Daf 46 Super Luxe 1975

History and Background

The DAF 46 Super Luxe was part of the last generation of passenger cars produced under the DAF brand in Born before the transition to Volvo. The model was introduced as the successor to the DAF 44 and remained fundamentally true to the concept that had distinguished DAF since the 1960s: compact passenger carsequipped with the Variomatic, the continuously variable transmission that gave the brand a unique place in the European car market. The 1975 DAF 46 Super Luxe thus belongs to the late phase of this line, in which technology and equipment levels were further developed without sacrificing the model’s recognizable characteristics.

The DAF 46 itself was a further development of the DAF 44 and was technically similar to its predecessor, but featured a modified rear axle design with a De Dion solution and a single belt drive to the Variomatic. As such, the DAF 46 represented an interesting intermediate step in the evolution of DAF’s passenger cars. Production of the DAF 46 remained limited in scale compared to larger European mass-produced models, giving the model a specific place in Dutch automotive history. The Super Luxe version was the more fully equipped variant within the range, with which DAF responded to the demand for a compact vehicle with a more refined finish.

Within DAF’s market positioning, the DAF 46 Super Luxe was primarily a car for use in the compact segment, with an emphasis on ease of use and a unique technical approach. By the 1970s, the Variomatic had become a well-known trademark, both in the Netherlands and abroad. It was precisely during this period that the DAF 46 was seen as one of the last models in which the original DAF character was still clearly present, before the brand name disappeared from the passenger car market.

Features and Highlights

The DAF 46 Super Luxe stands out primarily due to its Variomatic transmission, which allows the car to accelerate continuously without a conventional gearbox, as was common in many of its contemporaries. That system was characteristic of DAF and gave the DAF 46 Super Luxe a technical identity that differed from most compact cars of that period. The design of the drivetrain and rear suspension was also unconventional and constitutes an important part of the model’s historical significance.

Within the model range, the Super Luxe version represents a more complete version of the DAF 46. In the later DAF models, considerable attention was paid to combining compact dimensions with a refined appearance and a user-oriented character. The DAF 46 Super Luxe fits this approach and simultaneously represents the final development phase of a model series closely linked to 20th-century Dutch automobile production.

Summary

The 1975 DAF 46 Super Luxe is a late and characteristic example of DAF’s passenger car technology, with the Variomatic as its defining feature and a clear place within the development of Dutch automotive history. The model follows in the footsteps of the DAF 44 and is one of the last versions produced before DAF withdrew from this segment. To get a good impression of the lot, we recommend that you attend the viewing day.