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The Czechoslovakian-built Tatra 87 was Hitler’s car of the future. With a top speed of more than 100 mph, it was a car destined for the Autobahn. Its sleek, futuristic design and high performance made it the vehicle of choice for Nazi officers.
But it was the Allies’ vehicle of choice for their enemy, too. They wanted all Nazis to drive one... because it would eventually kill them. If 100 miles per hour doesn’t seem impressive by today’s standards, in 1935, it was a big deal. The car’s aerodynamic design helped it achieve these speeds.
Yep, when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia on March 15th, 1939, many of the high ranking SS officers took advantage of the situation and commandeered Tatras as their new mode of luxury transport. While the cars were a great choice for reliable, powerful, and comfortable transportation, they could be tricky to drive properly thanks to the heavily rear-biased weight distribution.
In the first week of its availability, seven officers took the 95 horsepower, 3.4-liter V8 engine for a spin and never came home after spinning it out of control.
That's just the first week too, some sources cite near 100 deaths of German invaders to Tatras. The Allied forces called the Tatra the "Czech Secret Weapon".
If legend is to be believed, so many Nazi officers died in one-car T87 accidents that the Wehrmacht Command eventually banned its soldiers from driving any Tatra at all.
But it was the Allies’ vehicle of choice for their enemy, too. They wanted all Nazis to drive one... because it would eventually kill them. If 100 miles per hour doesn’t seem impressive by today’s standards, in 1935, it was a big deal. The car’s aerodynamic design helped it achieve these speeds.
Yep, when Germany invaded Czechoslovakia on March 15th, 1939, many of the high ranking SS officers took advantage of the situation and commandeered Tatras as their new mode of luxury transport. While the cars were a great choice for reliable, powerful, and comfortable transportation, they could be tricky to drive properly thanks to the heavily rear-biased weight distribution.
In the first week of its availability, seven officers took the 95 horsepower, 3.4-liter V8 engine for a spin and never came home after spinning it out of control.
That's just the first week too, some sources cite near 100 deaths of German invaders to Tatras. The Allied forces called the Tatra the "Czech Secret Weapon".
If legend is to be believed, so many Nazi officers died in one-car T87 accidents that the Wehrmacht Command eventually banned its soldiers from driving any Tatra at all.
From:
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