Tatra 77 Review: Generations and Which One to Buy
Overview of the Tatra 77 sedan (1934–1938): its single generation, the 60–75 hp power range, and which version to look for.
The Tatra 77 is a rear-wheel-drive sedan built from 1934 to 1938, offered in a single generation with outputs between 60 and 75 hp, always paired with a manual gearbox. It suits collectors of pre-war engineering and enthusiasts of early streamlined sedans who want a rare, historically significant car rather than a daily driver.
Tatra 77 generations
1 generation (1934–1938)
The first and only generation of the Tatra 77 was produced from 1934 to 1938 exclusively as a sedan. Power outputs ranged from 60 to 75 hp, and every version sent power to the rear wheels through a manual transmission. The lineup counted two modifications in total. The notable version of this generation is the Tatra 77 3.4 MT, which produced 75 hp from a 3.4-liter (3400 cc) engine and represented the volume version of the range. With only one body style, one gearbox type, and one drivetrain layout across the entire run, the 1 generation kept its technical formula consistent for all four production years.
Which Tatra 77 to buy
- 3.4 MT (1 generation): the volume version of the range, with 75 hp — the top of the model's 60–75 hp span — from its 3400 cc engine, paired with a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive.
Any Tatra 77 you find today dates from 1934–1938, so the choice is less about generation — there is only one — and more about the condition and completeness of the individual car. The simple structure of the range, with just two modifications sharing the same sedan body, manual gearbox, and rear-wheel drive, makes it straightforward to know what a correct example should look like.
Summary
The Tatra 77 stands as a single-generation sedan produced from 1934 to 1938, with power outputs from 60 to 75 hp across two modifications. The Tatra 77 3.4 MT (1 generation) is the version to seek: 75 hp, a 3400 cc engine, a manual gearbox, and rear-wheel drive, and it was the volume version of the lineup. Every car in the range shares the same body style and drivetrain layout, so the model's identity is unusually uniform — what varies between examples is history and preservation, not specification.