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Swiss car manufacturers		 Alfa Romeo 6C2300 Worblaufen 1938
   

Switzerland has a long tradition in car manufacturing.

Some examples shows you the prized creations of our car designers, car engineers and car manufacturers.

Learn more by visiting the archives. The SCR archives offer you extensive documentation (contemporary pictures, original production plans, original orders, original parts lists, etc.), expert tips and much more besides.
   

Ajax – Zurich 1906–10

Ansermier – Geneva 1906

Arbenz – Zurich 1904–22

Asper – Dietikon 1908–11

Belcar – Wollerau 1955

Berna – Olten 1902–72

Brunau-Weidmann – Zurich 1905–08

Cegga – Aigle 1960–70

Cheetah – Lausanne 1974–?

Condor – Courfaivre 1922

Dufaux – Geneva 1904–06

Dufour-Ballabey – Nyon 1897–1914

Egg & Egli – Zurich 1896–1919

Enzmann – Schüpfheim 1957–69

Ernst – Geneva 1905–08

Erste-Agea – Geneva 1948–55

Felber – Morges 1971–86

Filipinetti – Grandson 1967–73

Fischer – Zurich 1905–14

Franz – FBW – Zurich/Wetzikon 1908–85

Garbaccio – Siders 1913

Gmür – Schänis 1914

Griffon – Geneva 1970–74

Helios – Zurich 1906–07

Helvetia – Paris 1898

Henriod – Biel 1886–98

Hercules – Menziken 1900–13

Horag – Sulgen 1966–74

J.+M. – Geneva 1913–14

Kaufmann-Millot – Tägerwilen 1896–1906

Leeger – Tägerwilen 1884

Van Leisen – Geneva 1875

Lucerna – Lucerne 1907–09

Lucia – Geneva 1902–08

Martini – Frauenfeld, Saint-Blaise 1897–1934

Maximag – Carouge GE 1922–28

Meyer – Horgen 1884

Monteverdi – Basel 1956–92

Morand – La Tour de Treme 1965–?

Moser – Saint-Aubin 1914–24

Mowag – Kreuzlingen 1950–78 (?)

Oehler – Aarau 1930–78 (?)

Oerlikon-Gyrobus – Oerlikon 1950–54 (?)

Oetiker – Zurich 1923–34

Orion – Zurich 1900–10

Pic-Pic – Geneva 1906–21

Pilcar – Geneva 1977

Popp – Basel 1898

Primavesi – Lugano 1910

Rapid – Zurich 1899–1900

Rapid – Dietikon 1946

Safir – Rheineck 1906–10

Sauber – Hinwil 1969–2005

Saurer – Arbon 1897–1985

Sbarro – Grandson 1967–today

SIG – Neuhausen 1918–53

Schmid – Zurich 1868–81

Schmid – Zurich/Annecy F 1922–50

Sigma – Geneva 1909–14

SLM – Winterthur 1899–1934

SNA – Neuenburg 1903–13

Soletta – Solothurn 1956

Soller – Basel 1904–13

Speidel – Geneva 1914–22

Stella (CIEM) – Geneva 1904–13

Swiss Buggy – Otelfingen 1972–77

Thury-Nussberg – Geneva 1877

Tribelhorn – Feldbach 1902–19

Turbo – Zurich 1921

Turicum – Zurich 1904–14

VAR – Hard 1923

Weber – Uster 1899–1906

YAXA – Geneva 1912–14

Zebra – Moutier 1973–?

Zedel – Saint-Aubin 1906–08
   

 

   
Ajax – Zurich 1906–10   Nach oben
Touring and sports cars as well as taxi-cabs. Progressive constructions with four-cylinder and later also six-cylinder engines. Participation at the Targa Florio 1907. One model is exhibited at the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne.    
     
Ansermier – Geneva 1906    
Small car with De Dion single-cylinder engine, shaft-driven. Limited production only.    
     
