The Schloss Bensberg Classics took place for the seventh time in the elegant surroundings of Bergisch Gladbach from July 17 to 19, 2015 and, as is already well established, participants were able to drive a Rallye Historique on Saturday and show off their cars at the Concours d'Elégance on Sunday.
On historic paths through the Bergisches Land
The rally leads over smaller and larger roads through the hilly landscapes of the Rheinisch-Bergisch district. Lunch was served at the picturesque Schlosshotel Ehreshoven, where the crews were able to indulge themselves for just under an hour. In the morning and afternoon, there were ten regularity tests and two gymkhana exercises to master in addition to around 180 km of route. Not only the drivers but also their co-drivers were challenged, who otherwise only had to ensure that they did not stray from the right path.
There were plenty of classic car drivers lined up along the road to document the action photographically or simply to have a chat. The Karmann-Ghia Type 34, which we were invited to drive by Volkswagen, attracted a lot of attention because, unlike the series-produced coupé, it had a hatchback and closely spaced headlights at the front.
The brisk drive took around five hours, which the fifty-year-old but well-prepared Karmann with torque converter automatic transmission mastered without complaint. It was nice to see that some concours participants also took part in the rally and gave their noble vehicle the freedom of movement it deserved. For example, the Lancia Aurelia B10, which won laurels on Sunday, started the Rallye Historique on Saturday.

A word needs to be said about the field of vehicles. Of course, vehicles from the Volkswagen Group dominated the event, and with 13 Group brands, they have a lot to offer. And when the delegation is as colorful and diverse as in Bensberg, you can't really complain. The Ford Capri and the Alfa Romeo GTV, which ultimately won the rally, stood out all the more among the VW, Audi, Porsche, Skoda and Lamborghini. The Schleicher/Schmitt team in the GTV drove with electronic assistance. The winners of the more modern cars with mechanical clocks were the Hahns in an Alpine-Renault A110 1600 S from 1969. The pre-war class with electronic assistance was won by the Riesenbecks in a Riley Brooklands 9 HP from 1933, while the winning team Horsthemke/Zinken drove a Lagonda M45 Rapide from 1934 in the cars up to 1945 with mechanical clocks.
The brute rally cars of Group B
This year's special exhibition was dedicated by the organizers of the Schloss Bensberg Classics to Group B rally cars from 1983 to 1986. Eight of these visually and technically uncompromising racing cars had been brought together and offered the public plenty of entertainment. The rally cars back then had up to 600 hp, four-wheel drive was only available in exceptional cases and the more successful vehicles relied on comparatively small turbo engines.

From the Lancia Rallye 037 with rear-wheel drive and mid-engine, to the Audi Sport quattro S1, the Porsche 959, the Citroën BX 4TC, the Ford RS 200, the MG Metro 6R4, the Lancia Delta S4 and the Toyota Celica Turbo (with rear-wheel drive), the rally cars showed how rally cars of the time could be driven with extreme technology and optics, The rally cars showed how extreme technology and visually less elegant, but aerodynamically all the more effective, wings were used to accelerate to 100 km/h in well under three seconds on both gravel and asphalt and to smooth out inclines. This must have been very demanding from a driving point of view, otherwise Walter Röhrl would hardly have said that the Audi Sport quattro was the most insane car in his rally history.
Skoda celebrates
Skoda is celebrating its 120th birthday in 2015, although of course the previous history with Laurin & Klement is generously included here.

