AutoCult Dixi R8 6/14 PS Doppelphaeton (1910) (Germany)

About the Original

With a convertible through the first decade

Founded under the Latin word „Dixi”, to English “I have spoken”, the company produced vehicles from 1906 onwards that were powered by a specially designed water-cooled four-cylinder four-stroke engine. These drive was improved in displacement and as its most powerful design it came to 7.3 liters, a performance of 65 hp and a top speed of up to 85 km/ h.

Around 1907/1908, the company management decided to expand its vehicle range. For this purpose, the four-cylinder engine was used with a minimized displacement of only 1.5 liters. This resulted in an output of 14 hp at a moderate 1,600 rpm. The engine hat lateral valves, was supplied with gasoline-air mixture by an in-house spray nozzle carburetor and was water-cooled by pump. The ignition took place in the form of a double ignition via magnets and battery. The four-cylinder was started via a crank on the engine front side. At that time, it was obligatory to mount the engine above the front axle and the rear axle was driven by a three-speed gearbox. Only the rear wheels were decelerated – with internal expanding brakes. On the almost 625 kg heavy chassis made of sheet steel and a wheelbase of 2.5 meters, the customer could choose a body to their own taste. The unevenness of the roads was more or less absorbed by the beaded edge tires, mounted onto the spoked wheels and the semi-elliptical leaf springs.

Dixi offered this model as the Type R8 6/14 hp from 1908 and ran the production until 1914. A total of 650 cars of this type left the factory in Eisenach back then.

On the buyers who opted for a Dixi R8 6/14 hp at the time was the Grand Duke of Saxony, Gotha, and Coburg.