CWS (Poland) - AllCarIndex

CWS, or Central Auto Works, was established in Poland in 1918 as part of the Central Engineering Works, which was created by the Polish Army. Initially focused on the manufacturing and servicing of military vehicles, CWS began its foray into automobile production in the early 1920s under the direction of Captain Kazimierz Meyer. In 1922, Meyer appointed Tadeusz Tanski as chief engineer, who developed a prototype featuring a 45 bhp, 2985 cc overhead valve four-cylinder engine. This prototype underwent testing in 1923, and by 1925, a complete car was ready for production.

The first model produced by CWS was the T1, which commenced production in 1927. The T1 was notable for its innovative design, which included four-wheel brakes and semi-elliptic springs. The vehicle was designed for ease of assembly and disassembly, requiring only a single spanner and a screwdriver. While various body styles were available, the majority of T1 chassis were fitted with van bodies for postal services or ambulances for the Red Cross. Approximately 800 units of the T1 were manufactured before production ceased in 1930.

In the same year, CWS developed the T8, which featured a 2964 cc side-valve straight-eight engine producing 80 bhp. However, only three prototypes of the T8 were created, which included a four-seater tourer, a two-seater roadster, and a faux-cabriolet. Following the T8, the company planned to introduce the T2, a 1500 cc four-cylinder derivative of the T8. Unfortunately, the onset of the world economic crisis halted these production plans and ultimately led to the dissolution of the CWS project.