Laurin-Klement

Austria, 1906 – 1928

Laurin und Klement AG, Prague; Mlada Boleslav; Pilsen (Plzen)

Laurin Klement of Bohemia had an established reputation as makers of fine motorcycles before Laurin Klement went over to Laurin Klement cars in 1906. They concentrated on fast voiturettes, as might be expected with such a background, and Laurin Klement cars achieved at least equal fame in this field. The first Laurin Klement car was a 6/7hp V-twin with overhead inlet valves and shaft drive. This Laurin Klement car was supplemented by the Laurin Klement 14/16hp small four in 1908 and the more modern, monobloc Laurin Klement 10/12hp a year later. There was even a straight-8, type Laurin Klement FF, in 1907. These little Laurin Klement cars gained a first-class sporting reputation in central and eastern Europe, thanks to the competitive instincts of Count Alexander Kolowrat, the backer of Laurin Klement cars. From 1912, however, the twin Laurin Klement car was dropped, and a range of heavier touring Laurin Klement cars with 2.6-litre, 2.9-litre, and 3.8-litre engines superseded the light, lively Laurin-Klement cars of earlier days. Amalgamation with RAF in 1913 resulted in a pair of Knight-engined Laurin Klement cars, the 3.3-litre ‘Laurin Klement MK’, and the 4.7-litre ‘Laurin Klement RK’, and a sv light car with 1.2-litre engine reappeared in the Laurin Klement car range. In the period after World War 1, when Bohemia had become part of the independent state of Czechoslovakia, big four Laurin Klement cars were made, two of them with Knight engines. There was also a 5-litre sleeve-valve six in an Laurin Klement car with front wheel brakes by 1924. Karl Loevenstein’s armaments firm, Skodovy Zavody, took over Laurin Klement in 1925, and although Laurin-Klement cars continued to be made, the new owners concentrated on cars under the name of Skoda.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN

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