Skoda

Manufacturer Overview

Established in 1895 as Laurin & Klement, the company started as a bicycle manufacturer. In 1899 it added motorcycles and in 1905 cars. The first model, Voiturette A, was a success and the company was established both within Austria-Hungary and internationally. During the First World War Skoda was engaged in war production.

After WWI it began producing trucks, but in 1924, after running into problems and being hit by a fire, the company sought a partner. As a result it merged with Škoda Works, the biggest industrial enterprise in Austria-Hungary and then Czechoslovakia. Most later production was under the Škoda name. After a decline during the economic depression, Škoda was again successful with models such as the Popular in the late 1930s.