Until 1934, 4,000 of these small cars were produced in various types of body. The Pionier was considered as a forerunner of the Hansa models 400 and 500.
After World War II
Personal car models
These were front-wheel-drive two-door sedans, station wagons and coupes.
- Goliath GP700 (1950–1957) — inline-two-cylinder, two-stroke, water-cooled, transverse engine (anticipating the Mini and many recent cars). In 1952 Goliath introduced Bosch direct fuel injection, around the same time as the Gutbrod Superior 600; they were the first two cars to use this technology.
- Goliath GP900 (1955–1957) — inline-two-cylinder, two-stroke, water-cooled, transverse engine, available Bosch direct fuel injection.
- Goliath 1100 (1957–1958) — four-cylinder opposed four-stroke water-cooled engine. Renamed "Hansa 1100" to shake the three-wheeled minitruck image.
- Goliath Empress (1953–1961)
Light trucks
- Goliath GD750 three-wheeler (1949–1955)
- Goliath three-wheeler (1955–1961)
- Goliath GV800 (1951–1953)
Camping van
- Goliath Express (1959) No passage from cab to camper. Sink, stove, cabinets, beds.
The end
From 1958, the Goliath 1100 models were sold under the brand Hansa; the Borgward group wanted to forget the two-stroke engine and three-wheeler image.
Three years later, in 1961, the Borgward group collapsed.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Goliath vehicles. |
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