1938 Horch 853 Sport Cabriolet
The Horch 853 Voll & Ruhrbeck Sport Cabriolet is a cabriolet automobile produced by German auto manufacturer Horch.
The history of the car remains a mystery. During the war, the Allied bombers destroyed the Voll & Ruhrbeck plant, and along with it the Horch 853 documentation. The car was captured by the French government and fell into the hands of French army Marshal Jean de Lattre de Tassigny. In the post-war period, the car was moved to Switzerland, after which it changed owners multiple times and was restored.
Like so many esteemed pre-war German automobiles, this 1938 853 Sport Cabriolet’s early history is unknown. Its chassis number and engine number are appropriate for a very late-production example of those 647 completed between January 1935 and September 1937. Its current body (which is believed to be original to this car) is a match to those Auto Union bodies executed to Gläser’s striking design and beautifully rendered proportions.
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.
