The 1938 Schlörwagen Pillbug: The German Engineering Masterpiece That Was Lost in Time

[@Angrybarberman]

The teardrop shape is the most aerodynamic and hydrodynamic shape...this guy seems to have gotten everything right...in the 30s!

[@copaloadofthis]

maybe with the exception of timing ?

[@iscadean6038]

And while he was prescient, he got it the wrong way round.

[@Fastvoice]

@@iscadean6038 Wrong - it's the right way. Did you ever see a wing profile (the inspiration for the design)? It's exactly like that. And where's the thicker part of a falling water drop (the ideal aerodynamic form)? Yes, in the frontal area, not in the back.

[@elhoward7440]

Decades ahead of it's time. They could do it better now with carbon fiber and electric motors.

[@iscadean6038]

@@Fastvoice the shape as designed would cause it ‘fly’. Lift would occur and it would become unstable.

[@emilyoshiro]

Best looking car I’ve seen in years

[@malcolmabram2957]

Agreed, its shape has an appeal. Also, having given attention to the seating design, in terms of space, it has a lot going for it ergonomically.

[@deanronson6331]

You and 52 people that gave you a thumbs-up had better hurry up and visit an eye doctor for serious visual issues. However, I'm afraid it's gonna turn out to be a simple case of poor taste, and that's is incurable.

[@sorellman]

The German public considered it unattractive, the reason why the car did not succeed. You can see why they felt that way, but it was a good try from an engineering point of view.

[@B.Ies_T.Nduhey]

​@@deanronson6331You have no taste yourself.

[@B.Ies_T.Nduhey]

​@@sorellmanNo I can't! For the life of me I can't!!

[@ivandj707]

Way ahead of its time, beautiful engineering design.

[@Petriefied0246]

This would make an excellent car even now!

[@davidstewart4570]

I think it would have a strong tendency to lift fairly alarmingly at speed, and crash protection would be absolutely zero. It's a lovely car, though, but would have bee prohibitively expensive to manufacture in any quantity.

[@aiami2695]

It is the Nissan Leaf only backward... 🤣🤣👍👍

[@ObsceneSuperMatt]

8L / 100 km is really good, especially for an old 1930s engine!

[@antonmoric1469]

More other-worldly German engineering from the period. Great find!

[@John-wd5cb]

Everyone: There are alien civilizations out there. Germans: Hold my beer 🍺

[@Mooncake-01Y09]

@@John-wd5cb Yup. Don't hold it, drink it. Thanks, man. 🍻😉

[@John-wd5cb]

@@Mooncake-01Y09 Prost 🍻

[@TheAsheybabe89]

@@John-wd5cbnot todays Germany.

[@junkerjorg2157]

Alte deutsche Ingenieurskunst.Auch wenn sich dieses Muster in Gänze nicht durchgesetzt hat war es dennoch vorausschauend , vor allem innovativ und richtungsweisend.

[@hertzair1186]

The Germans and their engineering ….always way the hell ahead.

[@TheAsheybabe89]

*were. That is definitely not the case now. The county is so inefficient as to make every stereotype a joke that is the opposite of reality

[@HOLODECK-MUSIC-PROJECT]

@@TheAsheybabe89alsmost true, the reason are over engineered laws and rules for everything thats that’s slowdowns everything. maybe the goal is we all dying in perfect beauty.

[@done488]

Our auto industry does not run like flint michigan. We are efficient, our cars are safe and don't break down all the time. The USA are our best customers. The nazis raised the whole industry dictatorial capitalism with eat or be eaten. Trade unions eliminated, maximum exploitation with low wages and slave labor. It all sounds familiar to me! Isn't that how it is in the usa? Hmm...🤔

[@done488]

Sorry for this post!

[@anthonyeaton5153]

It has been said the German tanks of WW2 were over engineered which led to lengthy repair/servicing problems.

[@nilo70]

I don’t like AI narratives

[@steffenrosmus9177]

Yep, exsp when AI is not able to pronounce an Umlaut ö oder oe right, because it was programmed by native English speakers.

[@bettyshallcross4547]

The narration is not really AI. It is a text to speech program. The computer probably is not writing the script. I do agree it is quite annoying.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

It's the future where everything is kaput. 😂

[@PeterSwinkels]

Looks surprisingly futuristic for the 30's!