To mark the occasion, the Skoda people brought some interesting exhibits to Bensberg, including the streamlined Skoda 935 from 1935 with a rear engine and a shape reminiscent of the Tatra vehicles of the time. Also on display were a Rapid Cabriolet from 1937 and a Laurin & Klement Voiturette A from 1905 as well as a Superb 3000 OHV from 1939, of which around 300 were built before and after the war.
Concours with excess water
Just like last year, Sunday morning began with rain and a gray, overcast sky when looking up. Some of the Concours participants thought about sleeping a little longer and parking their cars in the castle courtyard as late as possible. And this tactic paid off, because the rain did indeed ease off and the sun even appeared from time to time. The covers that initially covered the cars and protected them from the rain disappeared and the convertibles could be opened up so that they could shine in all their glory.
Visitors were given the opportunity to view 42 vehicles in eight categories. Only the Talbot AV 105, which had started the rally on Saturday, had not made it to its stand in time. A pity, because it's not every day that you see a former works car that has driven in the Alpine Rally.
Otherwise, all categories were complete, even the racing sports cars, which are usually considered pretentious, successfully endured the ordeal of parking and starting for the jury.

In 2015, the organizers of the Concours, which has FIVA A status, once again came up with some special categories. In the "Small, but Sporty" class, for example, a number of European small and micro sports cars vied for victory, which was ultimately claimed by the 1952 Goliath Sport GP 700 S with fuel injection engine (!). Also worth seeing were the AWZ Sachsenring P 70 Coupé from 1957 and the pretty Rometsch Beeskow Coupé from 1955 with Volkswagen mechanics. The FMR TG 500 "Tiger" from 1959 and the Goggomobil TS 400 Coupé from 1964 as well as the NSU Sport Prinz from 1965 were also appealing. These cars should have had a good chance of winning the audience award, but the visitors also preferred to vote for the spectacular Bentley Speed Six Blue Train from 1930.

