A Brief History of the Marque
Lutz-GmbH, Braunschweig-Kralenriede, Bienroder Weg 53, Fernruf 22122
Lutz was a small manufacturer which had been building stationary engines since 1948.
Otto Lutz held an engineering doctorate and had been employed as a professor at the Technical University in Stuttgart (1936) and later at the German Aircraft Engine Research Institute in Braunschweig.
He developed an efficient bicycle engine which could be easily installed in any existing bicycle frame. The engine was a 58cc 2-stroke as authorities limited new designs to less than 60cc.
The engine was also used to power wheel-chairs, lawn mowers, pumps and all manner of stationary machines.
Other firms including Goebel and Delius used this engine.
Lutz developed several motor scooters, examples of which competed in the ADAC Deutschland Rundfahrt reliability trial. Lutz also built and marketed a moped. The first scooters appeared in 1949 and were of very basic construction, rather similar to the early Italian machines. Some 2000 of these 48cc (b/s 40/39.5mm 49.3 cc) machines were sold in 1951. The following year Lutz produced a larger scooter with a 175cc engine, designed by W. Lieb. It was similar in appearance and retained the two-speed gearbox of the smaller model.
Professor Lutz apparently left the company in the hands of a manager whilst he focused on other areas of interest. In 1954 the company ran into financial difficulties and was declared bankrupt.
Lutz was later acknowledged for the work he had done relating to jet engines and two-stroke engine technology, and became a respected figure in aviation research. He died in 1974 and his personal Lutz P53 became part of the Städtisches Museum Braunschweig collection.
Sources: François-Marie Dumas, zabytkowemotocykleirowery.pl, de.wikidpedia.org, et al.
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