Laurin & Klement, Se
Year of Manufacture: 1913
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Condition: drivable
Catalog Number: 90
History
Between 1913 and 1914, efforts at the Mladá Boleslav factory began to focus on rationalizing production. The threat of an invasion of American cars into Europe was becoming increasingly serious, so car manufacturers with foresight prepared defenses, or even counterattacks. Achieving the production numbers of American factories was not feasible under the economic conditions in Europe at the time, but organizing efficient production of small, inexpensive cars was realistic—cars that could better meet domestic needs than imported vehicles.
Technical Data
On an extended chassis originally designed for a two-cylinder engine, a compact four-cylinder open car was developed with many significant technical and design modifications. Its production was carried out in several small series. One of many variants was an open, sporty, four-seat phaeton body style with undivided seats and a lightweight American-style roof.
Development
In Mladá Boleslav, the Type S hit the mark. Demand for this fast and solid car was growing.
In 1913, the Sd, Se, and Sg series started using more powerful engines. The original stroke of 115 mm was increased to 120 mm, and engine power rose from 14 hp to 20 hp. More cars of the S type were produced in 1913 than all other types combined.
In 1914, for the Sh and Sk series, the bore was increased from 70 mm to 74 mm, and power rose to 24 hp.
In the spring of 1914, a new car type called T was introduced. This small yet solid car attracted attention from the general public and experts alike. The engine was a four-stroke four-cylinder delivering a maximum power of 12 hp from a displacement of 1,220 cm3. The car could reach speeds up to 60 km/h.
In the class of larger cars, the Mladá Boleslav factory prepared several newly designed models just before the war. In 1913, the Type M was introduced, featuring a four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 3,802 cm3 and a maximum power of 40 hp. The related Type MO was used for mounting military ambulance bodies.
