Drauz

Key facts

Founded

1900¹ Independently researched

Founder

Gustav Drauz¹ Independently researched

Headquarters

Heilbronn, Germany¹ Independently researched

History

Gustav Drauz founded the firm in Heilbronn in 1900; its first body was for NSU, and it went on to body cars for BMW, Ford, Opel and Porsche, specialising in upscale convertibles and all-steel buses as a Fiat licensee. In 1930, after Alexis Kellner's bankruptcy, it acquired the Kellner name and patent rights and took over Schebera's body production in Heilbronn. The works were destroyed in 1944, and between 1953 and 1965 it built about a quarter million Ford FK 1000/1250 bodies and 3,514 Porsche 356 D cabriolets (1958-1961). In 1965 it sold the Heilbronn body production to NSU and turned to machine tools.

Milestones

1. 1930
   Acquires Kellner name and patent rights and Schebera body production.¹
2. 1965
   Heilbronn body production sold to NSU.¹

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Drauz coachwork Level D Autopioneer

   • Acquires Kellner name and patent rights and Schebera body production.
   • Heilbronn body production sold to NSU.
   • "In 1900, Gustav Drauz (1872-1951) founded the Heilbronn company"
   • Gustav Drauz (1872-1951)
   • Heilbronn company
   • company history

   Accessed 2026-11-13