Magomobil
Encyclopedia
MÁG stands for "Magyar Általános Gépgyár Rt" (Hungarian General Machine Factory Corp.), the most important Hungarian
vehicle manufacturer before World War II
, based in Budapest
. Its roots date back to 1901, when Podvinecz&Heisler (a company created by two young entrepreneurs, 25-year-old Dániel Podvinecz and 24-year-old Vilmos Heisler, started assembling Austrian
Leesdorfer cars - themselves being French
Amédée Bollée
cars built under license.
More successful was their later Phönix model, a German
Cudell
model built under license. The company name was changed to Magyar Általános Gépgyár Rt in 1912. Production was boosted by orders from the Post, the Army and other organizations – and outperforming other Hungarian manufacturers, including Röck, Rába
, MARTA etc.- as the government tried to support local industry.
MÁG introduced several models, designed by János Csonka
, Jenő (Eugene) Fejes
and other talented engineers. The name MÁG was later changed to Magomobil to avoid confusion with the Swiss MAG, maker of the famous Motosacoche motorcycles.
World War I
brought new business for the company, as it produced airplane engines under Austro-Daimler
license, as well as complete airplanes. After the war new car models appeared, including the Magosix, with a 6-cylinder engine, while a few Magomobils were also exported to the UK. However, the economic crisis of 1929
had devastating effects, eventually bringing the company down. A total of 2000 passenger cars, 150 trucks and buses, as well as 1000 automobile engines had been produced.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
vehicle manufacturer before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, based in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. Its roots date back to 1901, when Podvinecz&Heisler (a company created by two young entrepreneurs, 25-year-old Dániel Podvinecz and 24-year-old Vilmos Heisler, started assembling Austrian
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
Leesdorfer cars - themselves being French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Amédée Bollée
Amédée Bollée
Amédée-Ernest Bollée was a French bellfounder and inventor who specialized in steam cars. After 1867 he was known as "Amédée père" to distinguish him from his similarly named son, Amédée-Ernest-Marie Bollée .-Biography:...
cars built under license.
More successful was their later Phönix model, a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Cudell
Cudell
The Cudell was a German car made from 1898 to 1908. It was made in Aachen until 1905, and thenceforth in Berlin.Max Cudell founded the company in 1898 to manufacture licensed De Dion-Bouton vehicles. The original 3-wheelers were succeeded by a 3.5hp voiturette. These were followed by more De...
model built under license. The company name was changed to Magyar Általános Gépgyár Rt in 1912. Production was boosted by orders from the Post, the Army and other organizations – and outperforming other Hungarian manufacturers, including Röck, Rába
Raba (automobile)
The Raba was a Hungarian automobile manufactured from 1912 to 1914. A product of the Hungarian Machine Factory in the city of Györ, then known as Raab. The engine of the car was the 4.2-liter 58 hp Praga "Grand". The car was built in limited numbers, under the Praga license. Raba also...
, MARTA etc.- as the government tried to support local industry.
MÁG introduced several models, designed by János Csonka
Csonka
The Csonka was a Hungarian automobile manufactured by János Csonka in Budapest from 1909 until 1912.Csonka had previously designed some small vans which had been made by the large Ganz company but in 1909 he set out on his own and made a few one off cars...
, Jenő (Eugene) Fejes
Fejes
The Fejes was a Hungarian automobile, a utility vehicle manufactured in Budapest between 1923 and 1932 to a design by automotive engineer Jenő Fejes by Fejes Lemezmotor és Gépgyár Rt. The entire car, including the 1244 cc ohv engine, was constructed of welded and pressed iron. Several were...
and other talented engineers. The name MÁG was later changed to Magomobil to avoid confusion with the Swiss MAG, maker of the famous Motosacoche motorcycles.
World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
brought new business for the company, as it produced airplane engines under Austro-Daimler
Austro-Daimler
Austro-Daimler was an Austrian automaker company, from 1899 until 1934. It was subsidiary of the German Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft .-Early history:...
license, as well as complete airplanes. After the war new car models appeared, including the Magosix, with a 6-cylinder engine, while a few Magomobils were also exported to the UK. However, the economic crisis of 1929
Wall Street Crash of 1929
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 , also known as the Great Crash, and the Stock Market Crash of 1929, was the most devastating stock market crash in the history of the United States, taking into consideration the full extent and duration of its fallout...
had devastating effects, eventually bringing the company down. A total of 2000 passenger cars, 150 trucks and buses, as well as 1000 automobile engines had been produced.