Walter was an automotive manufacturer based in Prague, Czechoslovakia. The plant survived the war intact and in 1946 the company was nationalized as Motorlet n.p. Walter ceased making cars in 1951. It continues to make aircraft engines as Walter Aircraft Engines.

Josef Walter and Co.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1911
Defunct1946
Headquarters,

Historic names edit

  • 1911–1919: J. Walter a spol.
  • 1919–1932: Akciová továrna automobilů Josef Walter a spol.
  • 1932–1946: Akciová společnost Walter, továrna na automobily a letecké motory

History edit

 
Walter WZ phaeton(1920)
 
Walter P-IV sedan (1927)
 
Walter Super 6 touring (1930)
 
Walter Royal cabriolet (1931)

Josef Walter founded the company in 1911 to make motorcycles and motor tricycles. It started to make cars in 1913: firstly its own models Walter WI/WII/WII (1912-1914), Walter WZ/WIZ/WIZI (1919-1928), Walter P (1924-1928), Walter 4 B (1928-1930), Walter 6 B (1928-1931), Walter Super 6 (1930-1934), Walter Standard 6 (1930-1933), Walter Regent (1932-1937) and Walter Royal (1931-1932) and later the Walter Junior (Fiat 508), Walter Bijou (Fiat 514), Walter Princ (Fiat 522) and Walter Lord (Fiat 524)[1] under licence.

By 1926 Walter was Czechoslovakia's fourth-largest car maker by sales volume. In 1929 it still held fourth place, and production peaked at 1,498 cars for the year.[2] By 1932 Walter production had slumped to 217 cars for the year.[3] The figure recovered to 474 in 1933[4] but fell again to 102 in 1936 and only 13 in 1937.[5]

Walter ceased making cars in 1951.

Production edit

 
Walter Junior sedan - Fiat 508 Balilla Berlina(1932)
 
Walter Junior roadster - Fiat 508 Balilla Spider(1933)
 
Walter Junior SS roadster - Fiat 508 Balilla Spider Sport (1935)

Walter cars edit

Model Year Engine Displacement
(cm³)
Power Wheelbase
(mm)
W-III 1913 4R SV 2.600 26 HP 2.600
W-II 1913 4R SV 1.840 20 HP 2.570
W-I 1913 4R SV 1.240 14 HP 2.560
WZ 1919 4R SV 1.540 18 HP 2.760
WIZ 1920 4R OHV 1.540 20 HP 2.760
WIZI 1922 4R SV 2.120 25 HP 2.825
P-I 1924 4R OHV 1.540 20 HP n.c.
P-II 1924 4R OHV 1.945 25 HP n.c.
P-III 1925 4R OHV 1.945 30 HP 3.100
P-IV 1928 4R OHV 2.300 35 HP 3.100
4-B 1928 4R OHV 1.908 35 HP 2.800
6-B 1928 6R OHV 2.860 60 HP 3.300
Standard 1930 6R OHV 2.500 65 HP 3.300
Super 1931 6R OHV 3.257 70 HP 3.600
Regent 1931 6R OHV 3.257 80 HP 3.600
Royal 1931 12V OHV 5.874 120 HP 3.700

Walter under Fiat Licence edit

Model Year Engine Displacement
(cm³)
Power Wheelbase
(mm)
Variant of
Bijou 1931 4 SV 1.438 32 HP 2.555 Fiat 514
Junior 1932 4 SV 995 22 HP 2.250 Fiat 508
Junior S 1933 4 SV 995 30 HP 2.250 Fiat 508 Ballila
Junior SS 1933/34 4 OHV 995 35 HP 2.250 Fiat 508
Princ 1933 6 SV 2.491 60 HP 2.775 Fiat 522
Lord 1933 6 SV 2.491 60 HP 2.875 Fiat 522C

References edit

  1. ^ Tuček 2017, p. 171–174.
  2. ^ Tuček 2017, p. 44.
  3. ^ Tuček 2017, p. 112.
  4. ^ Tuček 2017, p. 113.
  5. ^ Tuček 2017, p. 214–215.

Sources edit

  • Tuček, Jan (2017). Auta první republiky 1918–1938 (in Czech). Prague: Grada Publishing. ISBN 978-80-271-0466-6.

External links edit