Adler Primus
The Adler Primus is a small family car introduced by the Frankfurt based auto-maker, Adler in March 1932. In a move reminiscent of British Leyland in the 1970s, Adler launched two similarly sized cars in the same year, one of which followed the then new trend set by DKW for front-wheel drive, and one respecting the conventional rear-wheel drive configuration still used by the market leader, Opel.
| Adler Primus | |
|---|---|
Adler Primus Cabriolet (1932) | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Adlerwerke |
| Also called | 1932-34: Adler Primus 1.5 Liter 1933–36: Adler Primus 1.7 Liter 1937-38: Adler Primus 1.7E |
| Production | 1932-36: 6,713 units 1937-38: 990 units |
| Assembly | Frankfurt am Main |
| Designer | Otto Göckeritz |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | “Limousine” (2/4 door Saloon) 2 door Cabriolet |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1932-34: 1,504 cc 4 cylinder in-line side-valve engine 1933-38: 1,645 cc 4 cylinder in-line side-valve engine |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual. No synchromesh. |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,700 mm (106.3 in) |
| Length | 1932-36: 4,000 mm (157.5 in) 1937-38: 4,225 mm (166.3 in) |
| Width | 1932-36: 1,500 mm (59.1 in) 1937-38: 1,560 mm (61.4 in) |
| Height | 1,600 mm (63.0 in) |
The Primus was the first of the smaller Adlers to be introduced, early in 1932, and was the rear wheel drive offering; Adler Trumpf was the other. The conservative design was the responsibility of Otto Göckeritz, the man who had designed the company's first small car back in 1906. The 1932 Primus was effectively a scaled down version of the manufacturer’s Standard 6 of 1927, applying the same high bodied design with a simple “overslung” chassis on which the car's rigid axles fitted underneath the principal loadbearing lengths of the chassis.