1935' Hanomag Typ 15 K Rekord

DOROTHEUM auction in the Vehicle and Technology Center Vienna / Summer Sale at the Vehicle and Technology Center Vienna
Classic vehicles and motorcycles / Classic motorcars and motorcycles
Saturday, July 3, 2021 - 3 p.m. / Saturday, July 3, 2021 - 3 p. m.
2331 Vösendorf, Doctor Robert Firneisstrasse 6-8
Online catalog / online catalog: - details above

Lot 54 V
1935 Hanomag type 15 K record convertible
One of a handful of surviving record convertibles
High quality restored in Switzerland
Matching Numbers

The history of Hannoversche Maschinenbau AG, or Hanomag for short, began in 1871 after a bank consortium had taken over the iron foundry and machine factory Georg Egestorff, which was about to be closed down. Locomotives, steam engines and from 1912 also tractors were built. At the same time the name Hanomag appeared for the first time.

After the end of the First World War, the demand for steam engines sank and in Hanover, too, people sought salvation in automobile construction. The first attempts, however, were rather modest. With the half-liter model 2/10, a small car was presented that certainly knew how to come up with innovative ideas. But they were inferior to the Tree Frog and Dixi. And although they were still able to sell over 15,000 of them, Hanomag did not earn any money with it and in 1927 had to sell the locomotive manufacture to the competition.

They stayed true to the small car, but presented more conventional automobiles than the debut at the end of the 1920s. And although it was hard hit by the economic crisis, Hanomag was able to achieve second place in Germany in terms of sales after Opel in 1930. In 1931 trouble threatened again when banks called for loans, which ultimately led to a restructuring and takeover by the Bochumer Verein.

With a series of new models, Hanomag approached the middle class of automobiles in the early 1930s. In 1933 the 6/32 HP Type 15 was presented with a one and a half liter four-cylinder in-line engine with overhead valves, which was renamed the Type 15 K on record the following year. Individually suspended front wheels, a four-speed gearbox and an all-steel body were by no means standard at the time. The bodies were supplied by Ambi Budd from Berlin and there were bodies as two- and four-door sedans, two-seater roadsters and four-seater two-window convertibles.

In 1937 the record got a little more power and a diesel engine was also available. At the same time, Hanomag was approaching the luxury class with the six-cylinder Sturm model. With the outbreak of the Second World War, automobile production in Hanover came to an abrupt end, as Hanomag also switched to arms production. After the war, they tried a new approach with the small car partner, but did not get beyond the pre-series stage.

This Hanomag record is one of the rare two-window convertibles with the pretty body line, as we know it from Ambi Budd. He was extradited to Switzerland and there half a century later he was given the big task that the previous owner from the canton of Aargau had set himself for his old age. Over many years he restored his convertible with unbelievable dedication and without any regard for time or costs.

At the age of 84 he finally allowed the fully restored convertible, a year later he asked an Austrian collector friend of mine to take care of the Hanomag. With the restoration his job was done, he preferred to leave the driving and maintenance to someone else. The Hanomag was in good hands in the Austrian collection and was rarely, but regularly, moved. Now there is the opportunity to buy a rare, beautiful pre-war convertible, of which there may still be a handful today and which, with its exceptional condition, will certainly not be found a second time.

Chassis: 209745,
Engine: 208929,
Structure: 128273,
Papers: Austrian individual permit