DAF 44 Luxe Sedan
Two rubber belts and movable pulleys let this friendly Dutch sedan choose its own gear ratio without a normal gearbox.
DAF 44 two-door sedan · joost j. bakker · CC BY 2.0
More than a set of wheels.
DAF had already made small Variomatic cars, but the 44 moved the idea into a roomier body drawn by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti. Presented in September 1966, the first 44 came in one well-trimmed version that enthusiasts now call Luxe. Its sober three-box shape hid one of the most unusual automatic drivetrains of the era.
Look a little closer.
Because the Variomatic could select the same range of ratios in reverse, early DAFs became famous for being unusually quick when driven backward—but that is a mechanical curiosity, not a safe driving suggestion.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
Italian lines around Dutch machinery
Michelotti gave the 44 a clean two-door sedan body about 3.85 meters long, with broad glass and a useful squared-off trunk. The design made the new B-body look more grown-up than DAF's smaller Daffodil family while keeping easy-to-see corners and simple proportions.
Source: ACI L'Automobile archive · DAF 44: Nordic technology, Italian style ↗A gearbox that never steps
The rear-mounted Variomatic combines an automatic centrifugal clutch with belts and variable-diameter pulleys. Its published overall ratio range runs from 15.44:1 to 3.87:1. DAF's museum still treats this continuously variable system as the central invention in its passenger-car story, and displays cutaway components so visitors can see the pulley action.
Source: DAF Museum · Passenger-car and components galleries ↗Where these facts come from
- DAF Museum · DAF Museum collection
- Classic DAF · DAF 44 model history
- Classic DAF · DAF 44 technical data
- ACI L'Automobile archive · DAF 44: tecnologia nordica, stile italiano
- Automobile-Catalog · 1966 DAF 44 ratings cross-check
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.