The Schloss Bensberg Classics took place for the eighth time from July 1 to 3, 2016. The event was once again hosted by the Grand Hotel Schloss Bensberg, whose majestic appearance certainly made for a festive setting.
Celebrated anniversaries
As every year, a number of anniversaries were celebrated in the form of special exhibitions or classes in the Concours.
The Lamborghini Miura, which is celebrating its 50th birthday in 2016, was the focus of the opening evening, while the Porsche 911 R was honored with a special exhibition featuring some of its descendants.
BMW celebrates its centenary in 2016 and was given its own class in the beauty competition just like the Carrozzeria Touring, which would have turned 90 in 2016.
With the rally through the Bergisches Land
On the Saturday before the Concours, a regularity rally through the Bergisches Land region took place again in 2016, around 170 km long, with one stage in the morning and one in the afternoon.
In terms of weather, the participants were offered everything from a sunny summer's day to a gigantic downpour with considerable visual obstructions. The wet weather conditions of the days leading up to the event also meant that some of the special stages almost looked like special stages of the East African Safari, with huge water holes that posed a particular challenge for the open-top pre-war cars.
The field of vehicles was wide-ranging and included popular classics such as the VW Beetle, but also exotic cars such as a CMC Tiffany, an Opel Kapitän Cabriolet from 1939 or a Dixi Ihle Roadster from 1927, which also competed in the Concours.
The cars were divided into four classes according to era (pre-war/post-war) and watch technology (mechanical stopwatches or electronic).
The winners in the pre-war hourglass category were Klaus and Christel Hebmüller in a 1939 Opel Kapitän Cabriolet, while the post-war category was won by Jörg and Marion Viebahn in a 1960 Porsche 356 B Roadster S.
Klaus Picard/Thomas Michael in a 1941 BMW 327 Cabriolet and Patrick Weber with Carolin Steinhausen in a 1973 BMW 3.0 SI won the electronics categories.
Navigating the small roads was not always easy, there were situations where participants from three directions met at intersections, all of whom were supposed to be coming the same way.
The beauty contest on Sunday
The highlight of the 2016 Schloss Bensberg Classics was of course the Concours d'Elégance with around 40 vehicles, put together by the "Selecting Committee", headed by Jürgen Lewandowski.
The international jury was not faced with an easy task, as there were hardly any comparable cars to be compared and the class winners and special prizes to be awarded.
Setting up the classic cars on Sunday morning was also quite a challenge, as the previous rain had left the castle grounds soft and slippery. The participants used various tactics to get to the stand without spinning wheels, some with more success, others with less.
In any case, the 1962 Bentley S2 Continental dug itself in so deep that it had to be pulled out again with outside help. Cleaning the whitewall tires also took a lot of effort and time.
The tactics of the team around the Opel GT Conrero were different. It was pushed to the castle courtyard, which was quite an achievement given the difference in altitude.
Eight classes
The vehicles had been divided into eight classes beforehand:
- It's a big world - Great luxury cars (pre-war)
- The beauty of power - Sports cars era (pre-war)
- Best of both worlds - European sports cars with American power (post-war)
- The art of lightness - 90 years of Carrozzeria Touring (post-war)
- The Riviera feeling - Rare European sports cars (post-war)
- When dreams come true - Coupés from the 1960ies
- Under the white and blue sky - 100 years of BMW: the cabriolets
- The spirit of the seventies - Motor sports cars of the 1970s
One class win was awarded in each of these eight classes, and there were also special prizes for the best pre-war and post-war vehicles with closed and open bodies respectively. Another special prize was awarded to the best unrestored car. And the participant with the longest journey by axle also received a special prize.
The most exciting prize was of course the Best of Show, which was awarded by both the jury and the public.
Extremes in the pre-war classes
The spectrum in the two pre-war classes could hardly have been greater.
On the one hand, the Delahaye 135M, completely original and unrestored with a clear patina and an engine that could only be started with good coaxing, made its presence felt; on the other, the Rolls-Royce Wraith with Erdmann & Rossi bodywork from 1939, elaborately restored and glowing with chrome and shine, which was further enhanced by the smiles of the accompanying ladies.
