Cars & Engineering

Josef Ganz built a first prototype of his Volkswagen idea in collaboration with the Ardie motorcycle factory in Nuremberg — a radical rear-engined, backbone-chassis design.

The legendary Maikäfer (May Bug) — Ganz's own prototype that demonstrated a rear-engined, independent-suspension layout later echoed in the Volkswagen Beetle.

The first mass-produced car based on Josef Ganz's patents — a rear-engined, backbone-chassis design manufactured by Standard Fahrzeugfabrik in Ludwigsburg.

A light truck (Schnell-Lastwagen) built on an extended and reinforced Superior chassis by Standard Fahrzeugfabrik with 400 or 500 cc engines.

Developed by Bungartz & Co. based on Ganz's patents, the Butz was a small car inspired by the success of the Standard Superior.

After escaping Nazi Germany, Ganz settled in Switzerland and developed a new prototype — a streamlined, affordable 'Swiss Volkswagen' with Rapid.

After WWII, Josef Ganz collaborated with Société des Études Automobiles M. A. Julien in France on two car models drawing on his engineering experience.