Who built the very first hatchback in the world?
Posted on 18-07-2015 14:59 by dizono – 30 Comments”
No body style is in our country as popular as the hatchback. But what was the first? It is not the Renault 16 from 1965 or the Golf I, but the point of the very first hatchback, and it still is more difficult than thought. We put the pioneers, and the contenders at a glance.
1939/1953 – Citroën Traction Avant Commerciale
The Citroën Traction Avant is, in many ways ahead of his time. Of course, it is one of the first in large numbers produced cars with front wheel drive. Thanks to the monocoque body and the lack of a long drive shaft, is the car much lower than its competition and that is the ride again.
In 1939 gets the regular Traction Avant is a bigger brother in the form of the Family. This has a longer wheelbase, seven seats and a set of extra side windows. Of that Familia will then be displayed again the Commerciale version. This initially has a in two parts to open the rear door. The rear window flips opmhoog, the lower part folds down. In 1953, returns to the Commerciale back after a production stop because of the war, this time with a rear door in one piece.
1949 – Kaiser Traveler
Very famous is the American brand, the Kaiser will not, and that while the brand also here in the Netherlands cars has assembled. From 1949, the Traveler on the range. This has, just as the first Citroen Traction Commerciale with a rear door which consists of two parts.
1953 – Aston Martin DB2/4 Sports Saloon
One of the first cars with a large rear door one-part, this Aston Martin DB2/4 Sports Saloon. Is it really a hatchback? Mwoah, this tends to crash the car too much to a coupe and too little to practical use. But Aston Martin was there early!
1959 – Austin A40 Countryman
Unfortunately, we are still not arrived at the first real hatchback, because even the Pininfarina designed Austin A40 1959 has a tailgate in two parts. Still, the car advanced, the basic shape of the car for the first time, consistent with the compact hatchback. This is the body style that cars like the Volkswagen Golf I and the Alfa Romeo Alfasud extremely popular be made.
1961 – Jagaur E-Type
Actually, it is the Jaguar E-Type in the same category as the Aston Martin DB2/4. It is the third door is bigger and therefore more practical than the Aston Martin. And the Jaguar E-Type is a few months older than the Renault 4, that the first real hatchback can be called. Enough for a spot in this list.
1961 – the Renault 4
A more successful car than the 4 Renault never built: more than eight million copies were sold. Although Renault 4 described as a compact station wagon, the car with its narrow rear zijruitjes nevertheless, it really is a hatchback.
Of Autobianchi Primula to Volkswagen Golf
After the Renault 4 a few quiet hatchback-years, but in 1964 comes Autobianchi with the Primula, available with 2, 3, 4 or 5 doors. A year later the Renault 16, the first major real hatchback. Soon to follow the French and not much later also Italians: Simca 1100, Citroen Dyane, Fiat 127, Alfa Romeo Alfasud, Fiat Ritmo, Renault 5. Even in Yugoslavia they are with the Zastava 101, the Germans too quickly. That come only in 1971 with the BMW 2002 Touring, and in 1973 the Volkswagen Passat hatchback, followed one year later by the Wave I and the Audi50/VW Polo.