Zust

Züst was an Italian automobile manufacturer, was acquired in 1917 by OM.

History

The Swiss Robert ( or Roberto ) Züst († 1897) was in Intra on Lago Maggiore since 1871 partner of Foundry Güller & Croff. Züst 1893 sole owner of the company, which changed its name in the future under the name Güller & Züst. The product range was expanded by steam engines, turbines and precision tools for metalworking. Later, the production of tractors followed. When Robert Züst died in 1897, his sons took over the operation. These provided in 1902 also a first vehicle with a combustion engine. A year later they founded the company Ing Roberto Fabbrica Italiana di Automobili SA Züst in Milan. However, only in 1905 began automobile production. The first series of cars Züst were modeled on the former Mercedes cars, Daimler -Motoren-Gesellschaft. They had a steel frame with four pairs of molded cylinders.

The Züst 28/45 PS had a 7.5 - liter engine. A 11.3 -liter engine was installed in the 40/50 hp. The truck production was followed by 1908. Züst then got a large order for 600 trucks from the Italian military. The following year, another passenger car model with 5.0 -liter engine was presented. 1913, the production was set in Milan.

In Brescia Züst maintained since 1906 a subsidiary Brixia Züst SA with own vehicle production and also had an import company in London Züst Motors Ltd. , but could only sell ten vehicles. Far more successful was in 1908 the participation of a Züst 28/45 hp at 20,000 km long race around the world from New York to Moscow and Berlin to Paris where Züst was in third place. Züst also had other racing commitments at this time.

Züst put forth during the First World War ambulance, staff cars and trucks for the army. The last Züst development was built until October 1917 15/25 hp 3 - liter engine. On October 1, 1917 Züst was acquired by OM. OM still produced 360 copies of the 15/25 hp.