Valuable Classics Part 6: Horch 853 Sport Cabriolet – A sporty star on the boulevard

Horch 853 sport cabriolet 1

‘Horch 8 – the German eight-cylinder’ that’s how the series with the new eight-cylinder was heralded in the 1920s. Germany’s first series eight-cylinder engine was introduced at the Berlin Motor Show in 1926 and , quite frankly, was considered a sensation.

Horch 853 – UNIMPRESSED BY STUTTGART COMPETITION

3.1 liter displacement and two overhead camshafts driven by a vertical shaft, provided 60 hp. The competition from Stuttgart only worked with a straight six-cylinder in the 3 liter class. Still they provided around 55 hp so they weren’t really outrun in any sense by the Horch. The eight-cylinder was more a question of prestige, which the customer had to reward with an additional 1000 Reichsmarks compared to the Mercedes 300. The new engine, however, would become the backbone of a number of vehicles at Horch in the following years. When the displacement tax was abolished in 1935, the lower displacement versions of the inline eight cylinder ceased to exist. The carmakers from Zwickau decided to concentrate on the 5 liter version of the 850 series instead.

Horch 8 – Well-known and loved by celebrities

The Horch 853 with the sport cabriolet body is the most renowned model from this series. From 1938 onward, the model was offered in the revised 853A version. It had an extra 5th gear known as “Ferngang” which was intended for motorway driving. With a price of 13,900 Reichsmarks, the car was only accessible to the happy few. The average worker at the time had trouble affording a Ford Cologne listed at 2,300 Reichsmarks. Especially film stars and other celebrities drove the luxury Horch.

This particular group of buyers was also not really bothered by the fact that the car looked sportier than it really was. At more than 2.6 tons, The 120 hp could not push the convertible up to any really breathtaking performance. The 853 made a more convincing impression on the boulevard. In 1940, civil production was discontinued at the Horch plant in Zwickau due to the war. Less than 1,000 vehicles of the 850 Sport, 853 and 853A models left the factory.

Grafik Horch8 En

Many of these cars were lost in the turmoil of the war and post-war period. Today the 853 is one of the most exclusive German pre-war cars.


Price performance data courtesy of: Classic Data Logo Sachverständige

Photos Cargold Collection

Author: Classic Trader

Die Classic Trader Redaktion besteht aus Oldtimer-Enthusiasten, die Euch mit spannenden Geschichten versorgen. Kaufberatungen, unsere Traum Klassiker, Händlerportraits und Erfahrungsberichte von Messen, Rallyes und Events. #drivenbydesire

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