Make DKW

Year Founded 1916

Year Disbanded 1966

Headquarters Zwickau, Germany (1916-1945); Ingolstadt, Germany (1949-1966)

Famous For German manufacturer of motorcycles and front-wheel-drive cars powered by two-stroke engines. Part of the Auto Union consortium from 1932, DKW was revived in West Germany after World War II and continued producing the innovative two-stroke cars that had made it famous.

DKW

DKW Price Guide

DKW occupies a specific niche within the German classic car world as the innovative, unconventional maker of front-wheel-drive two-stroke cars whose final evolution directly became Audi. This connection to a major current brand gives DKW a certain historical credibility beyond its small-car, economical image, and the marque has a dedicated international following, particularly in Germany, Scandinavia, and South America where the cars were widely sold.

What Affects DKW Values

The two-stroke engine is both the defining feature and the primary maintenance consideration. A DKW with a correctly maintained, correctly running two-stroke unit is a characterful and rewarding car; one with a neglected or incorrect engine is a project. The characteristic two-stroke sound and the front-wheel-drive handling were genuinely ahead of their time, and buyers who appreciate this are the core of the market.

Body style matters a great deal – the F91 Sonderklasse and F93 coupe are more sought after than the standard saloons – and the 3=6 naming convention (reflecting the three-cylinder, six-stroke operating cycle as described in DKW marketing) is a useful identifier for the post-war range.

Post-War Models

The F89 Meisterklasse and the succeeding Sonderklasse (F91/F93/F94) range are the most commonly encountered post-war DKWs. The Sonderklasse 3=6 in particular is a charming and well-supported classic with good parts availability through the DKW and Auto Union clubs. The coupe body is the most desirable. The later Auto Union 1000 and 1000 Sp coupe moved the design on and the Sp is one of the more attractive and collectible post-war DKWs. The final F102, which became the first Audi, is an interesting transitional car that appeals to both DKW enthusiasts and Audi historians.

Pre-War DKWs

Pre-war DKW models, produced from 1928 as a subsidiary of what became Auto Union, include the pioneering front-wheel-drive Reichsklasse and Meisterklasse of the 1930s. These are historically significant cars – the first mass-produced front-wheel-drive German cars – and have a dedicated pre-war collector following. Values are modest compared to equivalent pre-war Audis, Wanderers, or Horchs from the Auto Union family, but the cars are genuine and interesting pieces of German automotive history.