Description
The Steyr 220 with Gläser coachwork was an exclusive vehicle, renowned for its elegant, aerodynamic lines and high-quality craftsmanship, typical of the Dresden coachbuilding house. These bodies, mainly built as roadsters and cabriolets, set the model apart from standard sedans. The Gläser bodies for the Steyr 220 are regarded as masterpieces of 1930s design.
Elegant lines: The vehicles boasted beautiful, clean lines that were not only aesthetically appealing but also aerodynamically optimised.
Exclusivity: Since only a few units were produced (fewer than 10 roadsters were built), these models are extremely rare and sought after. This beautiful roadster was built at the Steyr-Daimler-Puch plant in the town of Steyr in Austria. The plant produced the chassis of the Steyr 220, consisting of a frame, engine, transmission and steering mechanism. In November 1938 the chassis was completed in Steyr and delivered to Dresden in Germany, where the Gläser coachbuilding company was located – one of the most important German coachbuilders of the era. There they produced unique, streamlined (tear-shaped) bodies in the Art Deco style for every individually ordered roadster. Because the body was completely handmade, each roadster was a one-off and differed slightly from the others. For example, the length of the front wheel arches could vary by up to 10 cm depending on the vehicle.
After the vehicle had left the Gläser manufactory in March 1939, this very car was exhibited at the Berlin Motor Show in 1939. Directly from the show it was purchased by the Austrian consul in Latvia – thus this vehicle found its new home.
