The name Porsche is almost exclusively associated with high performance automobiles. But the Porsche name also appeared on agricultural tractors during the 1950’s up until 1963.
Fast Facts
- Prior to the Second World War Dr. Porsche set about designing an agricultural tractor.
- While Porsche’s tractor designs did not make it into production his design’s for engines for such tractors did.
- The Porsche diesel engine designs for tractor use were of one, two, three and four cylinders, and featured independent and interchangeable cylinders and cylinder heads.
- After the war the Porsche diesel engines were adopted by Allgaier GmbH in Germany and Hofherr Schrantz of Austria.
- In around 1956 Mannesmann AG purchased the Allgaier tractor design and manufacturing rights. Their Porsche-Diesel tractors would be in production up until 1963.
- One of these Porsche-Diesel tractors is up for sale on Bring a Trailer at the time of writing. You will find the sale page if you click here.
Prior to the beginning of the Second World War Dr Ferdinand Porsche not only created the “Volkswagen” as it later came to be called, but he also did designs for agricultural tractors.
Those pre-war designs did not make it into production, but after the war the Porsche name would appear on agricultural tractors.
By the early 1950’s Porsche had designed a range of agricultural diesel engines with single, twin, triple and four cylinder versions. These engines were made to be as standardized as possible and were fitted with individual cylinders and cylinder heads which were made to be interchangeable between the four versions: thus simplifying spare parts inventory while providing tractor models with engine power varying from 14hp to 55hp.
What Porsche could not do in the post-war period however was to create and produce tractors to use these engines in. This was because the only companies that were permitted to make agricultural tractors in Germany and Austria were those who had been making tractors prior to and during the war.
The Porsche engine designs could be used and German company Allgaier GmbH, and Austrian company Hofherr Schrantz both manufactured tractors using Porsche designed engines.
In around 1956 Mannesmann AG purchased the design and manufacturing rights to the Allgaier tractor and its Porsche engine.
The company created Porsche-Diesel Motorenbau GmbH and built for it a modern manufacturing facility in what had previously been a Zepplin making plant near Friedrichshafen in southern Germany.
This company put the Porsche powered Allgaier tractors into production and they continued to be made up until 1963.
Some of these tractors made their way across the Atlantic to North America where in recent years an enthusiast community has emerged serviced by the Porsche-Diesel North American Registry.
One of these Porsche-Diesel tractors is up for sale on Bring a Trailer at time of publication.
The model on sale is a 2,467cc three-cylinder model 308 Super which was made in 1960.
This tractor is fitted with a single-range five-speed manual transmission and a rear portal axle.Its equipment includes a fender-mounted wooden jump seat, headlights, tail-lights, front and rear ball hitches, and three power take-off shafts.
The tractor rides on 6.00-15″ front and 11.2/10-28″ tires (which exhibit some cracking) and is fitted with drum brakes on the rear wheels.
You will find the sale page for this rather unusual tractor if you click here.
So if you’d fancy being able to zip around your farm or vineyard on a Porsche here’s an opportunity.
Picture Credits: All pictures courtesy Bring a Trailer.
Jon Branch is the founder and senior editor of Revivaler and has written a significant number of articles for various publications including official Buying Guides for eBay, classic car articles for Hagerty, magazine articles for both the Australian Shooters Journal and the Australian Shooter, and he’s a long time contributor to Silodrome.
Jon has done radio, television, magazine and newspaper interviews on various issues, and has traveled extensively, having lived in Britain, Australia, China and Hong Kong. His travels have taken him to Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan and a number of other countries. He has studied the Japanese sword arts and has a long history of involvement in the shooting sports, which has included authoring submissions to government on various firearms related issues and assisting in the design and establishment of shooting ranges.
