Rumpler Tropfenwagen: The First Streamlined Car
from Classics in Motion-A Deep Dive Hosted by Kristo Cairns
The 1921 Rumpler Tropfenwagen, or "drop car," was the world's first streamlined production vehicle, debuting at the Berlin Auto Show. Designed by Austrian aircraft engineer Edmund Rumpler, this rear-engine, five-seater had a remarkably low drag coefficient of 0.28, a value considered competitive even today. Innovations included the application of aircraft streamlining principles, curved windows, and swing axle rear suspension, enabling a top speed of 70 mph. Despite its advanced design, only about 100 units were built due to poor sales and reliability issues. Just two examples survive; it gained lasting fame from its appearance in the 1927 film Metropolis.
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