Rare 1937 Tempo E200 Three-Wheeled Truck Now on Display at DFW Car & Toy Museum

The DFW Car & Toy Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, has added a rare and unusual vehicle to its collection: a 1937 Tempo E200, a three-wheeled utility truck from pre-war Germany. This vehicle, part of the museum's Ron Sturgeon Collection, is notable for its eccentric engineering and historical importance as a survivor of its era.

Manufactured by Vidal & Sohn Tempo-Werke of Hamburg, the Tempo E200 was produced between 1936 and 1937, with only about 9,600 units ever made. Designed for urban utility, it featured a 197cc water-cooled, two-stroke single-cylinder engine producing seven horsepower, mounted with the transmission and chain drive in a single pivoting front sub-assembly. This design allowed for exceptional maneuverability in tight spaces.

Ron Sturgeon, founder of the museum, emphasized the vehicle's uniqueness: "The Tempo E200 is a rare survivor that showcases the ingenuity of pre-war utility design. It's strange, it's clever, and it's got more personality than vehicles ten times its size."

The Tempo's engineering includes a central tube frame, a single coil spring at the front, and a swing axle with twin volute springs at the rear. It features mechanical rear drum brakes, reverse-hinged doors, B-pillar trafficators, and a functional cargo bed. The interior is spartan, with a starter button, trafficator switch, ignition key, and a centrally mounted gear shifter.

This vehicle is one of over 200 rare cars and 3,000 collectibles at the museum, which also offers secure climate-controlled car storage and event facilities. The museum is located at 2550 McMillan Parkway, Fort Worth, TX 76137, and is open Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, visit the museum's website at dfwcarandtoymuseum.com or the Ron Sturgeon Collection's original site at DFW Elite Toy Museum.

The Tempo E200's appearance at the museum offers a rare opportunity to see a pre-war oddity that exemplifies the creativity and resourcefulness of early automotive design.