Steyr Tyres

1939 Steyr Type 55 on 450 - 17 Tyres

Steyr Classic Tyre

Steyr History

Founded in 1864 in the Austrian city of Steyr, the company began life as a manufacturer of rifles and other military equipment. By the early 20th century Steyr had grown into one of Europe’s largest and most respected arms producers, known for precision engineering and advanced manufacturing techniques.

Steyr expanded into vehicle production during the First World War, developing a range of cars throughout the 1920s and 1930s. These included luxury saloons, sports models, and later compact designs such as the Steyr Type 50 and Steyr Type 55, known as the “Steyr Baby”. The brand was known for its early use of aerodynamic bodywork, independent suspension, and unitary construction, placing it among the more forward-thinking manufacturers of the era.

In 1929 Steyr briefly employed Ferdinand Porsche, who contributed to several advanced prototypes before the company merged with Austro-Daimler-Puch in 1934 to form Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG. This merger broadened Steyr’s output beyond cars to include motorcycles, military vehicles, and agricultural machinery.

During the Second World War, Steyr returned to large-scale weapons production, after which the company diversified further. In the post-war decades Steyr-Daimler-Puch produced notable vehicles such as the Puch 500, the Haflinger, and Pinzgauer off-roaders, and a wide range of tractors and commercial engines that were sold to other manufacturers.

Although automotive production was gradually divided and absorbed by other firms in the late 20th century, Steyr’s legacy endures. Its early cars remain admired for their advanced engineering, and the Steyr name continues today through Steyr Arms, that still produces high-precision weapons in Austria.