Steyr Type XII 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.
Start with a make and model. Add a year where a detailed guide is available.
Model history available. Detailed year guides are not published for this model.
Browse this model's history and yearsHistory
First shown at the London Olympia Motor Show in October 1925, the Type XII was a significant leap over the heavy Waffenauto. Designed under Ledwinka's influence, it used a 1.5-litre (1,496 cc) overhead-camshaft six-cylinder engine producing 35 hp, mounted on ball-bearing crankshaft journals — a technically sophisticated choice for the era.
The Type XII introduced four-wheel brakes to the Steyr range and featured independent rear suspension via swing axles, making it one of the more technically advanced European small-six cars of its day. Available as a four-/five-seat tourer and a four-door saloon, it won international motor-press praise and sold 11,124 units across its four-year run — the brand's highest pre-war volume.
Generations
Series production · Type XII
11,124 built; 1.5-litre OHC six, four-wheel brakes, swing-axle IRS — Steyr's most successful pre-war model.
Related models
Collect the nameplate
Find a scale model of the Steyr Type XII
Search Amazon across available years, colors, and scales. Exact releases vary, so confirm the listing before ordering.