From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
DAF is a Dutch automobile company, with its main offices in Eindhoven.
The DAF company was founded in 1932, when a machine construction company led by Hub and Wim van Doorne, changed name to Van Doorne's Aanhangwagen Fabriek (Van Doorne's Trailer Factory), abbreviated DAF.
In 1949, the company started producing trucks, changing its name to Van Doorne's Automobiel Fabriek (Van Doorne's Automobile Factory). In 1958, DAF produced its first passenger car, fitted with continuously variable automatic transmission (VARIOMATIC).
The division of DAF producing passenger cars was sold to the Swedish company Volvo in 1975, leaving DAF to concentrate on its successful line of trucks.
All of DAF's early cars were fitted with the company's Variomatic transmission. The first passenger car, assigned the model number 600, created a sensation when a prototype was presented in 1958. The first production 600s rolled off the production line in the following year. The next model was the 750, featuring a larger engine.
Subsequently DAF produced a type called the Daffodil, divided into three models assigned the numbers 30, 31 and 32. The latter designation was changed to 33 upon the release of the 44, a middle-class vehicle. Model 55 carried a bigger 1100cc engine from Renault. The last two passenger cars released by DAF before the division's sale to Volvo were the 46 and 66.
For a small company as DAF, they made a huge amount of protypes. Also famous coach builders like Michelotti and OSI made cars based on DAF technique. DAF last prototype became the Volvo 343, which sold about 1,4 million.
DAF produced their first truck in 1949, the A30. This truck was upgraded in the next years. Their first attempt into the international market was a failure, the 2000DO. Their next truck was the 2600, what became a big seller. In between they also produced a so-called torpedo-front tractor. In the '70's a new bodystyle was introduced, which was upgraded into the late eighties. DAF was one of the first to introduce a Turbo into their trucks, which in these years became very evident with their 3600. In the eighties, DAF competed in the Paris-Dakar rally, winning with Jan de Rooy in 1982, 85 and 87. In 1988 the teammate of Jan de Rooy crashed in a horrific crash, killing the driver. DAF withdrew. Also in 1988, their succesfull 95 series was introduced, bringing DAF their first "truck of the year" title. This series of trucks was expanded, with the 85, 75, 65, 45 and later the 55. In 1993 DAF went bankrupt, but could restart and was taken over by Paccar in 1997. By then they introduced the succeeder to the 95, the 95XF, which became truck of the year. This series was expanded. In 2002 their entire range was renewed, with the LF, CF and XF range. The LF was the truck of the year 2002.Cars
Prototypes and special cars
Trucks
