The automotive industry is an ever-growing market with colossal revenue generation and economic progress for a country. When we talk about the top 10 car brands in Czechia, we often consider various aspects of car companies that deal with manufacturing and design as well as the development and production of automobiles.
In this article, we will be looking at the best car brands and top luxury car brands in Czechia so that you can have a bird ‘ s-eye view of the current scenario and will be able to gauge the future of the automotive industry in the coming eras.
Founded: 1895
Founders: Václav Laurin & Václav Klement
Headquarters: Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic
Parent: Volkswagen Group
Website: www.skoda-auto.com
The company was founded in 1895 by the bookseller Vaclav Klement and his partner, the local mechanic Václav Laurín. Together, they began to produce bicycles of their own design. Then they switched to motorcycles and, since 1905, started making cars.
In the 1920s, Laurin & Klement, named after the founders, merged with the engineering company ŠKODA, and in the early 1990s, ŠKODA joined the Volkswagen Group. Today, the car company from Mladá Boleslav, organized by two simple people who followed the principle of “Do it yourself if you want to do it well, “is one of the main mottos of the Czech Republic’s economy.
The most famous models from Skoda are Octavia, Fabia, Felicia, and Favorit.
Founded: 1991
Founder: Jaroslav Trnka
Headquarters: Libchavy, Czech Republic
Owner: J&T
Parent: BAULIGA a.s.
Website: www.sor.cz/en/
In 1991, Jaroslav Trnka founded SOR Libchavy car brand. The company specializes in buses and trolleybuses. According to Bloomberg data from 2017-2018 year-end results: “SOR Libchavy Co., Ltd.” has 575 employees with an owner, J&T, who is also the largest shareholder.
The company provides its products worldwide and has operated for over 25 years without significantly changing its product line or strategy. This is not surprising considering that the company has faced little competition and holds a monopoly on bus products in its area of expertise.
The company is based out of Libchavy, Czech Republic. The car brand SOR Libchavy is a subsidiary of a parent company called “SOR Libchavy, s.r.o.”. According to the Bloomberg Businessweek website 2018, SOR’s parent company has operated since 1991 and has 575 employees.
SOR Libchavy specializes in manufacturing buses for city transportation and trolleybuses used inside cities or for inter-city travel. The company’s main products include:
SOR Libchavy buses and trolleybuses are used across Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia.
Founded: 1850
Founder: Ignaz Schustala
Headquarters: Kopřivnice, Moravia, Czech Republic
Parent: Czechoslovak Group
Website: www.tatratrucks.com
The Tatra company was founded in 1850 by Ignatz Shusthala under “Schustala & Company.” The company produced prams and bricks. In the 1860th years, the firm had factories not only in the territory of Czechia but also in Berlin, Vienna, Wroclaw, Kyiv, and Chernivtsi.
In 1882, Tatra started producing railway cars, and in 1897, the company had the first car in Central Europe and one of the first in the world – it was called President.
In 1918, a new name appeared (“Kopřivnická vozovka a.s.”), In 1919, the company began to use a badge with the inscription “Tatra” – in honor of the Tatra mountain system. After the Second World War, the company was nationalized. The company produced trucks and luxury cars until 1989.
On March 15, 2013, Tatra was sold at an auction to Truck Development. The company manufactures heavy trucks with a spine frame, allowing you to build lighter vehicles than a load-bearing frame.
Founded: 1929
Founder: Novotny (engineer)
Headquarters: Prague, Czech Republic
Aero was founded in 1929 by an engineer named Novotny, who had been trying to produce the first cars by himself for several years. The first models of Aero were based on such developments as the two-seater Disk, which received a single-cylinder two-stroke engine and friction gearbox borrowed from the company Daimler. All car production took place at the aircraft factory in Prague, hence the name Aero.
The critical decision of the manufacturer was to reduce the equipment of the cars to a minimum, which contributed to the low price of cars and, consequently, good demand. The following car designed by Novotny was the Enka model, which received a 0.5-liter engine with a power of 10 horsepower – one of the most potent power units of the time.
In 1934, the Aero trucks had brakes on the front wheels. Sports cars Aero 662S, Aero 750, and Aero 1000 with 26 horsepower were presented.
The last model introduced in 1937 was the Aero 50, which received a front drive and four seats.
In 1949, the production of trucks was transferred to the Prague company, and the trucks were called Praga-150.
New developments, unfortunately, did not save Aero from economic difficulties. In 1952, bankruptcy was declared.
Founded: 1919
Founders: Pavel Beneš, Miroslav Hajn
Headquarters: Prague, Czech Republic
Parent: Czechoslovak Group
Website: www.avia.cz
AVIA Motors is a Czech company founded in 1919 to manufacture aircraft. Since 1946, it also produced trucks and buses. The production of the plane was completed in 1963 when the construction of the IL-14 license was completed. From 1960-2000, it manufactured light and medium trucks.
In 1946, the production of Škoda 706R trucks and Škoda 706RO buses started. Later, Tatra 805 and Praga V3S (1961-1988) were introduced. Since 1963, parts of the OT-64 SKOT armored personnel carrier have been produced here.
In 1967, the company purchased the license to produce Renault SAVIEM SG2 and SG4 series vehicles with 1.5 and 3 tons capacity, receiving factory markings A15 and AZ0. A little later, a two-ton model A20 was presented.
The company suspended production of cars on July 31, 2013, continuing to produce spare parts.
