Engineering:Horch 108 "Type 40"

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Horch 108 "Type 40"
Schwerer PKW 108.jpg
Overview
ManufacturerAuto Union (Horch)
Ford Of Germany
Production1941-1946
AssemblyZwickau, Nazi Germany
Body and chassis
ClassMilitary vehicle
Body style4-door utility roadster
LayoutRR layout
PlatformHorch 830
RelatedHorch 830
Opel Blitz
Powertrain
EngineHorch A V8 engine
Ford V8[1] (Ford-built versions only)
Chronology
SuccessorDKW Munga

The Horch 108 "Type 40" were a series of light military vehicles produced by Auto Union, under the Horch brand from 1941 to 1945, alongside the similar Volkswagen Kubelwagen jeeps. The Type 40 as it was called, was based on the chassis and engine from the Horch 830 limousines, but its wheels and fenders came from the Opel Blitz trucks.

The vehicle was supposed to be similar to the Volkswagen Kubelwagen and the Mercedes-Benz 170 VK vehicles, but was much larger and is often compared to vehicles such as the Mercedes-Benz G5 jeeps. It is said that Auto Union took inspiration from the AMO-F15Sh (АМО-Ф15Ш in Russian), which was basically a staff car version of the AMO F-15 trucks, to create the Type 40 jeeps,[2] however, these vehicles were widely different, apart from a common construction pattern (staff car based on the chassis of heavy vehicle or truck).

After the Second World War ended, and with the loss of Nazi Germany, military production in the country stopped, although 28 Type 40 jeeps were built from left-over parts in 1946.

These Horch jeeps were built both by Horch and by Ford Germany,[3] with the Ford-built versions using the same engine as the Ford V3000S models, which made them considerably faster, although much heavier.

In total, around 5,000[4] (5,500 by other sources) of these vehicles were produced. A successor of the company, namely DKW, tried creating a similar vehicle under the DKW Munga name, which was questionably more successful.

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