 Adler may not be a name that immediately rings a bell for even the most dedicated enthusiast, but this German manufacturer traces its roots back to the very genesis of the automotive industry. Heinrich Kleyer began his career in Frankfurt, where in 1880 he founded a bicycle business, mainly importing American bicycles and selling them under the “Herold” brand. In just five short years, his business had grown enough for him to acquire a six-story building for his operation, the tallest in Frankfurt at the time. It is said that the first five floors were dedicated to manufacturing bicycles, while the top floor was reserved for riding lessons for his customers. By 1895, Kleyer adopted the name “Adler” (or Eagle) for his products and also took up typewriter manufacture. While complete automobiles did not enter his portfolio until 1900, he did supply parts such as wheels to both Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz – the fathers of the modern motorcar. In 1898, Kleyer obtained the rights to produce DeDion Bouton engines; however he never did much with that capability besides use one in his first automobile in 1900. He hired a chief engineer and began to build a series of light cars, many of which drew their inspiration from Renault of the same period. By 1915, Adler offered vehicles ranging from bicycles and motorcycles, to automobiles and 3-ton trucks. By 1928, Adler had a workforce of more than 6000 and was Germany’s third largest car maker behind BMW and Opel. The bodies were made by Ambi-Budd Presswerke, a joint venture between the American Budd Company and Arthur Muller, a German industrialist. Budd owned 26% of the Adler stock and also supplied bodies for early BMWs as well as German Fords. In 1943, the company had to move production underground due to bomb attacks from the allied air forces. After the devastation of World War II, auto production was eschewed in favor of bicycles, motorbikes and typewriters, all of which were more practical for the ravaged post-war economy. Adler’s dealer network was swallowed up by Volkswagen and no more Adler automobiles were built after 1945. Source:
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1935 Adler Diplomat 8 WheelsAt the dawn of the automotive industry, some of the most extravagant inventions were cooked up, such as this 1935 Adler Diplomat with 8 wheels whose usefulness is more than doubtful. It did not go into production. Next
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