Saxomat

Saxomat was a type of automatic clutch available as an option on the Fiat 1800, Lancia Flaminia, Saab 93, Borgward Isabella, Goliath/Hansa 1100, Auto Union 1000, Ford Taunus, Trabant, as well as certain models from BMW, Opel, Steyr-Puch, NSU, Glas, Wartburg and Volkswagen.

Opel sold it as Olymat; Trabant and Wartburg named the system Hycomat.

The Hydrak, used in some Mercedes-Benz vehicles between 1957 and 1961, was a similar system with a hydrodynamic torque converter in place of the Saxomat's centrifugal clutch, this H.T.C.

system was standard on the NSU Ro 80 and was optional on the Porsche 911 (Sportomatic).

The clutch is disengaged automatically whenever the gear-shift lever was touched.

Schematic view of the Saxomat automatic clutch control valves unit:
1 – solenoid,
2 – solenoid valve,
3 – vacuum check valve,
4 – pressure reducing valve,
5 – vacuum regulator valve,
A – vacuum chamber,
B – intermediate chamber,
C – atmosphere chamber.
The solenoid valve is shown activated, the clutch is fully depressed.