Wanderer W50 Overview: Generations and Versions
Overview of the Wanderer W50 cabrio built from 1936 to 1938, covering its single generation with a 55 hp engine, rear-wheel drive and manual gearbox.
The Wanderer W50 is a cabrio produced from 1936 to 1938 with a 55 hp engine across its lineup. It suits collectors of pre-war German open-top cars who want a rear-wheel-drive classic with a simple manual transmission rather than a daily driver.
Wanderer W50 generations
1 generation (1936–1938)
The first and only generation of the Wanderer W50 was built from 1936 to 1938 exclusively as a cabrio. Every version delivers 55 hp, and the lineup counts 2 modifications, all with a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. The notable version is the Wanderer W50 2.3 MT (55 hp), which pairs a 2257 cc engine with the manual transmission and was the mass-market choice of the range.
Because the whole range shares one power output, one gearbox type and one drive layout, the differences between the 2 modifications come down to details rather than performance: the Wanderer W50 2.3 MT (1 generation) represents the specification most examples were built to.
Which Wanderer W50 to buy
- 2.3 MT (55 hp) (1 generation): the mass version of the range, with a 2257 cc engine producing 55 hp through a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive — the configuration most surviving cars will have, which matters when sourcing an example built in the short 1936–1938 window.
With a production run of only three years and a single generation, there is no newer or later variant to hunt for: any Wanderer W50 on the market dates from 1936–1938, so condition and completeness of the specific car matter far more than model year. The mechanically uniform lineup — one power output, one gearbox type, one drive layout — keeps the choice simple.
Summary
The Wanderer W50 lineup is short and uniform: one generation from 1936 to 1938, cabrio bodywork only, 2 modifications, and 55 hp in every version. The Wanderer W50 2.3 MT (1 generation) with its 2257 cc engine, manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive is the representative version and the natural pick. Buyers choosing between examples are effectively comparing individual cars, not specifications, since the data shows no version with more power, a different transmission or a different drive type anywhere in the range.