Adler Diplomat Classic Cars for Sale
The Adler Diplomat was a six-cylinder saloon first produced in March 1934 by Adler, a Frankfurt auto-maker. The Adler Diplomat was a successor to the Adler Standard 8, and was an example of vastly improving automobile technology in a world starting to recover from the catastrophic 1929 Wall Street Crash.
Development of the Adler Diplomat
In 1934, the Adler Diplomat was produced as a successor to the Adler Standard 8. Though largely similar, the redesigned fender aprons were the prominent signal of change. The all-steel body of the Adler Diplomat was created from Ambi-Budd, who were, at the time, the country's largest specialist producer of steel body work, and based in the city of Berlin. In 1935, the Adler Diplomat received an upgrade in bodywork: the front grill became more streamlined, thus giving a boost in performance, and the wings over the wheels became more shapely. Longer overhangs also gave the car an increase in length, predominantly at the back. The engine of the Adler Diplomat was originally six-cylinders, with a 2916cc straight-six side-valve unit with a maximum power output of 60 PS (or 59 BHP). The Adler Diplomat also possessed a higher compression ratio than earlier models, and the gear ratios were also given a slight tweak: maximum power was now achieved at 3000 RPM. In 1937, the engine of the Adler Diplomat was further upgraded. The compression ratio was increased further still, a light-metal cylinder head was added, and both of these served to increase the maximum power to 65PS (64 BHP).
Sales History of the Adler Diplomat
When the Adler Diplomat was first introduced into the market in 1934, it was priced at a modest 6,750 marks, and the production volume reached 3,205 over the first four years. Though it did relatively well, the Adler Diplomat was not the top-selling six-cylinder car in Germany at the time. That accolade goes to the Mercedes-Benz 290, which produced over 8,000 in the same time frame. The Adler Diplomat was pulled out of the market in 1939.
A Note on the Manufacturers
Adler, the manufacturers of the Adler Diplomat, were manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles from 1900 until 1957. The word 'Adler' translates as Eagle. Though they were initially successful at producing automobiles, with the first person to circumnavigate the world by car doing so in an Adler model, the Standard Six, production was discontinued after the Second World War to focus on motorcycles. The company later associated with Triumph to form Triumpf-Adler, before being taken over by Grundig in 1957.