The IMV 1000 was the van with which Industrija Motornih Vozil of Novo Mesto, Slovenia, moved from assembling German DKW vehicles to building a commercial vehicle of its own. It kept the DKW two-stroke engine and used it in a range of vans, minibuses and pickups sold across Yugoslavia.
IMV 1000 at a glance
| Maker | Industrija Motornih Vozil (IMV), Novo Mesto, Slovenia, then Yugoslavia |
|---|---|
| Type | light commercial van, IMV’s own design |
| Body styles | van, minibus and pickup |
| Engine | DKW two-stroke, 981 cc |
| Power | 39 bhp (29 kW; 40 PS) |
| Van range | two sizes: a regular two-axle model and a longer version with a dual rear axle |
| Export name | Donau 1000, for a small number sold in Austria |
| Origin | developed from the DKW Schnellaster vans IMV had sold and assembled since 1954 |
| Later engine | BMC 1,622 cc, used in the IMV 1600 after DKW’s demise |
| Company | IMV from 1959; Renault joint venture Revoz from 1988 |
No Wikipedia article is devoted to the IMV 1000 and the sources give only a few lines about it; this page is based on the English article on the company (based on one source) and does not add figures that are not there.
History of the IMV 1000
From DKW assembly to its own van
The company was established in 1954 in what was then Yugoslavia to sell and then assemble DKW Schnellaster vans under the name Moto Montana. It became IMV in 1959 and began assembling DKW cars in 1962. The sales success of the German vans encouraged the factory to build a van of its own rather than only assembling somebody else’s, and that van carried the IMV badge.
The DKW-engined IMV 1000
The first IMV van kept DKW engines, and the 1,000 is remembered by its 981 cc two-stroke unit of 39 bhp. It became a versatile commercial vehicle throughout Yugoslavia, offered as a van, a minibus and a pickup. The range was built in two sizes: the regular two-axle model and a longer version with a dual rear axle. A small number of vans were exported to Austria under the name Donau 1000.
After the 1000
When DKW disappeared, IMV turned to British Motor Corporation engines, and the 1,600 cc BMC unit gave the IMV 1600 its name. The engine link led on to licence assembly of Austin cars between 1967 and 1972 — the Austin 1300, the Mini 1000 and the Austin Maxi 1500/1750. Supply problems with Austin parts pushed IMV towards Renault in 1972, when assembly of the Renault 4 began; in 1988 the two firms formed a formal joint venture, Revoz, which Renault has owned outright since 2004.
Design and features
- IMV’s own body: the first van designed and built by the Novo Mesto factory rather than assembled for DKW.
- DKW two-stroke engine: 981 cc and 39 bhp, carried over from the vans IMV had built under licence.
- Three body styles: the same mechanical package served as a van, a minibus and a pickup.
- Two wheelbases: a regular two-axle van and a longer version with a dual rear axle.
IMV 1000 versions
- Van: the standard closed commercial body.
- Minibus: a passenger version for the Yugoslav market.
- Pickup: a light truck on the same chassis.
- Long dual-rear-axle van: the larger of the two sizes offered.
- Donau 1000: the export name used for the small number of vans sold in Austria.
The DKW-engined van was followed by the IMV 1600 with a BMC engine, and later by the IMV 2200D with a Mercedes-Benz unit. More vehicles from the factory are in the IMV collection.
Sources
- Industrija Motornih Vozil, English Wikipedia: company history, van range, IMV 1000 engine and power