[@brittakriep2938]

To the creators of this video. Have you ever heared of german aerodynamics expert Baron von Koenig- Fachsenfeld, who died in 1990s (1994?). A strange rural nobleman, autodidact ( No engineer!), who in his castle did aerodynamic experiments in a very small , Windkanal ' and wrote a book about his experimen. He was a nobleman, but Not as rich as you mighty think. In 1920s he took part in some motorcycle races, and he wanted faster motorcycles and cars , without using a more powerfull engines. There are old photos of one or two BMW cars with experimental Chassis (?)/ Karosserie of Baron von König - Fachsenfeld, and when you visit the castle , in a town district of Aalen ( Fachsenfeld), you can still see an experimental motorcycle and an experimental vehicle for a (failed) speed record. During National Socialists era, he was for his aerodynamics knowledge asked to work in aircraft industry, but He refused, claiming to be no trained scientist or engineer. But in reallity he didn' t like Hitler and didn't t want to be involved in building deadly war machines. After war his ,Scientists/ inventor ' time ended, became a man, who used his wealth and reputation for doing good things in Fachsenfeld Village.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

There are good people in Germany.

[@brittakriep2938]

@@redtobertshateshandles : I did two guided tours in his former estates(?) , one in castle, one in park. What good things did the last Baron of this family? After lost wwll milions of ethnic german s had to leave eastern europe, but there had been no houses or factores for those german refugees. The Baron transformed a sidebuilding of his Castle into a large workshop (?)/Werkstatt, where the noted refugees could produce ladders and toys, invented by himself. When school or Kindergarten needed things, being expensive, the Baron bought it , or used his title and Reputation for getting the things cheaper. When clubs or societies of Fachsenfeld did a good job, the Baron supported then ( but Not such ones, doing their job badly) . And : He was Not married, but every person, working for him, got its wage until a year after his death!

[@iankearns774]

In his castle? He sounds a bit like Dr Frankenstein.

[@brittakriep2938]

@@iankearns774 :: This ,Windkanal'/ aerodynamic chamber-shown was very small, so he did the tests assumingly with small toysized cars , motorcycles and planes or only small parts. The guided tour covers the castle/ in this case the englich words house/manor/ hall used would be perhaps better, and the only four or five generations, this family existed as noblemen. During early Napoleon Era, a common man named König became knighted for being a good Administration official, and to have a castle he bought the ruins of a lange house, owned by a nobleman, and started to rebuild it..His son also became a high Administration official in Justice or Financial service and finished the castle..This ones son enlarged the building and supported local artists, painters...The next one was not so well educated and mannered, and the last Baron i described. So, no old family, but mostly educated men in civilian positions.

[@624radicalham]

@@brittakriep2938 Did you really you just respond to an ignorant comment about a castle and Dr. Frankenstein? How old are you that you cannot grasp the simple concept of sarcasm and people not caring about what you have to say? I fear this may be a medical condition that you have that doesn't allow you to relate to other human beings well. You are easily tricked and your mind continues to have your fingers type and type defending really nothing of importance. It's fine to post a comment with excellent information. It's your mental skills in decline that do not allow you to be judicial in your responses. I hope you have better days

[@Dico6]

AI voice overs suck.

[@jorgerobles628]

I like it a lot!!!! Its a shame that no original exists today!!!!

[@FaaBaar]

Beautiful car

[@uwegrafer6456]

Close to the SAAB 92 UrSaab from 1947, which offers frontwheeldrive and a certain practicallity.

[@modelermark172]

This is a great follow-on to your video on the Dymaxion Car. But like many of us subscribing to your channel; this is the first I'm ever hearing about the Schlörwagen. I wonder how many other experimental aerodynamic, "Art Deco" concept cars were made that I've never heard about . . . ? 32nd Like.

[@twain2970]

This car is designed like a woodlouse. One of the most successful primordial animals on our planet.

[@miri-dz9oy]

🤣🤣🤣

[@B.Ies_T.Nduhey]

A woodlouse on wheels?

[@twain2970]

@@B.Ies_T.Nduhey Bionics deals with the transfer of natural phenomena to technology. A well-known example of this is the Velcro fastener. Books by Werner Nachtigall are interesting.

