Tatra History

HISTORYCar production in the Moravian town of Kopřivnice dates back to 1850 when Ignác Šustala founded a family company to manufacture coaches and carriages of his own design. 1880s brought a profound change in transport.The uncomfortable carriages were replaced incrementally by rail transport. Šustala´s company built some new facilities to produce its first 15 railcars in 1882.An important milestone came in 1897 when the company built the first passenger car in Central Europe, the "Präsident, and in 1898 when the first lorry was produced here. The lorry of payload 2,5 t was driven by two, rear-housed Benz engines, and was a basis for Tatra truck production for the years to follow.A major contribution to the TATRA tradition was made by the ingenious designer Hans Ledwinka, who in 1923 introduced the T 11 car to thepublic. The car design concept was truly revolutionary-the car was built over a backbone tube, carrying swinging half-axles in the rear. This design idea became famous as " the tatra chassis design" that has been used since.Between WWI and WWII car designers at Kopřivnice worked intensively on a world novelty - the first series-made streamlined passenger car with a monocoque body and rear-housed air-cooled engine. The T77 was introduced to the public on March 5th, 1934. In the same year the name TATRA was officially registered as the company´s trade name.The third milestone in 1934 was the aircraft production startup in TATRA. Even in the field of airborne engines production TATRA proved its exceptional design and production capacities.In the post-war period TATRA specialised in the production of luxury cars in low and medium series. The T 77 and the very successful model "Tatraplán" were replaced by the T 603, a model that was manufactured until the end of 1975 - almost 20.500 units were made. This car was in 1975 replaced by the T 613 a model that was replaced in 1996 by the T 700, the last model so far.In 1998 passenger car production was terminated and the company focused mainly on truck production - a sector that since 1942 was gaining ever bigger share to become the core business now.Truck production development was driven mainly by military orders. Extreme cross-country performance, robust design, simple maintenance, high productivity and long durability made TATRA an ideal vehicle to work in extreme climatic and off-road environments.This was proved first by the T 111 (1942-1962), an air-cooled engine driven truck that proved itself in the toughest regions of Siberia.The Tatra chassis design concept, specifically the air-cooled engine, rigid central tube and swinging jointless half-axles, was the basis for several model families of starting with T 138 ( since 1959), followed by the T 813 (since 1967), T 148 (since 1970) and last but not least the T 815 (since 1983).The T 815-2, a model family with fully synchromesh gearboxes and upgraded turbocharged engines, is a world-class vehicle. Tatra trucks comply with the most rigorous environmental regulations (EURO II). TATRA, a.s. has also designed and tested vehicles complying with EURO III limits.T 815-2 EURO II vehicles served in 1997 as a model for a new truck family - TERRNo.1. JAMAL is a name of vehicles designed for the toughest working conditions, while military vehicles have been labeled as ARMAX. Vehicles nicknamed FORCE are just another proof of exceptional design flexibility and development level achieved by TATRA. CONTACTTATRA, a.s.Areál Tatry 1450/1742 21 KoprivniceCzech RepublicTel: [phone]Fax: [phone]Email: [e-mail]: www.tatra.cz

[@ChuddleBuggy]

Am I the only person who realizes how great the mechanical engineering heritage Czechoslovakia has? Whether it be vehicles or guns or whatever, Czech-made always means good engineering. I'd say they are the equivalent of the Germans in terms of being prolific in their ingenuity. Too bad they got occupied by the Nazis and ended up on the eastern side of the European divide.

[@tristatricettrix1985]

Yes, you're right. Czechoslovak products have always been among the world's best. Brands Tatra, Skoda, Jawa .. and many others have been a guarantee of quality. Some belong to the oldest world brands. Engineering industry was in Czechoslovakia at a high level. Today, for example automotive brand Škoda belongs to the Volkswagen, but still retains the spirit of old Skoda. Germans are known for the precision, the same could be said about the Czechs. A small country in the middle of Europe, given the world many discoveries and ideas.

