Volkswagen hosted the Schloss Bensberg Classics for the fourth time last weekend (September 7 to 9, 2012) - and classic car fans from near and far responded enthusiastically to the call.
The longest journey was undoubtedly made by Wael Buheiry, who had his Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, built in 1960, flown in from his home country of Dubai. With this trip to Central Europe, the entrepreneur also wanted to spare his gem from Stuttgart the heat of 50 degrees Celsius and more currently prevailing in the desert of the United Arab Emirates. However, this plan only worked to a limited extent, because on the second weekend in September, the Bergisches Land region to the east of Cologne was spoiled with midsummer temperatures. The mercury rose to over 30 degrees.
Proven division into Rallye Historique and Concours d'Elegance
As in previous years, the Schloss Bensberg Classics were once again divided into two largely independent events in 2012. After the official welcome dinner on Friday evening, host Thomas H. Althoff, Managing Director of Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg, sent around 100 teams on the 177.8-kilometer rally route around Bensberg on Saturday morning. Sunday was then dominated by the Concours d'Elegance, in which around 40 automobile gems competed in 8 categories and 17 classifications in the beauty contest.
Matthias Kahle lives up to his role as favorite right from the start
Even before the start, it was clear to everyone involved that victory in this regularity rally as part of the Schloss Bensberg Classics 2012 would only go to Matthias Kahle and his co-driver and Peter Göbel. The multiple German rally champions had repeatedly demonstrated impressively in the recent past that they can not only drive extremely fast and "hard across", but also have the necessary sensitivity for precise driving in the tenths of a second range. Kahle and Göbel also drove their 1976 Skoda 130 RS around Bensberg with impressive precision. After eight scoring stages and one gymkhana stage, they had only 277 penalty points - and secured first place in the overall standings.
Second place went to Hans-Ullrich and Marie-Therese Hahn with their 1969 Alpine A 110 1600 S. The couple from Kronberg in Hesse collected a total of 368 penalty points and were also delighted with the best special stage result of all participants. On the third special stage, an 840-metre section, they missed the target time of 1.17 minutes by just one hundredth of a second, meaning they only incurred a single penalty point. No other team achieved this feat on any of the eight special stages.
The podium was completed by Michael Schmitz and Stephanie, who scored 366 penalty points in their 1974 Aston Martin DBS V8 Series 3.
Special prize in honor of the late Paul Pietsch
The racing driver and publisher Paul Pietsch, who passed away on 31 May 2012, just a few days before his 101st birthday, was honored in a special way by the organizers of the Schloss Bensberg Classics 2012. The organizers announced the "Paul Pietsch Mountain Prize" on SS 7. Reiner and Christel Höfler won this special classification with an Audi 80 GTE from Team Audi Tradition. They missed the finish time by just two tenths of a second on a 520-metre climb that had to be completed in 64 seconds. Their reward: a special trophy in honor of Paul Pietsch.
Large crowd of celebrities from sport and show
The special attraction of the Schloss Bensberg Classics this year was once again the large number of motorsport and show business celebrities. For example, the racing heroes Hans-Joachim "Strietzel" Stuck, Jacky Ickx and Clemens Schickentanz, as well as the actors Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Knaup, Helmut Zierl and Erol Sander, all paid their respects. Schalke 04 legend and "Mr. Fallrückzieher" Klaus Fischer also took on the rally in a VW bus in the eye-catching "S04" design.
40 gems in 8 categories and 17 classifications at the Concours d'Elegance
On Sunday, however, the focus was solely on the vehicles. 40 candidates for jury and audience prizes competed in the Concours d'Elegance. Among them were some that had proven the day before during the rally that they not only look good, but are also still in excellent condition. Matthias Oertz's 1963 De Tomaso Vallelunga prototype, for example, was one of these "double starters". And the beautiful Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato from 1960 had also been courageously driven over the rally tracks by its owner, the Swiss Dr. Oliver Kreyden, the day before.
Among the assembled vehicles were some that are rarely seen at a Concours d'Elegance, such as a Singer Le Mans from 1934, the Cobra Daytona Coupé from 1964 or the Dino 166/266P. Even more unique than these vehicles, however, was the Bizzarrini Macchinetta from 1953, a small sports car based on the Topolino, which Giotto Bizzarrini built himself. When he drove it past Enzo Ferrari, the latter is said to have said: "If you really built this Macchinetta yourself and drove it from Milan to here, then I'll hire you". And so it happened, at least according to legend.
The "Legends in miniature" category was shared by other rare small and micro cars with the Bizzarrini Macchinetta, such as a Meadows Frisky from 1958, a Lloyd Alexander Frua Coupé from 1959, a Scootacar from 1960 and a Toyota Sports 800 from 1965, all vehicles that you hardly ever see.
