DAF 66

Last updated
DAF 66
Daf31.jpg
DAF 66 Marathon Coupe
Overview
Manufacturer DAF
Production1972–1975
146,297 produced
Assembly Born, Netherlands (DAF Born)
Designer Giovanni Michelotti
Body and chassis
Class Small family car (C)
Body style 2-door sedan
3-door estate
2-door coupe
Layout FR layout
Powertrain
Engine 1.1 L (1108 cc) OHV straight-4
1.3 L (1289 cc) OHV straight-4
Transmission Variomatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,250 mm (88.6 in)
Length3,835 mm (151.0 in) [1]
Width1,525 mm (60.0 in) [1]
Height1,448 mm (57.0 in) [1]
Kerb weight 780 kg (1,720 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor DAF 55
Successor Volvo 66

The DAF 66 is a small family car produced by the Dutch company DAF from September 1972 to 1976. It was the successor of the DAF 55 and was itself superseded by the reworked Volvo 66. The DAF 66 was the last four-cylinder car to feature the DAF name.

Contents

The 66 was available as a 2-door saloon, a 2-door coupé and a 3-door estate. It featured the unique Variomatic belt-driven continuously variable transmission. [2] In total 146,297 DAF 66s were built. [3]

Origins

The 66 was an evolution of the 1967 DAF 55. Aside from a cosmetic update, the redesign featured several changes, especially a major redesign of the rear axle, suspension, and drive:

Model chronology

The 66 was launched as a wide model range, incorporating a 2-door saloon, a 3-door estate and a 2-door 2+2 coupe. At introduction the customer could choose from 'De Luxe' (official type designation 6622 for sedans, 6632 for combis, featuring drum brakes and vinyl seats), 'Super Luxe' (Front disks and reclining cloth seats, type 6623 for sedans, 6624 for coupes, 6633 for combis) and 'Marathon' (Extra power and wider wheels, type 6625 for sedans, 6626 for coupes, 6627 for combis) trim levels. [5]

In 1973 the '1300 Marathon' replaced the original Marathon (type 6645 for sedans, 6646 for coupes, 6647 for combis). It featured a 1289cc 57 bhp (43 kW) version of the Renault C-series inline 4 engine used in all 66s. The 1300 Marathon was distinguishable from its lesser brethren by the foglights mounted in the grille. The interior featured a centre console with room for fitting extra gauges and high backed cloth sports seats. The less torquey but more powerful 1108cc Marathon engine remained available as an option on all models.

In 1974 the Dutch Armed Forces commissioned DAF to build a small personnel carrier. This car, the YA 66 was an adaptation of the normal 1108cc 66 sedan, with the most apparent change being a roofless, Jeep like body. Technically it was very similar, and as such had little to no terrain capacity. 1201 DAF YA 66s were built. They were all decommissioned in the early 1990s and sold to the public. [5]

DAFs in the media

A white saloon version of the DAF 66 features in the opening credit sequence of series 2 of the British made ITV detective series Van der Valk which was filmed on location in Amsterdam. Van der Valk is seen as a passenger in this sequence and the car is subsequently seen in a number of episodes.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DAF Trucks</span> Dutch truck manufacturing company

DAF Trucks is a Dutch truck manufacturing company and a division of Paccar. DAF originally stood for van Doorne's Aanhangwagen Fabriek. Its headquarters and main plant are in Eindhoven. Cabs and axle assemblies are produced at its Westerlo plant in Belgium. Some of the truck models sold with the DAF brand are designed and built by Leyland Trucks at its Leyland plant in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vauxhall Firenza</span> Motor vehicle

The Firenza is a model of car offered by Vauxhall from May 1971 until 1975. It was a development of the Viva, but had a distinctive coupé body style (fastback) and only two doors. In South Africa, it was sold as the Chevrolet Firenza until it was replaced by the Chevrolet 1300/1900 during 1975. Its name is derived from Firenze, the name of the Italian city known in English as Florence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saab 99</span> Motor vehicle

The Saab 99 is a car produced by Swedish manufacturer Saab from 1968 to 1984; their first foray into a larger class than the Saab 96. While considered a large family car in Scandinavia, it was marketed as a niche compact executive car in most other markets. It was manufactured both in Sweden and Finland and was succeeded by the Saab 900, although the 99 continued to be produced alongside its successor. The Saab 90, an updated, less complex version using many 900 parts took over from the 99 in late 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Audi 80</span> Motor vehicle

The Audi 80 is a compact executive car produced by the Audi subdivision of the Volkswagen Group across four generations from 1966 to 1996. It shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat from 1973 to 1986 and was available as a saloon, and station wagon — the latter marketed by Audi as the Avant. The coupé and convertible models were not badged as members of the range, but used a derivative of the same platforms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triumph Toledo</span> Motor vehicle

The Triumph Toledo is a compact car which was produced by the Rover-Triumph division of British Leyland in the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peugeot 404</span> Motor vehicle

The Peugeot 404 is a large family car produced by French automobile manufacturer Peugeot from 1960 to 1975. A truck body style variant was marketed until 1988. Styled by Pininfarina, the 404 was offered initially as a saloon, estate, and pickup. A convertible was added in 1962, and a coupé in 1963. The 404 was fitted with a 1.6 litre petrol engine, with either a Solex carburetor or Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection or a 1.9 litre diesel engine available as options. Introduced at the Paris Motor Show as an option was the inclusion of a 3-speed ZF automatic transmission, similar to the unit already offered on certain BMW models, as an alternative to the standard column-mounted manual unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triumph Herald</span> Motor vehicle

