Austro-Fiat (Austria) - AllCarIndex

Austro-Fiat was an Austrian automobile manufacturer that operated from 1907 to 1936. The company was established in Vienna as Osterreichische Fiat AG, initially focusing on the importation of Italian-built Fiat vehicles into Austria. By 1911, Austro-Fiat began local production, starting with the Tipo 1 and Tipo 2 models, which were equipped with four-cylinder monobloc engines of 1.8 and 2.6 liters, respectively. In addition to passenger cars, the company also manufactured vans and chain-driven trucks, some of which were not entirely based on Fiat designs.

In 1921, Austro-Fiat introduced its first car of Austrian design, the AF Model C. This vehicle featured a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, a four-speed separate gearbox, front-wheel brakes, and a distinctive Germanic-style radiator. Production of the AF Model C continued in limited numbers until 1928, when it was succeeded by the smaller Typ 1001. The Typ 1001, which had a 1.3-liter engine and a swing-axle rear suspension similar to that used by Austro-Daimler and Steyr, was developed after Austro-Fiat formed a partnership with Austro-Daimler in 1925.

The merger of Austro-Daimler with Steyr in 1934 rendered the Typ 1001 redundant due to its close size and price to the smaller Steyr models. The last units of the Typ 1001 were produced in 1936, but the company continued to manufacture command vehicles, which were later renamed OAF after World War II. Following the war, Austro-Fiat maintained strong connections with the German truck and bus manufacturer MAN, and from 1975 onward, their products bore similarities to those of MAN, although they retained their own branding.