The ordeal of selecting the worthy winners from the assembled beauties fell to the nine-member jury headed by chairman Franz-Josef Paefgen, former CEO of Audi, Bentley and Bugatti among others, as well as designers Fabrizio Giugiaro, Stefan Sielaff and Andrea Zagato.
The individual winners and prizewinners can be seen in the table below. The detailed picture gallery accompanying this article contains over 200 images capturing impressions of the Concours d'Elegance and the Rallye Historique.
The participating vehicles and winners of the Concours d'Elegance
| Category | Make | Type | Year | Quantity | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer of luxury | Mercedes-Benz | 680 S | 1928 | 138 | Category winner |
| Pioneer of luxury | Skoda | 860 | 1932 | 49 | |
| Pioneer of luxury | Swallow | S.S. 1 Four Light Saloon | 1935 | 600 | Special prize "Closed pre-war models" |
| Pioneer of luxury | Bugatti | Type 57 Cabriolet Graber | 1936 | 1 | |
| Pioneer of luxury | Opel | Admiral Cabriolet | 1938 | 2314 | Special prize "Open pre-war models" |
| Pioneers of sportiness | Bentley | 3 Litre Le Mans Team Car | 1925 | 2/1624 | |
| Pioneers of sportiness | Alfa Romeo | 6C 1750 GS Series VI Castagna | 1933 | 44 | |
| Pioneers of sportiness | Alfa Romeo | 8C 2600 Monza | 1933 | 22 | Category winner |
| Pioneers of sportiness | Singer | Le Mans | 1934 | 1000 | |
| Pioneers of sportiness | S.S. | 90 Prototype | 1935 | 1/23 | |
| Legends in miniature | Bizzarrini | Macchinetta | 1953 | 1 | |
| Legends in miniature | Meadows | Frisky | 1958 | 1200 | |
| Legends in small format | Lloyd | Alexander Frua Coupé | 1959 | 49 | |
| Legends in miniature | Scootacar | Mk 1 | 1960 | 970 | |
| Legends in miniature | Toyota | Sports 800 | 1965 | 3131 | Category winner |
| Kings of comfort | Jaguar | Mark IV Worblaufen Cabriolet | 1947 | 1/3 | |
| Kings of comfort | Delahaye | 135 M Guilloré Cabriolet | 1949 | 4 | Prize for longest journey |
| Kings of comfort | Bentley | S1 DHC H. J. Mulliner | 1958 | 12 | Special prize "Open post-war models" |
| Kings of comfort | Mercedes-Benz | 300 SC Roadster | 1957 | 53 | Special prize from the public |
| Kings of comfort | Citroën | DS 19 Le Dandy | 1962 | 49 | Special prize "Closed post-war models" |
| Aesthetes of acceleration | Talbot-Lago | T26 Grand Sport | 1948 | 11 | Special prize "Best unrestored condition" |
| Aesthetes of acceleration | Mercedes-Benz | 300 SL | 1954 | 1400 | |
| Aesthetes of acceleration | Alfa Romeo | Giulietta Sprint Zagato | 1960 | 1366 | Category winner |
| Aesthetes of acceleration | Porsche | 356 B 2000 GS Carrera 2 | 1964 | 445 | |
| Aesthetes of acceleration | Aston Martin | DB 6 | 1969 | 1750 | |
| Italian elegance | Alfa Romeo | 6C 2500 S Pininfarina Cabriolet | 1947 | 779 | |
| Italian elegance | Ferrari | 250 GT Boano | 1956 | 64 | |
| Italian elegance | Maserati | 3500 GT Vignale Spyder | 1960 | 243 | |
| Italian elegance | De Tomaso | Vallelunga Prototype | 1963 | 3/50 | |
| Italian elegance | Lamborghini | 400 GT 2+2 | 1967 | 273 | Category winner |
| Rarities in small series | Bentley | Mk. VI Cresta | 1948 | 11 | Category winner |
| Rarities in small series | Karmann | Type 1 Coupé Study | 1962 | 1 | |
| Rarities in small series | Aston Martin | Ogle | 1973 | 2 | |
| Rarities in small series | Beradino | 1975 | 1 | ||
| Rarities in small series | Italdesign | Machimoto | 1986 | 1 | |
| Legends of the long distance | Ferrari | 250 GTO | 1963 | 39 | Paul Pietsch Prize |
| Legends of the long distance | Cobra | Daytona Coupé | 1964 | 6 | |
| Legends of the long distance | Jaguar | E-Type Lindner Lightweight Coupé | 1963 | 1 | Award for best restored condition |
| Legends of the long distance | Iso Rivolta | Grifo A3/C | 1965 | 30 | |
| Legends of the long distance | Ferrari | Dino 166P/266P | 1965 | 1 | Special prize of the jury, category winner |
