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Praga Baby - cabriolet body - manufactured in 1934
Praga was once one of the three largest Czech car manufacturers, together with Skoda and Tatra, but is almost forgotten these days outside its home country. The main reason for this is that Praga stopped car manufacture after the second World War, unlike Skoda and Tatra. Still, in its day Praga cars were amongst the most prestigious in Eastern Europe and were a match for similar cars produced in Austria and Germany. Production numbers were always relatively limited, with a peak of 7500 a year, while commercial vehicles were the company's mainstay but what was made was sound and solid and showed tasteful and attractive designs inspired by American styling. The slogan used to promote Praga cars translated into "cars which last for hundreds of thousands of kilometers", which gave a good impression of what the cars were about.
The make was named after the Czech capital and the first Praga cars appeared in 1907. Production started in earnest in 1911 when the self-designed Mignon and Grand models were introduced, followed a few years later by the Alfa. These models continued to play an important part throughout Praga's history of car manufacture. After the first World War the Piccolo model was introduced, a small affordable car which boosted Praga sales considerably. The range now consisted of cars with 4, 6 and 8-cylinder engines offering displacements starting just under 1 litre for the Piccolo up to over 4 litre for the Grand.
At the end of the 1920s Praga cars were considered robust and reliable but also old-fashioned. Competition from other Czech makes like Skoda, Aero and Z (short for Zbrojovka) which offered more advanced and affordable cars meant that new designs were needed to stay in business. Engineer Rudolf Vykoukal was hired and he developed the new Praga Baby ("Bejbinka") model which appeared in 1934. It slotted in just below the Piccolo models and was very modern with its backbone chassis, independent suspension in front and rear and fully synchronized 3-speed gearbox. It was powered by a 995 cc 4-cylinder side-valve engine which produced 22 hp @ 3200 rpm. Available factory body styles were a Tudor (2-door sedan), Polocabriolet (convertible sedan), Cabriolet (convertible), Roadster, pick-up and delivery van. Even though it was a modest car it featured elegant style, often set off by two-tone paintwork in bright colors, which established it as a luxury car amongst its competitors.
The new Baby model was an immediate success and sold 2250 times in its first year, safeguarding car production for Praga for a few more years. Another new model was unveiled in 1935 and was named the Lady. It was a very stylish middle-class car with a 1660 cc 4-cylinder engine. The luxurious Golden model was discontinued in 1938 and car production was halted completely in 1941, a few years after Germany had invaded Czechoslovakia. During the second World War the Praga factory was largely destroyed and though it was rebuilt after the war, car production was never started again apart from assembling a limited number of Piccolo and Lady models from parts that were still in stock.
Due to the quality of Praga cars there are still quite a few of them left nowadays, considering the limited production numbers. Most of them are about in former Czechoslovakia, some are found in Austria and Germany and sporadically in other European countries. In the rest of the world they are rarely seen. Praga cars deserve better; perhaps they're not that exciting or well-known but they are true classic cars, prestigious, well built and attractively styled.
© André Ritzinger, Amsterdam, Holland
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