[@jourwalis-8875]

How could they manufacture these arched glass windows already in 1938?

[@ronaldderooij1774]

It is probably not glass.

[@rabit818]

The pill bug is very low for it’s time, amazing design.

[@jeffj2495]

Nice video. It's ultimate fate was - that it was never put into production.

[@JamesSmith-qs4hx]

Another 1930s German Miracle 🙏

[@itzakehrenberg3449]

Hyperbole! Lol! Watch at 2:02

[@PeterPups0815]

Of what exactly do you think here?

[@olddoggeleventy2718]

Reminds me a little of the AMC Pacer from years ago. it was a goofy-looking little car but was great for driving in and around town.

[@roringusanda2837]

😮i love it, its so beautiful! it looks so simple and sleek, but friendly.🥰

[@Paul-ou1rx]

For reference of drag coefficients: .20 is great for a modern car (Tesla Model S has .208). .30 is good (Average car). .40 is not so good (SUV) .50 is terrible (Truck) 0.000 (TicTac UFO)

[@Nordlicht05]

Formular one goes up to 1.0 and these cars aerodynamical over engineered. But alway for what purpose. If you want high traction this will result in not the lowest numbers.

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

🙋‍♂️THANKS RETRO FOR SHARING THE PILLBUG 🤗😎💚💚💚

[@barrygunter4007]

Looks like a pacer on stairoids.

[@VI-rt7sh]

Excellent find.

[@tractorsold1]

I'll bet it was hot as hell on a sunny summer day. This was before automotive air conditioning, and how much of yhe aerodynamic fuel savings would be eaten up by the AC?

[@mikethespike7579]

Target markets are usually very conservative. They don't easily take to new products that are too different or radical. I'm also guessing the costs for the manufacture of this vehicle would have gone well beyond what people were prepared to pay. Already the window glass would have cost a small fortune to make with the technology of those times.

[@johngraves6878]

That's absolutely beautiful and far ahead of its time. Even the rounded Ford Taurus wasn't so sleek. What's with the big fan or propeller attached to the vehicle? No explanation.

[@2degucitas]

I think that's part of the wind test

[@bluemango7112]

2.35 sounds like that was the Soviet aero engine .

[@PeteRedgrass]

That was indeed the Soviet engine from 1942.

[@1967250s]

Is that a supercharger on there? Looks a lot like a VW Beetle chassis. I can see this on the road soon, with modern chassis, crumple zones, etc. Maybe move the seats back some for safety! There are lots of smaller cars running around today than this one. A truly unique, and ahead of its time, design.

[@ache7777]

Vielen Dank für dieses Video.

[@DENVERTZ007]

Κατασκευαστηκε τετοιο αυτοκινητο στο...3ο Ραιχ,λιγο πριν αρχισει ο 2ος Παγκοσμιος Πολεμος;Απιστευτο!Αλλα δυστυχως δεν μπηκε σε παραγωγη...

[@arcanondrum6543]

Vehicles like this, Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion car (designed a few years before the Pillbug) and the Davis Divan, which came about a decade later, was cost. Curves were expensive back then.

[@PRH123]

hmm, there were quite a few other issues, like the dymaxions rear wheel steering. It was actually fabric covered like an airplane, so not an issue really to make curved surfaces.

[@jimurrata6785]

​@@PRH123 Made right here in Connecticut. But none of the very fancy (and expensive) curved glass. Bucky was on to something. It would be easy today with electronic steering and traction control.

[@foerd8012]

And is 5 years younger. Wonder if Bucky knew about it

[@noesph1637]

00:00:10 It looks like the Twingo's Great great grandad.

[@michaelweise1846]

Genial was deutsche Ingenieure leisten.

[@TakaD20]

And a hundred year later, we get the Cybertruck...

[@brerrabbit9585]

It looks likes a large metal bug on wheels, but it`s way cool!

[@NarcFreedom]

Everyone with the same AI narration. UGH! Where do y’all get this?!?!

