Borgward Hansa 2400
Encyclopedia
The Borgward Hansa 2400 is a large six-cylinder saloon first presented in 1952 and manufactured by the Bremen
based auto-manufacturer Carl F. W. Borgward GmbH
from 1953 to 1959. The car was launched as a fast back sedan: a longer-wheelbase notchback version appeared a year later. The Hansa 2400 seems, at least in its early years, to have suffered from a reputation for inadequate brakes and other perceived quality defects: in a market segment that was closely contested but small, the large Borgwards lost out to less flamboyant
models
from the German south.
. It had presence. Unusually even at this time, all four doors were forward opening which presumably facilitated access and egress. The body was an all-steel integral
structure, as on the car's four cylinder sibling
.
Sales material placed emphasis on the car's luxury features, such as a heating and ventilation system that ducted air direct to rear passengers as well as to the front, with each system separately adjustable. Items such as the cigarette lighter, the self parking windscreen wipers and the side windows that wound down fully into the doors barely merited a mention. The spare wheel was stowed flat in a compartment beneath the boot / trunk. It was accessible through a hatch behind a section of the rear bumper / fender, so that a wheel change could be undertaken without the need to empty out the luggage.
In 1955, production of the fastback sedan ceased. The long-wheelbase car underwent a minor facelift which involved more prominent headlamp surrounds: it soldiered on in this form until 1959.
. In the event, the larger car was launched with a six-cylinder engine of 2337 cc for which a power output of 82 bhp was claimed along with a top speed of 150 km/h (93.2 mph). The 1955 package of improvements included engine modifications that increased the advertised output to 100 bhp.
Power was delivered to the rear wheels via a four speed manual gearbox with synchromesh on all ratios. An automatic gear change option was also advertised, making the car, according to some sources, the first German car to be offered with automatic transmission.
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
based auto-manufacturer Carl F. W. Borgward GmbH
Borgward
Borgward was a German automobile manufacturer founded by Carl F. W. Borgward . The company was based in Bremen...
from 1953 to 1959. The car was launched as a fast back sedan: a longer-wheelbase notchback version appeared a year later. The Hansa 2400 seems, at least in its early years, to have suffered from a reputation for inadequate brakes and other perceived quality defects: in a market segment that was closely contested but small, the large Borgwards lost out to less flamboyant
Mercedes-Benz W180
The Mercedes-Benz W180 is a 6-cylinder sedan, coupé, and convertible made from 1954 to 1959. The models associated with the W180 chassis code were the 220a and 220S...
models
BMW 501
The BMW 501 was a luxury saloon car manufactured by BMW from 1952 to 1958. Introduced at the first Frankfurt Motor Show in 1951, the 501 was the first motor car to be manufactured and sold by BMW after the Second World War. The 501 and its derivatives, including the V8 powered BMW 502, were...
from the German south.
Chronology and design
The Hansa 2400 commenced production in 1953 as a large fastback sedan, its profile reminiscent of the recently introduced Hudson Super WaspHudson Wasp
The Hudson Wasp is an automobile that was produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan between 1952 and 1954. The Wasp was also built by American Motors Corporation in Kenosha, Wisconsin and marketed under its Hudson brand for model years 1955 and 1956.- 1952–1954 :The Wasp was...
. It had presence. Unusually even at this time, all four doors were forward opening which presumably facilitated access and egress. The body was an all-steel integral
Monocoque
Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...
structure, as on the car's four cylinder sibling
Borgward Hansa 1500
The Hansa 1500 is a medium sized saloon that was manufactured by the Bremen based auto-manufacturer Carl F. W. Borgward GmbH. The strikingly modern car was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1949...
.
Sales material placed emphasis on the car's luxury features, such as a heating and ventilation system that ducted air direct to rear passengers as well as to the front, with each system separately adjustable. Items such as the cigarette lighter, the self parking windscreen wipers and the side windows that wound down fully into the doors barely merited a mention. The spare wheel was stowed flat in a compartment beneath the boot / trunk. It was accessible through a hatch behind a section of the rear bumper / fender, so that a wheel change could be undertaken without the need to empty out the luggage.
New shape
A year later a longer-wheelbase notchback version appeared: options included a partition to enable the car to be used for traditional chauffer operations.In 1955, production of the fastback sedan ceased. The long-wheelbase car underwent a minor facelift which involved more prominent headlamp surrounds: it soldiered on in this form until 1959.
Power
It is possible that the car had originally been intended for sale with the four-cylinder 1758 cc engine that instead found its way into an uprated version of the Hansa 1500Borgward Hansa 1500
The Hansa 1500 is a medium sized saloon that was manufactured by the Bremen based auto-manufacturer Carl F. W. Borgward GmbH. The strikingly modern car was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1949...
. In the event, the larger car was launched with a six-cylinder engine of 2337 cc for which a power output of 82 bhp was claimed along with a top speed of 150 km/h (93.2 mph). The 1955 package of improvements included engine modifications that increased the advertised output to 100 bhp.
Power was delivered to the rear wheels via a four speed manual gearbox with synchromesh on all ratios. An automatic gear change option was also advertised, making the car, according to some sources, the first German car to be offered with automatic transmission.