Škoda's own light four-wheel drive: the 973 Babeta of 1952–56, with a 1.5-litre four of 49 bhp through a four-speed gearbox driving all four wheels, open or with a fixed roof, and 55 mph. Fewer than 50 were built, all for the Czechoslovak army.
MODEL LINE973 BabetaBUILT BYŠkoda, Mladá BoleslavPRODUCED1952–56OPERATED INCzech RepublicPRODUCTIONFewer than 50LAYOUT4 wheels
The record
The Babeta is the real thing rather than a raised saloon — a purpose-drawn light off-roader with genuine ability — and it is very nearly a footnote: under fifty vehicles, none sold to the public, and no successor. Škoda would not build another four-wheel drive of its own for half a century.
ENGINEŠkoda 1.5-litre four, 49 bhp, four-speed gearboxŠkoda 1.5 four
PRODUCTION RUNFewer than 50
COUNTRY OF ORIGINCzech Republic
OPERATED INCzech Republic
STATUSout of production
RECORD KINDBase model
MODEL LINE973 Babeta
FAMILY973 Babeta
WHEELS4
BODY STYLEOpen
VARIANTS2
Catalogue fields describe the vehicle's structure and body as this registry records it. They are not certified factory measurements, and no performance figures are published here.
Body styles & colours
Body style
Factory colours
Army Green
Codes on hover. Hex values are representative approximations of period paint unless a source states a measured value.