Škoda VOS: Difference between revisions

Škoda VOS
Škoda VOS
Overview
Manufacturer	AZNP
Production	1949–1952
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size luxury car (F)
Body style	4-door limousine; 4-door saloon
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Powertrain
Engine	5.2 L Praga OHV I6
Transmission	4 speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	3,200 mm (126 in)
Length	5,700 mm (224 in)
Width	1,950 mm (77 in)
Height	1,750 mm (69 in)
Chronology
Predecessor	Škoda Superb

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Latest revision as of 19:06, 27 November 2024

The Škoda VOS is a full-size luxury car produced by the Czechoslovak automaker AZNP at their plant in Mladá Boleslav between 1949 and 1952. For a few years it was the preferred car for senior political and military personnel in Czechoslovakia. It was never sold to the general public.

Background

In 1949 the plant at Mladá Boleslav assembled the last Škoda Superbs, large six-cylinder limousines evoking the style of American cars in the late 1930s. The authorities needed a more modern replacement and instructed Škoda to develop one. This was the car that would become the Škoda VOS. The letters VOS indicated a "special car for the government" in Czech or Slovak (Vládní Osobní Speciál or Vládny Osobný Špeciál).

Design and Production

The car went into production in 1950 with the bus manufacturer and coachbuilder Karosa. Final assembly took place at Škoda's own plant. The car was designed by Oldrich Meduna who previously designed military tanks. The car had a front-mounted 5.2-litre engine delivering 120 PS (88 kW) and driving the rear wheels. The engine came from a Praga truck. Because of the weight of the armour plating, the standard car weighed nearly 4 tons. The top speed was restricted to 80 km/h (50 mph) on the orders of the interior ministry. A "Light-weight" version without the armour plating was also listed.

Unusually for the time, the car was fitted with air-conditioning. The air-conditioning mechanism occupied most of the space in the boot, and it became common for dignitaries moving by VOS to travel followed by a second car to carry luggage.

Celebrity connections

Famous owners included President Gottwald, Enver Hoxha, Zhu De, Ana Pauker and Mao Zedong.

Ana Pauker's draisine built from a Škoda VOS

Ana Pauker, the communist leader of the Romanian Workers' Party (later to become the Romanian Communist Party ) had a Škoda VOS built for running on tracks, reaching speeds of up to 115 km/h with a total weight of 5 tons. The model is now up for display in the train Station of Sinaia. The driver's secure wind shield is smashed after a supposed attempted attack near the Roşiori Nord train station. ^[2]

The end

Production of the VOS ended in 1952, by when 107 had been built. Škoda were not invited to replace the car, and the nation's political elite switched to the Tatra 603.

References

Sources

Bernard Vermeylen, Voitures des pays de l'Est, Boulogne-Billancourt, ETAI, 2008, 239 p. (ISBN 9782726888087) (OCLC 470767381)
KRÁLÍK, Jan: Utajené projekty Škoda; GRADA Publishing 2007, ISBN 978-80-247-2416-4
CEDRYCH, Mario René & NACHTMANN, Lukáš: ŠKODA – auta známá i neznámá; GRADA Publishing 2003, ISBN 80-247-9052-1
Škoda VOS: Pro bolševiky od Prahy po Peking

External links

[1] "Specifications for Skoda VOS 5.2".

[2] "Cum arată drezina blindată folosită de Ana Pauker. Limuzina Skoda cântărea 5 tone şi ajungea la 115 kilometri pe oră".