Other class winners were a Lancia Astura from 1939, a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL from 1957, the aforementioned Lancia Aurelia B10 from 1951, an Alfa Romeo 1900 Supersprint as a touring convertible from 1955, a Bentley S1 Continental Flying Spur from 1958 and the fast and beautiful Ferrari 330 P3.
The jury, including the indefatigable Jacky Ickx, did not have an easy time with the "Racing Sixties" category, as the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Daytona was a beautiful, successful and technically advanced alternative to the Ferrari.
This Alfa would certainly have deserved a prize, but it will certainly be seen again soon at another Concours, just like the Ford GT40 Mk II from 1968. The vehicles were constantly surrounded by the public and the owners could probably have talked themselves hoarse answering the many questions from the audience. It was a pity that these racing cars could not be enjoyed while driving and with a full sound backdrop, as the usual concours-style starting and stopping of the engine was of course only half the fun. But anyone who was able to take a look inside the engine compartments could see this immediately afterwards from their shining eyes.
Mention should also be made of a few other vehicles that went beyond the usual concours cars, such as the Ford Taunus 12M "Weltkugel", the Alfa Romeo 2600 as an OSI saloon and, of course, the Lancia Flaminia Loraymo from 1960 with a body designed by Raymond Loewy, which caused a sensation in Paris 55 years ago with its extravagant details.
Loewy, who also later created the Studebaker Avanti, had in fact fitted a spoiler on the roof and there were bulges and edges all over the bodywork that were only seen much later on other manufacturers.
The judges and audience chose the 1930 Bentley Speed Six Blue Train as "Best of Show", an ultra-flat Gurney Nutting Coupé for the time, which was said to have won a race against the famous "Blue Train", but this was later disproved. The Bentley was able to prevail against the 1932 Austro-Daimler ADR Bergmeister, which had scored an even 100 points at Pebble Beach in 2011 and still looks fabulously elegant today with its Armbruster Cabriolet bodywork. After all, the jury awarded it the special "Best restored car" prize.
The vehicles and prizes in the Concours d'Elégance
The following list shows all the vehicles entered in the Concours d'Elégance and the prizes they received. Note: Museum vehicles ran outside the competition and were not eligible for awards.
Category | No. | Make | Type | Year | Prices/Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Touch of Elegance | A1 | Rolls-Royce | Phantom I | 1927 | |
Touch of Elegance | A2 | Mercedes-Benz | 290 Cabriolet A | 1935 | Prize Longest Journey to Bensberg |
Touch of Elegance | A3 | Horch | 853 Cabriolet | 1935 | |
Touch of Elegance | A4 | Opel | Adrimal Sport Cabriolet | 1938 | |
Touch of Elegance | A5 | Lancia | Astura Pinin Farna | 1939 | Class winner, Pre-war open prize |
The Style of Speed | B1 | Bentley | Speed Six Blue Train | 1930 | Class Winner, Best of Show Jury, Best of Show Audience, Prize Pre-war closed |
The Style of Speed | B2 | Austro-Daimler | ADR Bergmeister | 1932 | Price Best restored condition |
The Style of Speed | B3 | Talbot | AV 105 Team Car BGH 23 | 1934 | only at the rally |
The Style of Speed | B4 | Mercedes-Benz | 500 K Cabriolet C | 1935 | |
The Style of Speed | B5 | Lagonda | LG6 DHC | 1938 | |
The Style of Speed | B6 | Bugatti | Type 57 Stelvio | 1938 | |
Small, but sporty | C1 | Goliath | Sport GP 700 S | 1952 | Class winner |
Small, but sporty | C2 | Rometsch | Beeskow Coupé | 1955 | |
Small, but sporty | C3 | AWZ | Sachsenring P 70 Coupé | 1957 | |
Small, but sporty | C4 | FMR | TG 500 Tiger | 1959 | |
Small, but sporty | C5 | Glass | Goggomobil TS 400 Coupé | 1964 | |
Small, but sporty | C6 | NSU | Sport Prinz | 1965 | |
Elegance meets extravagance | D1 | Ferrari | 250 MM Pinin Farina Berlinetta | 1953 | |
Elegance meets extravagance | D2 | Mercedes-Benz | 300 SL | 1957 | Class winner |
Elegance meets extravagance | D3 | Lancia | Flaminia Loraymo | 1960 | |
Elegance meets extravagance | D4 | Ghia | L6.4 | 1962 | |
Elegance meets extravagance | D5 | Bizzarrini | 1900 GT Europe | 1969 | |
We are Family | E1 | Borgward | 1500 | 1952 | |
We are Familiy | E2 | Lancia | Aurelia B10 | 1951 | Class winner |
We are Family | E3 | Opel | Captain | 1951 | |
We are Familiy | E4 | Ford | Taunus 12M Globe | 1952 | |
We are Family | E5 | Alfa Romeo | 1900 Super | 1954 | |
We are Familiy | E6 | Mercedes-Benz | 220 A | 1955 | |
Sunset for two | F1 | Delahaye | GFA 135 MS | 1949 | |
Sunset for two | F2 | Alfa Romeo | 1900 Supersprint Touring Cabriolet | 1955 | Class winner |
Sunset for two | F3 | Cadillac | Series 62 Convertible | 1958 | |
Sunset for two | F4 | Mercedes-Benz | 300 SE Convertible | 1963 | |
Sunset for two | F5 | Bentley | S3 Continental DHC | 1964 | |
Driving out in style | G1 | Bentley | S1 Continential Flying Spur | 1958 | Class winner |
Driving out in style | G2 | Facel Vega | Excellence | 1959 | |
Driving out in style | G3 | Alfa Romeo | 2600 OSI | 1967 | Price Best unrestored condition |
Driving out in Style | G4 | Iso Rivolta | Fidia | 1969 | |
Driving out in style | G5 | De Tomaso | Deauville | 1979 | |
Racing Sixties | H1 | Maserati | Tipo 60/61 Streamliner | 1959 | Price Post-war open |
Racing Sixties | H2 | Ford | GT40 Mk II | 1968 | |
Racing Sixties | H3 | Ferrari | 330 P3 | 1966 | Class winner, Post-war closed prize |
Racing Sixties | H4 | Alfa Romeo | Tipo 33 Daytona | 1968 | |
Racing Sixties | H5 | Porsche | 908 LH | 1969 | Museum vehicle |