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Monos Three-wheelers

Manufactured by Monos-Fahrzeug-Gesellschaft m.b.H., Berlin SW 68, Zimmerstrasse 14/15 (offices) and Berlin-Lichtenberg, Herzbergstrasse 102 - 104 (factory).

The Monos firm was established in Vienna and began vehicle construction in 1924. First appearing at the Berlin Auto Show in 1925, the Monos three-wheelers typically had rear suspension and drum brakes on all wheels.

Their smallest machine had a 198cc JLO single-cylinder two-stroke engine and 200kg capacity. Others were the Type II, Type III (JAP 348cc) and Type IV (JAP 500cc) with payloads of 0.3, 0.35, and for 0.5 tonnes respectively. Due to the high import duty imposed by the Nazi regime, JAP engines were no longer affordable and manufacture ceased. The firm was absorbed by another Austrian firm, Krauseco, who continued to produce the Monos in Vienna until 1930.

Sources: Axel Oskar Mathieu Archive, de.wikipedia.org.

N.B. Sources give conflicting accounts of production locations and dates. The entry for Krauseco reads, "In March 1929, the [Krauseco] company took over all of the existing components from Monos Fahrzeug AG, which had also been manufacturing cargo tricycles at Osterleitengasse 5 in Vienna's 19th district since 1924, using DKW and JAP engines."


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