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Called Magna-Steyr today, the company’s history is a latticework of mergers, acquisitions and spin-offs. It traces its roots to a rifle factory and sawmill both founded in Steyr, Austria, in 1864. It began making bicycles in 1894 and built its first car in 1918. It became known as Steyr-Werke in 1926 and merged with Austro-Daimler-Puchwerke in 1934 to become Steyr-Daimler-Puch.

Steyr-Daimler-Puch grew into an industrial empire that designed and manufactured a dizzying variety of products including weapons, bicycles, mopeds, trucks, tractors, buses, automotive components and, of course, cars. It divested most of these businesses in the late 1980s and early 1990s and it merged with Canada’s Magna in 2001 to become a global leader in contract-manufacturing: making other companies' cars to order.

Its story is rarely told. In 2019, Magna-Steyr is best known as the historic home of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and for now building the all-new 2019 Toyota Supra and BMW Z4. These key, high-profile products are the tip of the iceberg; the rest of it is stashed away in its official museum.

Located 10 minutes away from Graz airport, the Puch museum is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There is a €5 (about £4.40/$5.50) entry fee that must be paid in cash. Join us for a look at some of the highlights in the collection:

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