Brand histories
The History of the DAF Brand
Autopapyrus
DAF Trucks NV is a Dutch truck manufacturer and a division of PACCAR. The company's slogan is "Driven by quality." Its main plant and headquarters are in Eindhoven. Some DAF-badged trucks are also built in the United Kingdom by Leyland Trucks.
It all began when an auto mechanic named Hubertus van Doorne repeatedly and successfully repaired the car of Arnold Huygens, the director of a brewery. Huygens was so pleased with the work that he offered van Doorne money to open his own workshop. That is how the company "Commanditaire Vennootschap Hub van Doorne's Machinefabriek" was born in 1928. The small firm, based at the brewery, was run by Hub van Doorne together with his brother Wim. In 1932 the company focused on building trailers, and its name became shorter: "Van Doorne's Aanhangwagen Fabriek" (in English, "Van Doorne Brothers' Trailer Factory"). As you may have guessed, DAF is an abbreviation of that name.
After World War II, trucks were in short supply, just like passenger cars. The enterprising brothers seized the opportunity, and by 1949 they had switched entirely to producing trucks, buses and trailers. The company's name changed again, this time to "Van Doorne's Automobiel Fabriek." Their debut truck was the DAF A30.
In 1948, two experimental models were launched as a test: the five-ton DT5 and the ten-ton DT10. The engineers decided to place the cab over the engine, so the whole maneuvering part of the truck was shifted onto the front axle.
From 1956, DAF stopped fitting its trucks with foreign engines and built its own diesel engine, the DAF Leyland (though under license). In 1967 a new vehicle plant opened in Born. The first truck off its assembly line was the DAF 44. In 1975 DAF sold its passenger car division to Volvo. Today that division is known as NedCar. Fifteen years later, in 1990, DAF Buses split off from the company and became part of United Bus.
In 1996, DAF Trucks was bought by PACCAR, a major American manufacturer of heavy trucks.
Even so, DAF was not swallowed up by PACCAR, and it remains one of the most significant truck makers in the world. Official DAF sales operate in nearly every European country, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East and Taiwan.
A Little About Racing
Through the 1980s, DAF trucks won the famous Dakar Rally three times. Later, DAF fielded a truck whose twin-engine setup produced more than a thousand horsepower. Racing luck turned away from DAF in 1988: the first truck entered in the Dakar Rally finished third, while the second rolled over during the race. By 1999, however, DAF was nearly the champion of the European truck racing series.
It all began when an auto mechanic named Hubertus van Doorne repeatedly and successfully repaired the car of Arnold Huygens, the director of a brewery. Huygens was so pleased with the work that he offered van Doorne money to open his own workshop. That is how the company "Commanditaire Vennootschap Hub van Doorne's Machinefabriek" was born in 1928. The small firm, based at the brewery, was run by Hub van Doorne together with his brother Wim. In 1932 the company focused on building trailers, and its name became shorter: "Van Doorne's Aanhangwagen Fabriek" (in English, "Van Doorne Brothers' Trailer Factory"). As you may have guessed, DAF is an abbreviation of that name.
After World War II, trucks were in short supply, just like passenger cars. The enterprising brothers seized the opportunity, and by 1949 they had switched entirely to producing trucks, buses and trailers. The company's name changed again, this time to "Van Doorne's Automobiel Fabriek." Their debut truck was the DAF A30.
In 1948, two experimental models were launched as a test: the five-ton DT5 and the ten-ton DT10. The engineers decided to place the cab over the engine, so the whole maneuvering part of the truck was shifted onto the front axle.
From 1956, DAF stopped fitting its trucks with foreign engines and built its own diesel engine, the DAF Leyland (though under license). In 1967 a new vehicle plant opened in Born. The first truck off its assembly line was the DAF 44. In 1975 DAF sold its passenger car division to Volvo. Today that division is known as NedCar. Fifteen years later, in 1990, DAF Buses split off from the company and became part of United Bus.
In 1996, DAF Trucks was bought by PACCAR, a major American manufacturer of heavy trucks.
Even so, DAF was not swallowed up by PACCAR, and it remains one of the most significant truck makers in the world. Official DAF sales operate in nearly every European country, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East and Taiwan.
A Little About Racing
Through the 1980s, DAF trucks won the famous Dakar Rally three times. Later, DAF fielded a truck whose twin-engine setup produced more than a thousand horsepower. Racing luck turned away from DAF in 1988: the first truck entered in the Dakar Rally finished third, while the second rolled over during the race. By 1999, however, DAF was nearly the champion of the European truck racing series.
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