1939 Horch 830 BL Convertible

1939 Horch 830 BL Convertible

In 1932 Horch became part of the 'Auto Union' together with Audi, DKW, and Wanderer. The firm produced a veritable plethora of model variations throughout the 1930s, ringing the changes on engine capacity, wheelbase, and styles of coachwork, but all were aimed squarely at the prestige end of the market where Horch was the only serious domestic rival to Mercedes-Benz.

Paul Daimler, son of Gottleib, had been Chief Engineer for most of the 1920s, and following his departure Fritz Fiedler (later of BMW fame) took over, designing a single-overhead-cam straight-eight - the Horch 450 - which was followed by 6-litre V12-powered 600 and 670 models in 1931 and the V8-engined 830 and 930 in 1933. The 830/930 was available in two engine capacities – 3,517cc or 3,823cc – and a variety of body styles including a saloon, limousine, tourer, and three different types of convertible. Around 6,400 830s of all types had been made when production ceased in 1940, plus some 2,000 of the short-wheelbase 930.

After WW2, Horch's Zwickau factory ended up on the eastern side of the 'Iron Curtain' where it would eventually be pressed into service manufacturing the utilitarian Trabant - a sad end to a once noble marque that had ranked among the very best.

Descriptions & pictures by bonhams