Jehle
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| Defunct |
Founded by tuner Xaver Jehle, it was the only car company ever to be based in that country. Jehle started with the Mathies-Buggy and the Jehle Safari; Mathies seemed to be a partner in the company and the Buggy wasn´t driven by the typical Volkswagen Beetle engine but the flat Volkswagen Bus 1600 cc engine, while the Safari was a Citroën-Boxer-based fun car similar to the Citroën Mehari, both were sold as kits. One spectacular model, the Saphier, was a wedge-shaped coupe, whose upper body section opened completely for access to the cockpit; it was offered in a variety of configurations. The basic model was built on a VW Beetle floorpan with a turbo-charged Golf engine, while at the upper end of the lineup was a mid-engine model with monocoque construction and a tuned 5-liter Ford V8.There were also heavily tuned conversions of the italian De Tomaso Pantera and Longchamps with catalyzer, double-turbocharger, five-valves per cylinder and up to 600 hp. The company also built a prototype V12 coupe reminiscent of the Lamborghini Countach before folding.
References
- Lawrence, Mike, A to Z of Sports Cars. Bideford: Bay View Books, 1991. ISBN 1-870979-81-8
- Auto Katalog Motorbuch-Verlag 1979 to 1992

