Spohn DV-13 is a very rare roadster/convertible launched in 1957.This was a coachbuilt car designed in Germany built on World War II Ford’s chassis. Designed by the popular coachbuilder, Spohn, this was an ultra rare model which was not even in production.The entire design was made using a 1939 Ford chassis. There are not many vehicles like the Spohn DV-13. Let us see some interesting facts about the 1957 Spohn DV-13.
It Was a Custom Coachbuilt Car
The Spohn DV-13 was a coachbuilt model designed by Spohn Coachworks. It was built in Germany on a Ford chassis. These cars were manufactured and sold for commission in 1957. It was mainly designed for the U.S. soldiers based on reports. The vehicle had the engineering of American and European cars. Be it styling or engineering, it was a flawless vehicle.
Made on Ford Chassis
Hermann Spohn Karosseriebau, a popular coachbuilder from Germany, bought a 1939 Ford chassis. He wanted to showcase his design and this is when he designed a coachbuilt edition in his name. The vehicle was built around Cadillac 331 cu in (5.4 L) V8 engine and RWD. A top speed of 140mph was reported, but nothing was official. The vehicle retained Ford’s 3-speed manual gearbox, drum brakes, suspension, and transverse leaf springs. Apart from these, the entire technology for Spohn DV-13 was designed by the coachbuilder himself.
It Was an Experiment
Hermann Spohn Karosseriebau wanted to experiment with something new with the Ford chassis. He worked on many cars and this was something challenging. It was more of a merger of Ford chassis and Cadillac V8 engines. In the 50s, the evolution of V8 engines began which later became a significant part of muscle cars. It was all Spohn’s craftsmanship in this model.
Wonderful Styling
The designs were great for Spohn DV-13. Coming from one of the best car designers, it was a no brainer. It had tailfins of iconic Chevrolet cars. Spohn DV-13 had wide fender flares, long hood, rear fins, and aerodynamics. It had the face of popular cartoon characters. The design of the Spohn DV-13 was amazing and amusing as well. People loved the unique styling. It was available in red.
Features
The Spohn DV-13 was coachbuilt, but it didn’t stop the designer from bringing the best features. Some of the notable features were bucket seats, bright dashboard, hydraulic drum brakes, rear bench, and chromium front bumpers. The big tailfins and low-slung were the major attractions. Spohn crafted the vehicle’s design himself without any equipment. A round headlight was placed on the fenders which gave the car a cartoonish face.
It Was Not a Mass Production Vehicle
Spohn DV-13 was a coachbuilt model. It was first bought by Wayne Carini, a car collector who was also the host of the TV show, Chasing Classic Cars. Carini and his colleague Ralph Marano bought this in 2012 through a collector market in Miami. The duo made the car popular which also won the Camille Jenatzy award in 2013. In 2025, it was auctioned for $66,000 USD.
Low Units
It was an ultra rare vehicle as not more than 20 units of Spohn DV-13 were made. It’s very rare to see a Spohn DV-13 model now as even one model was bought by a collector a few months back. Spohn DV-13 was designed by a coachbuilder and there is no price for the model. It is being sold by collectors at a standard price.