Porsche 597

Production period:	1953-1958
Class :	SUVs
Body versions :	Kübelwagen
Engines:	Gasoline engines : 1.5-1.6 liters (37 kW)
Length:	3700 mm
Width:	1600 mm
Height:	1430 mm
Wheelbase :	2060 mm
Curb weight :	990-1090 kg

The Porsche 597 Jagdwagen is an off-road vehicle designed by Porsche in 1953 as part of a tender for the future Bundeswehr , and the first Porsche-produced production vehicle with four-wheel drive .

History 

On January 19, 1953, the " Office Blank ", Department Koblenz under the direction of Secretary of State Theodor Blank , the later Defense Minister, the Association of the German motor vehicle industry, asked which companies of the automotive industry interested and in would be able to develop vehicle types and models and, if necessary, to manufacture at a later date.  Based on this request ran in the automotive industry on various projects for the development of motor vehicles.

Among other things, there was a desire to use for military purposes in the small class (0.25 tons) as a replacement for the used in World War II motorcycles with sidecar  a lightweight, all-terrain Kübelwagen . First applied the Auto Union in Ingolstadt to the project in this payload class, closely followed by the Bremen Borgward Corporation. The Stuttgart Porsche KG was later added as the third competitor. 

The vehicle was of a air-cooled , four-cylinder in-vehicle rear boxer engine from the Porsche 356 driven first by a modified version of the 1.5 liter - and later of the 1.6-liter engine. This engine had a power of 37  kW (50 hp ). With a vehicle weight of 990 kilograms, a top speed of 100 km / h was achieved. For the power transmission provided a 5-speed gearbox with shiftable front-wheel drive. The vehicle had a wheelbase of 2,060 mm and a climbing ability of up to 65%. Front and rear wheels were suspended individually (front crank arm , rearSwing axle ) and sprung with torsion bars. 

For the first time, a prototype was presented to the trade public on 19 January 1955 at a demonstration of the future off-road wheeled vehicles in Bonn Hangelar and was able to show its capabilities compared to the off-road vehicle competitors DKW and Goliath.

In autumn 1955, only 2 1/2 years after the first request from Koblenz, the off-road vehicle was demonstrated for testing the British Army of the Rhine in Germany. At this time, the electrical system was already designed for the future military standard voltage of 24 volts and it was mounted the 50 hp 1.6-liter engine. Five synchronized forward gears, including a short cross country gear, and the reverse gear were switched via a middle shift lever. The rear axle was equipped with a fully automatic ZF - differential lock fitted. Around 5800 kilometers were covered. Robustness, simplicity and good maintenance possibilities were attested to the pattern. Disappointing were the suspension, engine problems in the lower and middle speed range and too small an interior with few storage options. The rear engine was rated as extremely negative from the point of view of usable space, load capacity. For the military operation, the engine was just as inadequate as the petrol tank housed in the stem (mine protection). When the top speed was reached, the steering characteristics were completely insufficient. 

The Porsche SUV took part in the troop and test attempt in Andernach on January 15, 1956. The manufacturer had provided six vehicles for the teaching staff of the Bundeswehr. The testing brought significant defects to light. Among other things, there was a crack in the bodywork, starter defects, off-axis axle ruptures, oil losses, windscreen wiper defects and a rupture of the clutch cable. Furthermore, were complained of a much too loud engine, too small a windshield, rattling seats, the insufficient entry and exit and the insufficient distance of the pedals. The carburetor assembly was optimized during the test phase. The dimensions of the test samples were: length 3620 mm, width 1610 mm and height 1610 mm.

The self-supporting body of the car for yet smooth prototype was from Stuttgart body plant Reutter & Co. manufactured. The later beaded version came from Karmann . It was an open construction with a fabric hood. There were no doors, so the passengers had to get in and out of the vehicle frame; later versions had stiff doors. The body is buoyant due to its design. The models from 1957 have a more sloping front end.

The Porsche 597 Jagdwagen as well as the type 31 the competitor Goliath never ordered by the Bundeswehr for the large-scale production, as production costs were high for the Porsche and the work in the scheduled time not volume required would provide and do not ensure the supply of spare parts sufficient can. At the joint meeting of the Defense Committee and the Budget Committee in May 1956, it was decided to carry out further trials of the three brands. Orders were awarded to the company Auto Union GmbH of 5,000 units and each of 50 pieces to the company Porsche and Goliath. 

Like the competitor Goliath's off-road vehicle, the 597 was procured only for trial purposes, while the Auto Union presented its model to foreign forces during the development period and also offered export vehicles in neighboring countries. The Auto Union GmbH was much more agile. The Bundeswehr received a total of 50 units of this type; Consequently, after the Andernacher test 44 vehicles were to be re-delivered. 

In total, around 100 Porsche 597 were produced. Thus, in addition to the 50 Bundeswehr vehicles between 1955 and 1958, 49 vehicles (chassis numbers from 597-000101 ) were manufactured for the civilian market. The last vehicle from the collections of the Bundeswehr was retired in the summer of 1972.

The development costs for the vehicle amounted to about 1.8 million marks . In August 1959, there were still imaginative approaches at Porsche to produce a further developed 597 variant with a reinforced platform frame and an extended wheelbase of 2,400 mm in five different body variants. The project was not pursued.