Zbrojovka Z 9

At the Prague Motor Show October 1929, Zbrojovka showed a slightly larger car than the Z 18 designed for a more upmarket customer.[1] The car was put into production in 1930 as the Z 9 to replace the earlier vehicle.[1] The Z 9 was of the conventional front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, with drum brakes on all wheels, rigid axles, a three speed manual gearbox and a Gleason rear differential.[2] Power was provided by a front-mounted, liquid cooled, two cylinder two stroke 993 cc (60.6 in³) engine with a bore of 79.5 mm (3 in) and stroke of 100 mm (4 in).[3] The car was equipped with a 33-litre (7.3-imperial-gallon; 8.7-US-gallon) fuel tank, ran on a fuel to oil ration of 33:1 and had a 12V electric starter.[2]

The basic body style was a four door open top phaeton which was available in black and cost 42,000 Kčs, but the Z 9 was also available as a two door roadster by order and a two door Tudor sedan available in dark blue and dark green. Other vehicles were fitted with bodies produced by third parties, including two door cabriolet and semi-cabriolet designs created by Fischer of Brno and Brožík of Plzeň, and a four door cabriolet produced by Sodomka.[2]

The Z 9 could reach a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph) and had a typical fuel consumption of between 10 and 11 l/100 km (28 and 26 mpg_‑imp; 24 and 21 mpg_‑US).[2]

Antonin Kahle and Rudolf Müttermüller raced a Z 9 in the European cross-country race that started from Berlin in May 1931 and covered 10,255 kilometres (6,372 miles) in ten countries from Portugal to Yugoslavia, finishing in June. The Kroup brothers were unfortunately unsuccessful in their bid to win the 1931 Monte Carlo Rally, retiring after losing their way in fog near Lyon.[2]

The car was produced between October 1930 and June 1932, with a total of 850 vehicles manufactured of all body styles.[3]

In addition to the various passenger car models, the Z 9 was produced as a doorless pickup.[3]