The Triumph Herald is a small two-door car introduced by Standard-Triumph of Coventry in 1959 and made through to 1971. The body design was by the Italian stylist Giovanni Michelotti, and the car was offered in saloon, convertible, coupé, estate and van models, with the latter marketed as the Triumph Courier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMC ADO16</span> Motor vehicle

The BMC ADO16 is a range of small family cars built by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and, later, British Leyland. Launched in 1962, it was Britain's best-selling car from 1963 to 1966 and from 1968 to 1971. The ADO16 was marketed under various make and model names; however, the Austin 1100 and Morris 1100 were the most prolific of all the ADO16 variants. The car's ubiquity at the height of its popularity led to it simply being known as the 1100 (eleven-hundred) in its home market. Also made with a 1275cc engine, it was then typically called 1300.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW New Class</span> Motor vehicle

The BMW New Class was a line of sedans and coupes produced by German automaker BMW between 1962 and 1972. These models ensured BMW's solvency after the company's financial crisis of the 1950s and established the identity of BMW automobiles as sports sedans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volvo 300 Series</span> Rear-wheel-drive small family car

The Volvo 300 Series is a rear-wheel-drive small family car sold from 1976 through 1991, both as a hatchback and as a conventional notchback saloon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiat 130</span> Motor vehicle

The Fiat 130 is a large six cylinder executive car produced by Italian car manufacturer Fiat from 1969 to 1977. It was available as a 4-door saloon and as a 2-door coupé.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Škoda Rapid (1984)</span> Motor vehicle

The Škoda Rapid is a fastback coupé designed and built by AZNP in Czechoslovakia between 1984 and 1990. Based on the rear-engined Škoda 105 120 and 130 saloon, it was a replacement for the Škoda Garde coupe built between 1981 and 1984 itself based upon the Škoda 105/120 sedan design, which was also called the Rapid in the UK market. Some Garde/Rapid cars were sent to Ludgate Design & Development in Kent, United Kingdom, by Škoda to be converted into convertibles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Škoda 1000 MB</span> Motor vehicle

The Škoda 1000 MB and Škoda 1100 MB are two rear-engined, rear-wheel drive small family cars produced by Czechoslovakian manufacturer AZNP in Mladá Boleslav between 1964 and 1969. The 2-door coupé versions of the 1000 MB and 1100 MB were called 1000 MBX and 1100 MBX.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fiat 1300 and 1500</span> Motor vehicle

The Fiat 1300 and Fiat 1500 are a series of front-engine, rear-drive automobiles manufactured and marketed by Fiat from 1961 to 1967, replacing the Fiat 1400 and Fiat 1200 coupé, spyder and cabriolet. The 1300 and 1500 were essentially identical to each other except for their engine displacement, as indicated by their model names, and were offered in sedan/saloon, station wagon, convertible and coupé body styles which shared little mechanically with the other body styles except the 1500 engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaguar Mark V</span> Motor vehicle

The Jaguar Mark V is a luxury automobile built by Jaguar Cars Ltd of Coventry in England from 1948 to 1951. It was available as a four-door Saloon (sedan) and a two-door convertible known as the Drop Head Coupé, both versions seating five adults. It was the first Jaguar with independent front suspension, first with hydraulic brakes, first with spats, first specifically designed to be produced in both Right and Left Hand Drive configurations, first with disc centre wheels, first with smaller wider 16" balloon tyres, first to be offered with sealed headlamps and flashing turn signals for the important American market, and the last model to use the pushrod engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DAF 55</span> Motor vehicle

The DAF 55 is a small family car produced by the Dutch company DAF from December 1967 to September 1972. At that time it was replaced with the DAF 66.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DAF 44</span> Motor vehicle

The DAF 44 is a small family car that was introduced in September 1966 by the Dutch company DAF. It was the first car to be built at the company's new plant at Born in Limburg. Styled by Michelotti, it represented a cautious move upmarket for the company which hitherto had produced, for the passenger car market, only the smaller, slower Daffodil model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Humber Hawk</span> Motor vehicle

The Humber Hawk is a four-cylinder automobile manufactured from 1945 to 1967 by British-based Humber Limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armstrong Siddeley Hurricane</span> Motor vehicle

The Armstrong Siddeley Hurricane is a two-door, four-seat drophead coupé automobile produced by the British company of Armstrong Siddeley from 1946 until 1953. It was based on the Armstrong Siddeley Lancaster saloon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armstrong Siddeley Typhoon</span> British automobile

The Armstrong Siddeley Typhoon is a two-door, four-seat fixed-head coupé automobile produced by the British company Armstrong Siddeley from 1946 until 1949. It was based on the Armstrong Siddeley Lancaster saloon and continued the company's theme of naming cars after Hawker Siddeley World War II aircraft.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "4 way selecting second hand". Autocar . 143. Vol. (nbr 4105). 12 July 1975. p. 44.
  2. UK2.NET. "The UK's original and leading source of info about DAF Variomatics". DAF Owners Club. Retrieved 2012-05-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. "Daf". catalogusprijs.nl. Archived from the original on 2012-04-06. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
  4. "Autotest:DAF 66L: Simply Automatic. Not quite so fast as the 55 but just as nice to drive. De Dion rear end greatly improves road holding. Fuel consumption more than usually dependent on driving technique. Comfortable and quite roomy". Autocar . 138. Vol. (nbr 4008). 22 March 1973. pp. 34–41.
  5. 1 2 "Daf Club Nederland 2012". Dafclub-oud.nl. Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2012-05-06.