[@skovner]

It and the people look like they belong in Fritz Lang's classic movie "Metropolis"

[@TheNightwalker247]

Now make it elctric and take away one wheel and you got the aptera

[@robinlarge1630]

Wow, never heard of this before! Shame it didn't survive to go in a museum. Great video👏🏻🇬🇧👏🏻

[@michaelburggraf2822]

Gottingen was the place where professor Ludwig Prandtl established the MVA (Modellversuchsanstalt) research laboratory for fluid dynamics, particularly aerodynamics, in 1919 which became quite well known. Another very notable person in that context is the Austrian engineer Paul Jaray who created several designs of aerodynamic cars in the 1920ies already. The first car with an aerodynamic body shape built in series was the Tatra 77.

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Professor Conrad von Seelhorst was one of my distant relatives. A soil scientist.

[@teemum.9023]

0:45 0.113 What is a good drag coefficient for a car? The average modern automobile achieves a drag coefficient of between 0.25 and 0.3. Sport utility vehicles (SUVs), with their typically boxy shapes, typically achieve a Cd=0.35-0.45. The drag coefficient of a vehicle is. My Chevrolet Matiz 2005 has 0.342.

[@drhirsch7979]

If you turn it 180* it will work better...look at 3:17🎉

[@franzk.3215]

The 'problem' about it turning is, that it has to transport people from one place to another 😉

[@Nathan-v5c6c]

Looks very nice. Aerodynamic yes. Rear engined wing profile shape. OBVIOUSLY no one at the time had any idea about the lifting body effect. This thing would be a death trap at speed as it will try to fly. N has feck all downforce. In fact has negative downforce. I still want 1 though

[@bazoo513]

This reminds very much of earlier and much better known Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion.

[@MrJohnnyseven]

I want one now !

[@josega6338]

As far as I know, the common feature in all Low Drag, Low CX Cars, drop shaped, was a too high sensitivity to Side Wind. The going in and out complex track, the construction difficulties, are minor compared to that unstability

[@markus-pg6me]

Plexiglas?

[@thomaswagner1442]

Eine sehr coole Kiste 😊

[@Kenji1685]

2:20 They probably should have made it a different colour... Just saying.

[@rongendron8705]

The basic "Pillbug" was a beautiful & futuristic design, but what was the "fanlike" motor, in the back? Please don't tell me that was the car's engine, because it would be highly dangerous & extremely noisy in traffic!

[@ChrstphreCampbell]

Looks very much like The Dymaxion Car ( Buckminster Fuller ) 1933

[@paulgovan3507]

EIGHT litres of gasoline per 100 km - terrible given the low drag! That's around 20 mpg / miles per gallon!

[@estebancorral5151]

This looks like Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion Car (1933.)

[@robertcieslak1861]

Another concept waaay before its time, But the propeller thing - naw!

[@hamiltonmays4256]

it's a wind-tunnel fan, not a propeller.

[@thedarkmoon2341]

Reminded me of the Dymaxion car, at first thought it was 3 wheeler. The Dymaxion car was also susceptible to cross winds.

[@sclogse1]

The AI voice..probably didn't have any friends with good voices..or had a decent mic.

[@KOZMOuvBORG]

An electic version would redistribute its weight, making gusting crosswinds less perilous (something which plagued the similarish looking Volkswagen).

[@gottfriedheumesser1994]

You should study how to pronounce 'Schlör' before making a video about his car. Ignoring the dots is US ignorance.

[@shoppingaccount415]

Model 3 is the most aerodynamic Tesla ever, according to official information, with a drag coefficient of 0.219.

[@patrickrose1221]

It looks like SAAB & CITROEN had an affair, and this was their "shhhhh" ! love child 😆😅 I want one! 😍

[@nakfan]

The first Ur Saab around 1946-1949 is a other milestone...

[@TheMysticSaint]

I was suprised by the initial drag coefficient as it was even less than Aptera, but then the number for the functional model was so much more. I wonder what changed, were they initially testing it without wheels or something. Anyone interested in efficiency check out Aptera Motors in California.

[@bennyhannover9361]

At 138 kmh 20 Kilometer faste? As far as I know topspeed of 70 H Mercedes was 98 kmh so this was 40 kilometers faster or 25 miles faster!

[@BushKayakersCampingAustralia]

wow way beyond its time . impressive ! . also in 2024 that design is really pretty , efficient and marketable . tier drop every high end sports car everywhere

[@B.Ies_T.Nduhey]

This was considered unattractive by the public?! 😮😱 Who did that consist of?!