Arbenz – Zurich 1904–22    
Important car manufacturer. Sold more than 3000 trucks during World War 1 Liquidation of the company by Edwin Oetiker and establishment of its own make. (see “Oetiker”).    
     
Asper – Dietikon 1908–11    
Vehicles with 40 HP engines. The total production is estimated at approximately 30 vehicles.    
     
Belcar – Wollerau 1955    
3-wheeler designed by Egon Brütsch, Stuttgart. Only few cars built.    
     
Berna – Olten 1902–72    
One of the most important Swiss manufacturers of commercial motor vehicles. Between 1902 and 1911 the company also built passenger vehicles. In 1929, Berna was taken over by Saurer, but continued to built almost the same commercial motor vehicles. An early model with Vis à vis body and a single cylinder engine is exhibited at the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne.    
     
Brunau-Weidmann – Zurich 1905–08    
At the beginning, the company built trucks. In 1907, there followed two modern passenger cars with four-cylinder block engine. In 1908, the very modest production was abandoned. The factory was also used by the manufacturers “Fischer” and “Helios”.    
   
Cegga – Aigle 1960–70   Nach oben
Sports racing cars with Ferrari and Maserati engines. In 1962, also a F1-Monoposto. Successful participation at international racing events.    
     
Cheetah – Lausanne 1974–?    
Racing cars with Chevron-, BMW- and Cosworth- engines. Limited production only.    
     
Condor – Courfaivre 1922    
In the well-known bicycle and motorcycle factory, a handful of two-seater torpedos with MAG four-cylinder engines were built.    
     
Dufaux – Geneva 1904–06    

Construction of a small number of racing and passenger cars. In 1905, world speed record. A straight eight-cylinder racing car is exhibited at the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne and another at the Schlumpf collection in Mulhouse (F).

    
     
Dufour-Ballabey – Nyon 1897–1914    
Heavy trucks with underfloor engines. Successfully exported.    
   
Egg & Egli – Zurich 1896–1919   Nach oben
The already quite successful “Egg & Egli tricycle” was offered as from 1900 as a “Rapid”. Later on, this tricycle was followed by four-wheeled passenger vehicles, which were marketed under the names “Egg”, “Excelsior”, “Moser” and “Semag”.    
     
Enzmann – Schüpfheim 1957–69  
Elegant and sporty roadster with fiber glass body on the Volkswagen beetle platform. Over one hundred cars were built. Start of a limited production of the New-Enzmann in the year 2001.    
     
Ernst – Geneva 1905–08    
Production of a small number of solid touring cars with extensive use of french components.    
     
Erste-Agea – Geneva 1948–55    
After a formula-3 racing car for self-use, the firm developed a prototype of a sports coupé with a fiber glass body - both with Crossley engines.    
     
Felber – Morges 1971–86    
Cars with exclusive design on Ferrari -, Lancia -, Pontiac -, International-, VW- and Maserati-Basis. Altogether about 150 vehicles were built.    
   
Filipinetti – Grandson 1967–73   Nach oben
Small series of sports coupés and spiders with tuned engines (various makes).    
     
Fischer – Zurich 1905–14    
Production of improved four-cylinder Turicum vehicles. The special planetary transmission and the own sleeve valve engine were also produced under license abroad. A chassis and a torpedo are exhibited at the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne.    
     
Franz – FBW – Zurich/Wetzikon 1908–85    
Commercial motor vehicles for various uses, buses, trolleybuses and coaches. Thanks to its own successful technical development, the company acquired a strong reputation in Switzerland as well as abroad. Altogether almost 6000 vehicles were produced. (Taken over by Daimler-Benz and integrated into NAW from 1982 onward.)    
     
Garbaccio – Siders 1913    
Prototype of a propeller-driven amphibious vehicle.    
     
Gmür – Schänis 1914    
Prototype of an electro-mobile.    
   
Griffon – Geneva 1970–74   Nach oben
Various racing cars, monopostos and sports car prototypes. Successful in European racing contests.    
     