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
  | class        = [[Full-size car|Full-size]] [[luxury car]] ([[F-segment|F]])
  | body_style   = 4-door [[limousine]]<br />4-door [[sedan (car)|saloon]]
- | layout       = [[Front-engine design|Front-engine]], [[rear-wheel-drive]]
+ | layout       = [[Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout|Front-engine]], [[rear-wheel-drive]]
- | engine       = 5.2 L ''[[Praga (company)|Praga]]'' [[OHV]] [[Straight-six engine|I6]]
+ | engine       = 5.2 L ''[[Praga (company)|Praga]]'' [[Overhead valve engine|OHV]] [[Straight-six engine|I6]]
  | transmission = 4 speed [[Manual transmission|manual]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.car.info/en-se/skoda/vos/1st-generation-52-m4-7302428/specs|title=Specifications for Skoda VOS 5.2}}</ref>
  | wheelbase    = {{convert|3200|mm|in|0|abbr=on}}
@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ==Background==
-In 1949 the plant at  [[Mladá Boleslav]] assembled the last [[:cs: Škoda Superb (1934)|Škoda Superbs]], large [[six-cylinder]] [[limousine]]s evoking the style of American cars in the late 1930s. The authorities needed a more modern replacement and instructed [[Škoda Auto|Škoda]] to develop one.   This was the car that would become the '''Škoda VOS'''. The letters VOS indicated a "special car for the government" in Czech or Slovak (''Vládní Osobní Speciál'' or ''Vládny Osobný Špeciál'').
+In 1949 the plant at  [[Mladá Boleslav]] assembled the last [[:cs: Škoda Superb (1934)|Škoda Superbs]], large [[six-cylinder]] [[limousine]]s evoking the style of American cars in the late 1930s. The authorities needed a more modern replacement and instructed [[Škoda Auto|Škoda]] to develop one. This was the car that would become the '''Škoda VOS'''. The letters VOS indicated a "special car for the government" in Czech or Slovak (''Vládní Osobní Speciál'' or ''Vládny Osobný Špeciál'').
+==Design and Production==
-==The car==
-The car went into production in 1950 with the coach builder (even then better known as a producer of [[bus]]es) [[Karosa]]: final assembly took place at Škoda's own plant. The form of the car was unremarkable, despite having been designed by [[:cs: Oldř ich Meduna|Oldrich Meduna]] whose reputation till that point came from his work designing [[tank|military tanks]]. The mechanical architecture was also conventional, with a front-mounted engine driving the rear wheels.
+The car went into production in 1950 with the [[bus]] manufacturer and [[coachbuilder]] [[Karosa]]. Final assembly took place at Škoda's own plant. The car was designed by [[:cs: Oldř ich Meduna|Oldrich Meduna]] who previously designed [[tank|military tanks]]. The car had a front-mounted 5.2-litre engine delivering {{convert|120|PS|kW|0|abbr=on}} and driving the rear wheels. The engine came from a [[Praga (company)|Praga]] truck. Because of the weight of the armour plating, the standard car weighed nearly 4 tons. The top speed was restricted to 80&nbsp;km/h (50&nbsp;mph) on the orders of the interior ministry. A "Light-weight" version without the armour plating was also listed.
+Unusually for the time, the car was fitted with air-conditioning. The air-conditioning mechanism occupied most of the space in the boot, and it became common for dignitaries moving by VOS to travel followed by a second car to carry luggage.
-More remarkable, at least in terms of European cars of the time, was a large 5.2-litre engine delivering {{convert|120|PS|kW|0|abbr=on}}.  The engine came from a [[Praga (company)|Praga]] truck. Because of the weight of the armour plating, the standard car weighed nearly 4 tons, however. The top speed was restricted to 80&nbsp;km/h (50&nbsp;mph) on the orders of the interior ministry. A "Light-weight" version without all the armour plating was also listed.
-Unusually for the time, the car was fitted with air-conditioning. However, the air conditioning mechanism occupied most of the space in the boot/trunk, and it became common for dignitaries moving by VOS to travel followed by a second car to carry luggage.
 ==Celebrity connections==
 Famous owners included [[Klement Gottwald|President Gottwald]], [[Enver Hoxha]], [[Zhu De]], [[Ana Pauker]] and [[Mao Zedong]].
+[[File:AnaPaukerDraisineSinaia.jpg|thumbnail|left|Ana Pauker's [[draisine]] built from a Škoda VOS]]
-[[Ana Pauker]], the infamous female communist leader of the [[Romanian Workers' Party]] (later to become the [[Romanian Communist Party]] ) had a Škoda VOS built for running on tracks, reaching speeds of up to 115&nbsp;km/h with a total weight of 5 tons. The model is now up for display in the train Station of [[Sinaia]]. The driver's secure wind shield is smashed after a supposed attempted attack on the lady also known as "Stalin with skirt" near the [[Roşiori]] Nord train station.
+[[Ana Pauker]], the communist leader of the [[Romanian Workers' Party]] (later to become the [[Romanian Communist Party]] ) had a Škoda VOS built for running on tracks, reaching speeds of up to 115&nbsp;km/h with a total weight of 5 tons. The model is now up for display in the train Station of [[Sinaia]]. The driver's secure wind shield is smashed after a supposed attempted attack near the [[Roşiori]] Nord train station.
 <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://adevarul.ro/locale/ploiesti/cum-arata-drezina-blindata-folosita-ana-pauker-limuzina-skoda-cantarea-5-tone-ajungea-115-kilometri-ora-1_55eedb73f5eaafab2c6365da/index.html|title = Cum arată drezina blindată folosită de Ana Pauker. Limuzina Skoda cântărea 5 tone şi ajungea la 115 kilometri pe oră}}</ref>
 ==The end==
-Production of the VOS ended in 1952, by when 107 had been built. Škoda were not invited to replace the car, and the nation's political elite switched their allegiance to the [[Tatra 603]].
+Production of the VOS ended in 1952, by when 107 had been built. Škoda were not invited to replace the car, and the nation's political elite switched to the [[Tatra 603]].
 ==References==