Praga is a manufacturing company based in Prague. In 2006, it was purchased by International Truck Alliance.
It was founded in 1907 to build motor cars. as a venture between Frantisek Ringhoffer and the First Czech-Moravian Machine Factory. Ringhoffer only stayed for one year and in 1909 the trade name 'Praga' was adopted. One of its early models was built under licence from the Italian company of Isotta-Fraschini.
Praga also diversified into building engines and gearboxes for other applications such as aircraft and tanks.
In 1929 Praga merged with ČKD, one of Czechoslovakia's largest engineering companies. 1929 Praga BD motorcycle
In 1929 ČKD's BD motorcycle was re-branded under the Praga marque. This was an advanced four-stroke single-cylinder unit construction double overhead camshaft model of 500cc designed in 1927 by JF Koch. The "BD" designation was retained as its model name.
In 1932 Praga added a second motorcycle model, the BC. This had a single overhead camshaft engine of 350cc, shaft drive and a pressed steel frame. Praga ended production of both motorcycle models in 1933. Praga V3S truck
The factory was largely destroyed by air raids in 1945. After the Second World War it was rebuilt and resumed truck and bus construction. In 2007 it produces gearboxes and hydraulic machinery.
The M53/59 Praga was a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun developed in the late 1950s. It consists of a heavily modified Praga V3S 6 wheel drive truck chassis and twin 30 mm AA autocannon.