28 September 2020

One-off from Skoda was a sensation 85 years ago


It's 85 years old, and doesn't it still look something special? writes Brian Byrne.

The Skoda 935 Dynamic caused a sensation at its world premiere at the Prague Motor Show in 1935. Its aesthetic, aerodynamically optimised contours caught the attention of the public, as did the vehicle's unusual technical features.

The car's water-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine has a displacement of two litres and an output of 55 hp. It is mounted in front of the driven rear axle. An innovative feature is the electromagnetic four-speed gearbox from the French manufacturer Cotal, which enables semiautomatic gear changes with its preselector.

It was the only one of its kind built, but the experience and technologies used were included in a number of subsequent production models. The original was sold as a used car to a private buyer in 1939, and repurchased by the company from the same individual in the 1960s.

Having undergone extensive restoration, the coupé saloon since three years ago is one of the highlights in the Skoda Museum collection at the company's headquarters in Mladá Boleslav.