'With first class design, quality workmanship and excellent finish, Standard motorcycles were among the best built between the wars.' – Erwin Tragatsch. Previously with Klotz, engineer Wilhelm Gutbrod founded Standard Fahrzeugfabrik in Ludwigsburg in 1926. The German firm built high quality motorcycles using proprietary engines from JAP and MAG at first, offering a wide variety of models ranging from a 250cc single to a 1,000cc v-twin as well as fielding overhead-camshaft works racers. In 1930 Gutbrod purchased the Swiss motorcycle maker Zehnder and three years later diversified into motor manufacture, building a small car powered by a rear-mounted two-stroke engined, designed by Josef Ganz, which was marketed under the 'Standard Superior' name. On the motorcycle side, Standard concentrated mainly on two-stroke lightweight models during the late 1930s. Relatively few machines were made after WW2 and following Wilhem's death, his son Walter continued car production under the 'Gutbrod Superior' name until 1954. The Gutbrod company lives on today as a manufacturer of lawn mowers and other horticultural machinery. An older restoration, this sidevalve-engined Standard was purchased five years ago and comes with sidecar (not illustrated). The machine is equipped with a Jaeger '120mph' speedometer and drive, and is offered with French registration papers dating from 1977.