Horch 853 History

The 850/851/853 family represented the absolute pinnacle of Horch engineering and coachwork. Introduced progressively from 1935, all variants shared a 4,944 cc single-overhead-camshaft straight-eight engine designed by Fritz Fiedler — initially producing 100 hp, upgraded to 120 hp in the 853 A of 1937. The chassis featured servo-assisted hydraulic drum brakes and, from the 853 onward, a De Dion-type fully independent rear axle pioneered on the Porsche-designed Auto Union Grand Prix racers.

The 853 Sport Cabriolet, bodied by Erdmann & Rossi and other coachbuilders, became the car most associated with the Horch name: long, low, and lavishly appointed, with a four-speed overdrive gearbox and a top speed exceeding 135 km/h. It was the closest German contemporary to the Mercedes-Benz 540K, and examples routinely appear in international concours events. Fewer than 1,000 vehicles across the 850 Sport, 853, and 853 A left the factory.

The parallel 951/951 A (1937–1940) was a longer-wheelbase Pullman variant on the same 5-litre straight-eight platform — the 951 A added a standard overdrive — intended for heads of state and senior officials. The Pullman models (850/851 and 951/951 A combined) were built approximately 1,200 times. Civilian production across all Horch lines ceased in March 1940 as Germany's war economy absorbed the Zwickau factory.