Steyr 50 / 55 (Baby) History
Catalog record
This is a brief catalog introduction with limited source documentation. A licensed, identity-checked lead photograph has not yet been added for this page. Detailed year, configuration and ownership coverage must be identified separately; this page is not a complete vehicle catalog.
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Launched in 1936 as the Steyr 50, the 'Steyr Baby' was an aerodynamically styled economy car aimed at the same budget-conscious market as the Volkswagen — though unlike the VW it entered production immediately. Powered by a water-cooled flat-four engine producing around 22 hp and notable for its streamlined two-door body, it offered superior interior space to comparable German economy cars of the day and featured hydraulic brakes.
A revised Steyr 55 arrived in early 1938 with a longer wheelbase and slightly more power. Both variants were affectionately known as the 'Baby'. Around 6,500 Steyr 50 and 6,500 Steyr 55 were produced — approximately 13,000 'Babys' in total — before wartime ended production in 1940. The design had a direct influence on later Austrian small-car thinking.
Generations
Steyr 50 · Original Baby
~6,500 built; flat-four, 22 hp; streamlined 2-door body.
Steyr 55 · Revised Baby
Longer wheelbase, slightly stronger engine; ~6,500 built before wartime ended production.
Body styles
- 2-door saloon
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