DKW Munga History

The Munga — short for Mehrzweck Universal Geländewagen mit Allradantrieb (multi-purpose universal off-road car with all-wheel drive) — was developed in response to a 1953 West German border police and Bundeswehr tender. DKW's proposal, based on the three-cylinder two-stroke engine from the 3=6 Sonderklasse and drivetrain from the Schnellaster van, beat out rivals from Goliath and Porsche.

Production ran from October 1956 to December 1968 at the Ingolstadt plant, totalling 46,750 vehicles. The Munga was offered in three seating configurations — Munga 4, Munga 6, and Munga 8 — and featured permanent four-wheel drive with a ten-speed transfer case (eight forward, two reverse), a 70% gradient rating, and 500 mm fording depth. The engine grew from an initial 896 cc / 37 hp to 980 cc / 45 hp during the run.

The West German Bundeswehr adopted the Munga as its standard light utility vehicle, and it was also exported to other NATO formations. DKW-Vemag in Brazil built a local variant called the Candango from 1958 to 1963. The Munga's long production span — outlasting the DKW car brand itself by two years — underlines how well the design suited its military role.