Automobiles are one of the Czech Republic’s most famous exports. Many iconic car brands hail from this small European country, including Skoda, Tatra, and Škoda Auto (formerly known as Laurin & Klement).
Although you may be familiar with these cars and car manufacturers, did you know that there are dozens of other automobile companies in the Czech Republic?
Check out this list of 10 Czech car brands you probably never knew were from the Czech Republic.
1. Škoda Auto
Škoda Auto, a part of Czech car brands and currently part of Volkswagen Group, is one of the leading automotive groups in Europe, and it is also the fourth-largest in terms of worldwide sales.
Although based in Volkswagen’s historic hometown of Wolfsburg, Škoda Auto is a standalone company with its stock listed on various stock exchanges.
These exchanges include the Warsaw Stock Exchange (BSE) and the Prague Stock Exchange (PSE).
In 1925, Laurin & Klement began producing cars in a rented railway wagon factory in Mladá Boleslav. Škoda has been building vehicles under its name.
It remains one of Central Europe’s biggest sellers, with approximately 350 thousand sold since 2000.
2. Tatra
Tatra is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, Czech car brands in all of Europe. A foreman of Count Vilém Salm’s glassworks, Václav Laurin, and his mechanic, František Škoda, founded Tatra. The latter adopted his employer’s name as a trademark.
The company began producing bicycle prototypes in 1891, followed by motorized tricycles, and finally, in 1897 had its first motor vehicle.
The company flourished as an exporter to Germany. And it sold subsidiaries through much of Western Europe, but wars restricted trade to more local markets, and sales plummeted.
During World War II, Tatra plants used production mainly for military purposes. Following WWII, most production was concentrated on trucks due to heavy demand around Central Europe.
3. Karosa
Karosa, also spelled Karosá, is a company in Prague that manufactures buses and trolleybuses.
In cooperation with Škoda Auto, one of the Czech car brands, it also produces cars and trucks.
The company’s name comes from Karel Schuhmacher’s surname (Karla + Osa = Karosa).
However, it was founded in 1864. Nowadays, it has over 2000 employees and is one of the leading producers of coaches in Europe.
The main production facilities are in Mladá Boleslav, where most of their vehicles are assembled. They have been producing there since 1936.
Karosa produces several coach types, including intercity buses, tourist coach models, and trolleybus models for public transport services and private use.
All models have low-floor designs to allow disabled people or passengers with prams or luggage easy access.
More so, there are articulated versions available for long-distance travel and double-decker versions for sightseeing tours.
Most models can also fit in Cummins engines. Also, manufacturers like Volvo or Scania can use it too. It greatly depends on customer preferences.
4. Liaz
In 1955, Liaz was founded as a truck manufacturer. Today, it produces trucks and trailers with a gross weight of 3 to 14 tons, and Liaz also offers a range of diesel and natural gas engines.
Its headquarters are in Pilsen, central Bohemia, and the French automotive group Renault Trucks owns the company.
The name Liaz comes from combining two words: li (the Czech word for with) and az (the acronym for Automobilové Závody České Republiky, or Automobile Works of Czechoslovakia).
5. Zetor
Zetor is a brand of tractors and agricultural machinery produced by Zetor S.A. It is one of the Czech car brands manufacturer based in Brno, Czech Republic.
Zetor focuses on tractors for utility, construction, and farming use; lawn and garden equipment; road machinery, plows, and mowers.
Furthermore, It was Founded in 1921 as an aircraft engine manufacturer (producing licensed versions of de Havilland’s Gipsy engines).
It had its first tractor in 1932. The company merged with Škoda Works in 1991 but split again when Volkswagen Group bought Škoda.
6. Praga
The first mass-produced vehicle in Czechoslovakia (arguably, in all of Europe) was a little motorized tricycle called Praga.
Praga, which translates to Prague. Today, Prague is known for producing Czech car brands like Tatras and Skodas.
However, it still holds its unique automotive history dear by being home to several carmakers, including Roadster, Tatra, and Laurin & Klement.
The country also has a small but thriving motorcycle industry with firms like Hymer.
7. Kaipan
Kaipan, a part of my favorite Czech car brands, is currently involved in export, the automotive industry, and industrial machine production.
They are best known for producing metal fabrication machines, and Kaipa’s most popular products include metal shears, metal punch presses, robotic welding systems, wire EDM machines, and laser-beam machines.
At last, their headquarters are located in Uherský Brod. They also have offices abroad in Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, and Spain.
8. Avia Motors s.r.o.
Avia, formerly Laurin & Klement, is a Czech manufacturer of vehicles in Kopřivnice.
Bicycle makers Karel and Václav Laurin and Tatra truck manufacturer František Klement founded it in 1906, initially as a maker of bicycles.
However, in 1907, they introduced their first car under the name A-22, which classified it as one of the other Czech brands. Avia is now part of Magna Steyr Motors, which purchased it in 1997.
9. Jawa
Česká zbrojovka, formerly JAWA, manufactures motorcycles and mopeds based in Kopřivnice, Czech Republic.
It has also produced bicycles, motorized tricycles, cars, and trucks. Established in 1923 as Jawa, it was nationalized after World War II.
Afterward, in 1993, it became a joint-stock company and was later privatized in 1996. In 2000, it merged with ČKD to form CZ-Auto.
In 2010, Polish company WSK-Żuk (Wojskowe Zakłady Komunikacyjne) took over the JAWA motorcycles.
Jawa derives from Jakub, and Jakub’s nickname was Jawurek, which means little jackal.
The first products manufactured by JAWA were bicycles and bicycle parts for other manufacturers under license agreements, and they later became the best Czech car brands and manufacturers.
Conclusion
Some brand names might surprise experts even in today’s globalized auto industry. If you are in the Czech,h Republic look no further than the brands listed here.
