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Origins
Wanderer of Chemnitz entered car-making properly with the W3 of 1912, universally nicknamed Püppchen — 'little doll' — for its dainty tandem-seat proportions: a small four-cylinder machine of real refinement when most light cars were crude cyclecars, built by a company already respected for bicycles, motorcycles and machine tools. The Püppchen's quality earned military adoption in the Great War and genuine public affection after it. Its success established Wanderer's automotive respectability through the 1920s, setting up the marque's role as one of the four rings when Auto Union formed in 1932 — Wanderer contributing the solid middle-class car expertise beside Audi, DKW and Horch. Every Auto Union badge still carries a memory of the little doll from Chemnitz.
Wanderer Puppchen · Aisano · FAL
