1963 Tatra 603 Series Sedan (RHD)

Description

One of the oldest car makers still in business, the Czech car company Tatra was nationalised in 1948 and the early post-war period saw them concentrate their efforts on just the one model, the Type 600 Tatraplan. Tatra then introduced a new luxury model, the Type 603, at a motor show in Zlin held in 1955, with series production kicking off in 1957. Early cars featured a split windscreen and triple headlights behind a reinforced glass panel but the nose was later redesigned for obvious reasons. The Tatra was an unconventional car in many ways, not least in terms of the layout - a rear-mounted V-8 engine with rear swing axles. The all-aluminium motor was air-cooled and initially displaced 2545cc, while the aerodynamic shape allowed for a high top speed. With independent suspension all round and four-speed transaxle, the Tatra had an incredibly comfortable ride for six passengers. Finned drum brakes provided adequate stopping power while rack and pinion steering was used. In 1964, Tatra launched the T603/2, with a four-headlight front, wider front track, new dashboard with padded top, plus various detail changes. In 1967, the third incarnation of the T603 was introduced, with a larger fuel tank (now with external filler cap), Jablonec disc brakes, wider track front/rear, new bumpers and another variation on the headlights up front. Upping the compression ratio also increased horsepower from 95 to 100 bhp. Tatras were always built in very small numbers, and very few escaped the Iron Curtain to end up in Australia. With streamlined styling that still looks radical today, unconventional engineering and rarity all part of the Tatra's heritage, it's no wonder these cars are considered so collectible today and hardly ever come on the market.