Helios – Zurich 1906–07    
Very modest production of a four-cylinder model.    
     
Helvetia – Paris 1898    
Small production of an electro-mobile. Plans for a factory in Switzerland were not carried out.    
     
Henriod – Biel 1886–98    
After an experimental steam tricycle, the company built various automobiles with petrol engines. Later on they produced cars with air-cooled engine under the make S.N.A. in Boudry NE.    
     
Hercules – Menziken 1900–13    
Truck factory. Manufactured also some passenger vehicles and small buses and coaches.    
   
Horag – Sulgen 1966–74   Nach oben
Production of a small number of racing cars for different categories.    
     
J.+M. – Geneva 1913–14    
One of the first Swiss car manufacturers which launched a small popular car. Limited production only.    
     
Kaufmann-Millot – Tägerwilen 1896–1906    
Amazingly wide range of cars, buses and trucks which were however built in a modest number only.    
     
Leeger – Tägerwilen 1884    

Swiss pioneer who built his own steam tricycle and undertook successful journeys.

    
     
Van Leisen – Geneva 1875    
Geneva pioneer whose steam tricycle was transported to Paris.    
     
Lucerna – Lucerne 1907–09    
Production of a small number of passenger cars and trucks using French chassis and engines.    
     
Lucia – Geneva 1902–08    
One of the more successful makes of the early years. The cars were equipped with advanced engines. It is supposed that approx. 100 vehicles were produced. When production finished, the infrastructure was used for the production of Sigma cars.    
   
Martini – Frauenfeld, Saint-Blaise 1897–1934   Nach oben
The most important and most successful passenger vehicle factory of Switzerland. Numerous sports successes. Worldwide Exports. Light and medium trucks and buses were produced as well. Various models are preserved in museums and private collections.    
     
Maximag – Carouge GE 1922–28    
Beside Motosacoche motorcycles, a Voiturette with various bodies was manufactured. Altogether about 200 cars were produced.    
     
Meyer – Horgen 1884    
Pioneer who built a few steam tricycles.    
     
Monteverdi – Basel 1956–92    
In the beginning, construction of racing cars. Production of a whole range of luxury sports and off-road cars with Chrysler-V8 engines. Creation of various prototypes. Monteverdi museum in Binningen BL.    
     
Morand – La Tour de Treme 1965–?    
Construction and tuning of race engines.    
     
Moser – Saint-Aubin 1914–24    
Small cars with two and four-cylinder engines. Limited production only.    
     
Mowag – Kreuzlingen 1950–78 (?)    
Successor company of Seitz coachbuilders. Production of commercial motor vehicles of many different types and in considerable numbers. Specialisation in military vehicles starting in the 1970’s.    
   
Oehler – Aarau 1930–78 (?)   Nach oben
Electrical commercial motor vehicles. Their major sales success was during World War 2.    
     
Oerlikon-Gyrobus – Oerlikon 1950–54 (?)    
Buses with unique drive principle. From an external electrical power supply, a heavy flywheel was made to rotate rapidly. This drove a generator which supplied power for the vehicle’s electro-motor.    
     
Oetiker – Zurich 1923–34    
Production of trucks and buses of various types in small numbers, manufactured in the former Arbenz factory.    
     
Orion – Zurich 1900–10    
Initially, they produced light passenger vehicles, later on commercial motor vehicles with under- floor engines. A truck is exhibited at the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne.    
     
Pic-Pic – Geneva 1906–21    
The second largest Swiss passenger vehicle manufacturer offered touring cars and sports cars of high quality. Successful export. Participation at the Grand Prix de France of 1914. Some cars survived in museums and in private collections.    
     
Pilcar – Geneva 1977    
Modern small electrical car. Only a limited pilot series.    
     
Popp – Basel 1898    
Progressive construction of light passenger cars. Built in small quantity only. One model is exhibited at the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne.    
   
Primavesi – Lugano 1910   Nach oben
One-off construction of sports and racing cars for own use.    
     