[@Heisenberg2097]

I hope I must never see the shape of the kind of girl that can be impressed with such a car. And don't ask who's running after me since I bought the Tesla Cyber Truck...

[@russelldawkins9094]

As a lot of uninformed blather in the comments! See VW XL1 for a contemporary try with the same goal.

[@kurtbilinski1723]

In cross section, it's a wing, which is bad news for higher speed stability due to it literally trying to lift off the ground. A better design would be to have the same basic shape but with the rear third curving up from below instead of downward.

[@paulgovan3507]

Now this should have been called the Beetle. 'Bugs' and 'Pills' are not gonna get customers queueing around the block - unlike Beatles or Beetles... Paul G

This is like a smaller version of Buckminster Fuller’s Dimaxion Car! Beautiful

[@masterq2.033]

With a VW1.9 TDI , low rolling resistance tyres would be a winner.

[@RemiStardust]

Surprisingly sleek for the time. But let's bes serious: Would've been a death trap in an accident.

[@alexandermathar7780]

Mercedes Benz was not interested. Too expensive ( Aluminium body, bonded winndows, the need for AC).

[@alperkaanbilir1776]

This masterpiece would kill everyone inside it in a crash, though. No frontal engine compartment to absorb its momentum.

[@michaelstrauss6587]

....paired up with a hydrogen on demand set up,; that would be something....

[@ralphferley8884]

This is Merica... we don't do that metric crap... splain' in english folks

[@gacattack1234]

Not ugly, could be made to look better with some modern tweeks. like the openess of all the glass and good amount of space. Would like it as an EV as electric mileage would benefit incredibility by its aerodynamics.

[@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx]

Not much point creating a car that is unsafe and almost impossible to manufacture. Any trained designer could come up with the perfect theoretical design, whether it's a car or a doughnut. But forgetting the real world makes it irrelevant, like this thing.

[@corvanha1]

Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion car.

[@MrMfaust5]

I mean really, the Germans wanted to a fit the Schlörwagen with a Soviet aircraft engine in 1942!

[@johnbastille5483]

How was the engine cooled? In the blow up at 0:48, I see no radiator, and there are no louvers anywhere on the car. Very interesting concept, though, nipped in the bud as were many things by WW II.

[@normanquednau]

This shape would radically enhance the range of electric cars... See Aptera

[@shutinalley]

This is what cars in the future will look like when they're all automated and going 175 mph on the highway.

[@valevisa8429]

A car this shape was already invented in 1924 by an engineer called Persu.This one is a better copy of that one.

[@Electric_camper]

The '30s holds some more great Aero models. Lots if design thise days was amazing, really.

[@jabba0975]

".....who considered it unattractive." WTF?

[@iankearns774]

Flip it around 180 degrees and it would be faster and more economical.

[@vumba1331]

Listening to you mispronounce the word 'kilometre' so many times grated, could not watch.

[@danielgyorgy9026]

Seems inspired by the 1923 Persu automobile

[@utube3915]

0:19 The rear ist very similar to Citroën ID 19 and DS series - about 17 years later...

[@dan_mer]

I see an obvious issue with the vehicle: 2.10m in width. Where in Europe could this vehicle be used?

[@brucerogermorgan2388]

I can't listen to this. It's not four point thirty three metres, or two point ten metres, or one point fourty eight metres, it's four point three three metres, two point one o metres, and one point four eight metres. I learned that in primary school before I was 12 years old. You have to be truly ignorant to get that wrong.

[@peabody3000]

looks slippery but also seems like it wouldn't have an acceptable turn radius with those fully enclosed wheel wells

[@AndyMcClements]

This whole production is an AI fake, right ?

[@mariaangelicabrunellsolar7086]

What a beauty! Perhaps it was persecuted by Ford, or other possible competitor!

[@jeffdriscoll6096]

Rare rear wheel drive Mercedes? Aren't all of Mercedes cars rear wheel drive except A?

[@HOLODECK-MUSIC-PROJECT]

Now imagine what would all have happened if the Second World War had not happened.

[@jeffreyfinney6930]

I whould drive this car some modern tech not to much though whould bring this car up to speed I think it chould do well.