auto.wikisort.org - Automobile

The Škoda VOS is a full-size luxury car produced by the Czechoslovak automaker AZNP at their plant in Mladá Boleslav between 1949 and 1952. For a few years it was the preferred car for senior political and military personnel in Czechoslovakia. It was never sold to the general public.

Škoda VOS
Overview
Manufacturer	AZNP
Production	1949–1952
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size luxury car (F)
Body style	4-door limousine 4-door saloon
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Powertrain
Engine	5.2 L Praga OHV I6
Dimensions
Wheelbase	3,200 mm (126 in)
Length	5,700 mm (224 in)
Width	1,950 mm (77 in)
Height	1,750 mm (69 in)
Chronology
Predecessor	Škoda Superb

Background

In 1949 the plant at Mladá Boleslav assembled the last Škoda Superbs, large six-cylinder limousines evoking the style of American cars in the late 1930s. The authorities needed a more modern replacement and instructed Škoda to develop one. This was the car that would become the Škoda VOS. The letters VOS indicated a "special car for the government" in Czech or Slovak (Vládní Osobní Speciál or Vládny Osobný Špeciál).

The car

The car went into production in 1950 with the coach builder (even then better known as a producer of buses) Karosa: final assembly took place at Škoda's own plant. The form of the car was unremarkable, despite having been designed by Oldrich Meduna whose reputation till that point came from his work designing military tanks. The mechanical architecture was also conventional, with a front-mounted engine driving the rear wheels.

More remarkable, at least in terms of European cars of the time, was a large 5.2-litre engine delivering 120 PS (88 kW). The engine came from a Praga truck. Because of the weight of the armour plating, the standard car weighed nearly 4 tons, however. The top speed was restricted to 80 km/h (50 mph) on the orders of the interior ministry. A "Light-weight" version without all the armour plating was also listed.

Unusually for the time, the car was fitted with air-conditioning. However, the air conditioning mechanism occupied most of the space in the boot/trunk, and it became common for dignitaries moving by VOS to travel followed by a second car to carry luggage.

Celebrity connections

Famous owners included President Gottwald, Enver Hoxha, Zhu De, Ana Pauker and Mao Zedong.

Ana Pauker, the infamous female communist leader of the Romanian Workers' Party (later to become the Romanian Communist Party ) had a Škoda VOS built for running on tracks, reaching speeds of up to 115 km/h with a total weight of 5 tons. The model is now up for display in the train Station of Sinaia. The driver's secure wind shield is smashed after a supposed attempted attack on the lady also known as "Stalin with skirt" near the Roşiori Nord train station. [1]

The end

Production of the VOS ended in 1952, by when 107 had been built. Škoda were not invited to replace the car, and the nation's political elite switched their allegiance to the Tatra 603.

References

Sources

• Bernard Vermeylen, Voitures des pays de l'Est, Boulogne-Billancourt, ETAI, 2008, 239 p. (ISBN 9782726888087) (OCLC 470767381)
• KRÁLÍK, Jan: Utajené projekty Škoda; GRADA Publishing 2007, ISBN 978-80-247-2416-4
• CEDRYCH, Mario René & NACHTMANN, Lukáš: ŠKODA – auta známá i neznámá; GRADA Publishing 2003, ISBN 80-247-9052-1
• Škoda VOS: Pro bolševiky od Prahy po Peking

External links

• Škoda VOS in Škoda Auto museum 2003
• Picture of Škoda VOS

На других языках

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[de] Škoda VOS

Der Škoda VOS (Tschechisch: „Vládní Osobní Speciál“ Slowakisch: „Vládný Osobný Špeciál“ = „Regierungsspezialwagen“) war ein PKW, der von AZNP unter der Marke Škoda zwischen 1948 und 1952 für höchste staatliche Repräsentanten der kommunistischen Tschechoslowakei hergestellt wurde. Das Fahrzeug gehört der Oberklasse an.

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- [en] Škoda VOS

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[fr] Škoda VOS

La Škoda VOS (vládní osobní speciál, « voiture spéciale pour le gouvernement » en tchèque) est une limousine produite par le constructeur tchécoslovaque AZNP entre 1950 et 1952. Uniquement destinée à transporter les hauts responsables du pays, la VOS n’a eu aucune carrière commerciale.

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[it] Škoda VOS

La Škoda VOS è un'automobile di lusso prodotta dalla casa automobilistica cecoslovacca AZNP nel suo stabilimento di Mladá Boleslav tra il 1949 e il 1952 con il marchio.Škoda Auto.[1]

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[ru] Škoda VOS

Škoda VOS (чеш. Vládní osobní speciál — «правительственный легковой специальный») — легковой тяжело- и легкобронированный лимузин представительского класса, выпускавшийся малыми сериями в Чехословакии в 1950—1952 гг. (по другим данным — до 1953 г.). Хотя марка указывается как Škoda, в разработке и производстве принимали участие почти все автозаводы тогдашней Чехословакии: конструкция была разработана фирмой AZNP (Automobilové závody národní podnik, чешск.), двигатель и коробка передач изготавливались компанией Praga, шасси и бронекорпус — AZNP, а кузов, интерьер (разработанный при участии Tatra) и окончательная сборка производились компанией Karosa (быв. кузовная фирма Sodomka). Предназначался для узкого круга партийных и государственных руководителей наивысшего ранга как Чехословакии, так и других социалистических стран, а также лидеров ведущих компартий капиталистических стран.

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