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Dampf-Kraft Wagen (German: steam-powered vehicle) or DKW is an historic car and motorcycle brand. In 1916, the Danish engineer Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen founded a factory in Saxony, Germany, to produce steam fittings. In the same year, he attempted to produce a steam-driven car, called the DKW. Although unsuccessful, he made a two-stroke toy engine in 1919, called Des Knaben Wunsch — "the boy's wish". He also put slightly modified version of this engine into a motorcycle and called this Das Kleine Wunder — "the small wonder". This was the real beginning of the DKW brand: by the 1930s, DKW was the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer. In 1932, DKW merged with Audi, Horch and Wanderer to form the Auto Union, and all brands continued until World War II. After the war, Auto Union changed ownership a couple of times, first passed into the hands of Daimler-Benz in 1957, and was finally purchased by the Volkswagen Group in 1964.

Automobiles made before WWII


DKW cars were made from 1928 until 1966. They always used two-stroke engines and, from 1931, the company was a pioneer in front-wheel driveand transverse mounting. The most well-known cars made before World War II bearing model names F1 through F8 (F for Front) had front wheel drive and a transversely mounted two cylinders engine. These models also featured an innovation with a generator that doubled up as a self-starter, which was mounted directly on the crankshaft. This was known as a Dynastart. They also produced a less well-known series of rear-wheel drive cars called Schwebeklasse and Sonderklasse with V4 two-stroke engines. These engines had two extra cylinders for forced induction, so they really appeared like V6es but without sparkplugs on the front cylinder pair.

In 1939, they made a prototype with the first three-cylinder engine. This prototype was to be put into production only after the war, first as an IFA F9 (later to become Wartburg) in Zschopau, East Germany, and shortly afterwards in DKW-form from Düsseldorf as the 3=6 or F91.

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Audi Tradition Acquires Ultra-Rare Brazilian DKW GT Malzoni http://ow.ly/LLo8
Fourtitude (George Achorn) Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:32:43 -0000
Audi Tradition Acquires Ultra-Rare Brazilian DKW GT Malzoni http://ow.ly/LLo8
Sebenerny ak mls,tp brhbung ak yg presentasi.jd hrs dtg. HahaRT @bittermoodfly: rjnx dkw mow. trzknlh RT @callmemomow: Presentasi
callmemomow (maulinawati) Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:43:04 -0000
Sebenerny ak mls,tp brhbung ak yg presentasi.jd hrs dtg. HahaRT @bittermoodfly: rjnx dkw mow. trzknlh RT @callmemomow: Presentasi
rjnx dkw mow. trzknlh RT @callmemomow: Presentasi studi islam. Haha RT @unnus: Ngapain mow mlm2 k kmpus??RT @callmemomow: Uda dkmpus aje nii
bittermoodfly (evi m. pratida) Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:40:56 -0000
rjnx dkw mow. trzknlh RT @callmemomow: Presentasi studi islam. Haha RT @unnus: Ngapain mow mlm2 k kmpus??RT @callmemomow: Uda dkmpus aje nii
Serial: 100 ani de Audi - 100 ani de Motorsport. Episodul 6: 1956 - DKW 3=6 Monza - automobilul record - http://ow.ly/LOYw
danyrolux (Dan Stefan) Mon, 14 Dec 2009 10:21:53 -0000
Serial: 100 ani de Audi - 100 ani de Motorsport. Episodul 6: 1956 - DKW 3=6 Monza - automobilul record - http://ow.ly/LOYw
Audi Tradition Acquires Ultra-Rare Brazilian DKW GT Malzoni http://bit.ly/8y8iZr via @fourtitude
gabitz (Gabriela Pieleanu) Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:43:22 -0000
Audi Tradition Acquires Ultra-Rare Brazilian DKW GT Malzoni http://bit.ly/8y8iZr via @fourtitude
Audi Tradition Acquires Ultra-Rare Brazilian DKW GT Malzoni http://bit.ly/7hUq1R
D3scene (D3scene) Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:52:39 -0000
Audi Tradition Acquires Ultra-Rare Brazilian DKW GT Malzoni http://bit.ly/7hUq1R

 
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DKW Club of America - Dedicated to the encouragement of studying, finding, owning, restoring, driving and enjoying DKW cars and motorcycles.
Meta Description: [ DKW and Auto Union Car and Motorcycle Club of America ]

DKWs in Brazil - Pictures, history and technical information..

Howick DKW - History, technical information and restoration stories.
Meta Description: [ A project intent on *PRESERVING THE CLASSICS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS* ]

The French DKWeb - DKW history, pictures, ads, clubs and links.

Yahoo Groups: Auto Union DKW Group - A mailing list for owners and fans.
Meta Description: [ Auto_Union_DKW_Group: Auto Union - DKW ]

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