[@ChuddleBuggy]

TřistaTřicet Trix agreed. All I can say is that I've never heard of a badly engineered or built Czech product.

[@jamurphy8386]

Indeed. Czechoslovakia - now Czech Republic, have quite a History of innovation, improvements, and high skill Manufacturing. As an American (please don't hate), I was only able to learn much about their great achievements by travelling abroad! Our FAILED School System hardly taught us anything! 😠 😣😕 Fortunately, I got to Serve my Country's Military, and saw and LEARNED about the World !!! Again, please don't hate - but what most American kids learned in "School", and what we hear from our VERY corrupt and political "News" Networks...... *ALL they ever told us* was pretty much that the ENTIRE Former Eastern Blok were comprised of third World Countries. 😠😠😡👎👎 I feel ashamed that my Country did that to me, and hundreds of millions of others! When I hear European people talk about how spoiled, arrogant and ignorant *ALL* Americans are..... I just want to SCREAM! NO, the vast majority of us are NOT like that. That poor image has been portrayed by our extremely *CORRUPT* Government, our News - that ONLY report what a few very Liberal Billionaires dictate that they must - in the form of Buckets of money that they throw at the News Networks and their Sponsors!! 👎👎😠😕 Oh - AND, a few inept, poorly educated, pampered College Students, who has believed the Liberal Media and the corrupt Government over the past 10 years!! They're SURE they know everything, which is dangerous. Our College Students - right up to the Ivy League - are SO spoiled, pampered and sheltered, that THEY dictate to the SCHOOL, which guest speakers can speak... AND, if a speaker says something slightly offensive (to THEM) or doesn't believe their strict Left Wing, spoon-fed version of Democracy....... *ALL THOSE BROKEN UNIVERSITIES* have what is called "Safe Spaces". So designed so that if their little feelings are hurt by.... oh, I don't know, the TRUTH or something.... there are *actually* designated areas for the fragile Students to run to, where the "poor things" don't have to hear any opinions that aren't EXACTLY like theirs, their ex-Hippie Professors, or the Administration deems "inappropriate" or not strictly Liberal/Socialist beliefs!!! Did you SEE our last Election?? 😲 We were right on the brink of Electing an openly Bold SOCIALIST to be our President!!! He had HEAVY support from those same Universities, along with the "Hollywood Elite", who are CERTAIN that they understand everything about World events and Politics.... THOSE things, make myself, and millions of other Americans, ashamed. On their behalf, I humbly Apologize for that smaller faction of our Country with BIG mouths, that bring shame and ridicule to us. Most of us, are not that bad......

[@arbe6779]

I am proud to say that Ignac Sustala was my great-great grandfather. This company has done very well over the years and has many family members here in the United States as stock holders.

[@TheVenom8343]

+Ar Be I just wish we could get the trucks here in the States!!! There's absolutely NOT another vehicle that compares. Damn I want one soooooo bad!!!

[@simonapokorny9478]

For how long now?

[@roquad]

Very nice.

[@Chedoanvien]

The clip was created in 2007. I dont know the time that T817 was built??? This clip I get at a source from the internet.

[@cimmerianpraetor]

why is there no mention of army car T817?

[@Chedoanvien]

I dont know whether the composer takes a mistake or not! Enjoy!!

[@cimmerianpraetor]

Proč tam není zmíněná T817?

[@jackobsoboli]

když už je tatra "česká" mohli by tam dát alespoň české titulky

[@Tommy1968NAM]

Tatra nezná bratra!

[@fatsocurrywurst3139]

Bordel - Tours in Prag in Stile,curbcrawling,Stripclubs,Massage and Redlightdistrict im Tatra with Legend Vladel Guvnowitsch,call Puff-Tatra-Tours today,free Pilsner - Lager allround,for Groups of 12 lagerloud Hooligans......