Rapid – Zurich 1899–1900    
A small number of engined tricycles was built under license by Egg & Egli.    
     
Rapid – Dietikon 1946    
Open small car with MAG tail engine. A total of 36 cars was built.    
     
Safir – Rheineck 1906–10    
Production of trucks and buses beside approximately a dozen passenger cars. Attracted attention also abroad.    
     
Sauber – Hinwil 1969–2005    
Successful formula and racing cars in small numbers. Taken over by BMW-Group in 2005.    
     
Saurer – Arbon 1897–1985    
Most important Swiss motor vehicle manufacturer. Until 1912 construction of several hundred passenger vehicles of high quality and performance. Subsequently, specialization in commercial motor vehicles for all possible uses. Saurer was a pioneer in the development and application of diesel engines in trucks. Branch and license production also abroad. Taken over in 1982 by Daimler Benz.    
     
Sbarro – Grandson 1967–today    
Small numbers of sports -, racing- and luxury cars for individualists. Sole school for automobile design in Switzerland (Grandson and NEW in Pontarlier [F]).    
   
SIG – Neuhausen 1918–53   Nach oben
After various prototypes for light cycle cars and a single-track vehicle, SIG in 1937 started with the production of electro mobiles.    
     
Schmid – Zurich 1868–81    
Pioneer who built his own steam locomobile which he drove to Paris in 1878.    
     
Schmid – Zurich/Annecy F 1922–50    
Development of a sleeve valve engine of its own design and license granted to Peugeot for its production. 1924 building of two GP cars. Between 1937 and 1949 further development of the sleeve valve engine and manufacturing of some prototypes. No serial production.    
     
Sigma – Geneva 1909–14    
From 1909 to 1914, production of about 250 passenger cars in the Lucia factory. Successfully engaged in sports events.    
     
SLM (Schweizer Lokomotiven- und Maschinenfabrik) – Winterthur 1899–1934    
First a “voiturette” was built. Starting from 1906, about 15 heavy steam and petrol engined trucks were manufactured. In 1934 followed some prototypes for an SLM-Pescara touring car.    
     
SNA – Neuenburg 1903–13    
Cars and commercial motor vehicles with air-cooled engines. Modest production.    
     
Soletta – Solothurn 1956    
Prototype of a progressively conceived mini-car. Presentation on the occasion of the Mondiale Paris and Salon Auto of Geneva in 1956. The prototype today is the property of the Swiss Car Register.    
   
Soller – Basel 1904–13   Nach oben
A small quantity of heavy trucks was made.    
     
Speidel – Geneva – 1914–22    
Production of about 15 sporty mini-cars.    
     
Stella (CIEM) – Geneva 1904–13    
Quite important car production as well as manufacturing of some commercial motor vehicles.    
     
Swiss Buggy – Otelfingen 1972–77    
Several hundred Buggies were produced on the Volkswagen beetle basis.    
     
Thury-Nussberg – Geneva 1877    
Pioneers and manufacturers of a steam tricycle.    
     
Tribelhorn – Feldbach 1902–19    
Most successful Swiss manufacturer of electro passenger and commercial vehicles. Taken over in 1919 by EFAG Oerlikon. Production continued into the 1970’s.    
     
Turbo – Zurich 1921    
Unusual looking mini-car, which was built in small numbers only.    
   
Turicum – Zurich 1904–14   Nach oben
Successful production of small cars, which were mostly equipped with a stepless friction-wheel transmission. Several models are preserved.    
     
VAR – Hard 1923    
Prototype of a mini-car with boxer engine.    
     
Weber – Uster 1899–1906    
Passenger car with variable wheel diameter – belt drive transmission, which was produced in respectable quantity.    
     
YAXA – Geneva 1912–14    
Modern passenger car. More than 100 vehicles were made.    
     
Zebra – Moutier 1973–?    

One-off production of a sports racing car.

    
     
Zedel – Saint-Aubin 1906–08    
Small car, which was successfully built for several years in France as well.