On April 21, 2016, CZECHOSLOVAK GROUP a.s. Became the company’s owner, which bought the plant from Ashok Leyland. On July 13, 2016, the company was renamed from Avia Ashok Leyland Motors s.r.o. to AVIA Motors. In 2017, the company’s production facilities were transferred from Prague to Prselouch, to the industrial zone of the new owner of CSG (Czechoslovak Group).
Founded: 1992
Headquarters: Smržovka, Czech Republic
Website: kai pan. cz
Kaipan is a small Czech car company founded in 1991 and produced its first car in 1997. The company aimed to expand the Czech automotive market by creating sports convertibles.
The company specializes in producing roadsters – so-called two-seater cars with an open top. Such vehicles are top-rated among those who have an income above average.
The first model was created based on Lotus 7, which indicates the desire to gain a foothold in the upper price segment. Other models are similar to Lotus but have their corporate identity, distinguishing the brand from others.
Founded: 1969
Headquarters: Prague, Czech Republic
Website: www.mtx.cz
MTX was registered in 1969 in the Czech Republic as a repair shop for racers using Skoda cars. The company’s mechanics presented their single-seat racing car MTX 1-01 a year later.
In 1980, the MTX company produced a wide range of sports cars. The company’s products, made on Skoda and Lada chassis, participated in Formula Easter, buggy autocross, rally, and other competitions. In 1990 “MTX” released a convertible based on Skoda Rapid. A roadster was also presented, based on the Skoda Favorit, and a convertible based on the Felicia model of the same brand.
In 1991, the “supersports” class model, MTX Tatra V8, came out of “MTX” shops. Its 3.9-liter V8 engine produced 306 horsepower, making the MTX the fastest Czech car in history.
Founded: 1907
Headquarters: Prague, Czech Republic
Owner: PRAGA-Export s.r.o.
Website: www.pragaglobal.com
Praga was founded in 1907 and still exists today. From 1947 to 2016, the brand specialized in trucks and military equipment (APCs, tanks, planes, karts), but in the spring of 2016, it presented its first after-a-break car, the supercar Praga R1R. Another famous model of this brand is Praga V3S, considered one of the best off-road trucks.
In 2006, Praga was acquired by the British International Truck Alliance to create trucks named Praga in Lublin, Poland. In 2007, it produced gearboxes and water-driven hardware.
In June 2011, the organization uncovered at the Dutch Supercar Challenge in Belgium the new vehicle Praga R4 with an eight-chamber motor of 520 hp, which has yet to be homologated for typical street traffic.
In 2016, the organization designed the first conveyances of supersport street autos Praga R1R in a constrained release of 68 vehicles. It will be the primary street vehicle of Praga since 1947.
Founded: 1896
Founder: Josef Sodomka
Headquarters: Josef Sodomka
Owner: Irisbus
Website: www.karosa.cz
The history of the Karosa company started in 1896 when Josef Sodomka founded a company to produce coaches (‘karats). 1948, the company was nationalized and became known as “Karosa.” Karosa became the only bus manufacturer in Czechoslovakia, and Škoda and Praga could not compete with it.
In the late 1950s, the 706RTO model was launched and won many awards at various international exhibitions. Later, intercity and articulated versions appeared, but they remained prototypes. One thousand nine hundred sixty-six, it was replaced by the Š-series, and in 1981 by the 700 series. After the rejection of socialism in 1989, the company had to be rebuilt in a new way, and production was reduced by more than three times: from 3400 to 1000 machines per year.
However, after the intervention of Renault, the situation began to improve. The company regained its name, the assembly started to be carried out on better equipment, and modernization of all machines was carried out. In 1999, Karosa joined the Irisbus Group. In 2003, the controlling block of shares was bought out, and since January 1, 2007, the factory was renamed Iveco Czech Republic.
Founded: 1924
Headquarters: Brno, Czech Republic
Website: www.zbrojovka-brno.cz
The Zbrojovka plant was founded in 1918 to produce firearms. But in 1926, it switched to the production of cars, as well. The first automobiles from the Zbrojovka plant were made under the Disk brand name. Their main advantage was equipment with two-cylinder, two-stroke engines with a volume of 0.6 liters and a friction gearbox. The power of the Disk was within the 12-horsepower range. Later, the factory developed the Z model, which was developed and upgraded over time.
In 1926, the Z-4 model was produced, equipped with a One-liter engine with a capacity of 18 hp. A couple of years later, they began making small batches of the Z-18 model – a two-seater open car equipped with an in-line two-stroke 2-cylinder engine with a volume of 1 liter with a cylinder diameter of 80 mm and a stroke of 100 mm. The power limit of this model was 32 horsepower. The vehicle was also equipped with a spar frame with holes that allowed it to be lightened, a suspension on ¼ elliptical leaf springs, drum brakes on all wheels, and a manual four-speed gearbox.
Also, in 1928, the Z-6V (or Z-2) model was released, which was positioned as a racing model. This car was equipped with a six-cylinder engine with a capacity of 1.1 liters with two compressors produced by Roots. The engine power was 68-75 hp.
Experiments continued for an extended period. New modifications of the machines were created, and the shortcomings of the previous generations were improved. Still 1936, due to the notorious financial crisis, automobile production at the Zbrojovka plant was stopped.
The top Czechia car brands listed here are some of the most durable. These are the brands to consider if you’re looking for a car that will last you for years. So these are the top & reliable Czechia car companies that have been earning a reputation for manufacturing the leading vehicles.
Read also: Top 10 Car Brands In Italy.
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