The Rolls was also the class winner, while the Delahaye was awarded the "Best Unrestored" special prize.
The Bentley 8 Litre Le Mans Style Tourer from 1932 won the class for pre-war sports cars, while the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 from 1933 also received a special prize.
Unfortunately, one of the cars entered in each of the two pre-war categories was missing. However, splashes of color such as the Peugeot 402 Darl'Mat DSE from 1938 made up for this.
The blue-black coupé appealed with its grace and unusual design language and was awarded the "Best Pre-War Closed" special prize.
The light Italians
Carozzeria Touring was founded in 1926, headed by Felice Bianchi Anderloni, a man with a feeling for form and efficiency. The Italians became famous for their special Superleggera design, which resulted in lightweight vehicles.
In honor of the 90th birthday (it has been 50 years since the bankruptcy), a special touring class was put together that showed an insight into the spectrum of Anderloni's and his people's work.
In addition to the better-known cars such as the Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS, the Maserati 3500 GT, the Lancia Flaminia GT Cabriolet and the Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider, there were also the two much rarer Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Aerlux from 1949 with folding Plexiglas roof window and the Ferrari 340 America Touring as one of only two Berlinettas built in 1951, which had spent decades in the cellar of the Ecurie Francorchamps because the Lampredi engine could not be repaired.
Only in modern times was it possible to weld the light alloy engine so that the rare Ferrari could be returned to its original configuration. It has been in heavy use ever since, most recently at the Mille Miglia.
The twelve-cylinder car deservedly received the "Best of Show" prize from the jury, but the class victory was awarded to the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Aerlux, which is still bursting with health after being restored many years ago.
Incidentally, the Maserati 3500 GT was also a rarity in its own right, as the car spent most of its life in dry latitudes and has therefore never had to be completely restored.
The wild seventies
A very special class was dedicated to fast racing cars of the seventies. Almost every viewer was reminded of their childhood by the colorful vehicles, either because they had once had the exact model on display as a model car (Ferrari Daytona with Thomson paintwork by Solido) or because they had seen the car themselves at the Nürburgring or at Spa. With their garish paintwork and impressive soundscape, these cars were among the crowd's favorites.
The Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Competizione from 1973 emerged as the class winner, but the Ford Escort Zakspeed, the BMW 2800 CS Schnitzer, the Ford Capri 3100 RS (ran outside the classification) or the Opel GT Conrero would certainly also have been granted this honor.
And the car with probably the longest racing career, the Porsche 911 Carrera RSR from 1974, which won a class victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring eight years after its creation, would certainly have been a deserving winner.
The GTs with the American engines
Competition was also fierce among the cars that combined the best of two worlds, namely attractive design and reliable American engine technology. This class included some truly exotic cars, such as the Apollo 5000 GT from Vetta Ventura, the Iso Grifo A3/C Stradale from 1965 or the Jensen FF with four-wheel drive (Ferguson) and anti-lock braking system, which was way ahead of its time.
Compared to these cars, the Bristol 411 Mk II and the De Tomaso Pantera GT/L seemed almost old-fashioned, which of course could not be said of the Facel Vega, the last glamorous GT from the French.
The Iso Grifo was awarded the class victory.
Convertibles for the trip to the sea
There were also special cars in the "The Riviera Feeling" class.
The class winner was the unique Siata 1400 GS Spyder SL from 1951, an extremely pretty convertible with an aluminum body.
Another special feature is the Gläser Porsche 356 Cabriolet. Coachbuilder Gläser produced bodies for the early 356 on a grand scale, but then had to lay down his arms because he had to pay extra for each car due to the high costs involved.
Open-top BMWs for the hundredth time
BMW convertibles of the most diverse designs and eras faced the jury's assessment in the "Under the White and Blue Sky" class.
A tiny Ihle roadster on a BMW 3/15 or Dixi basis competed with the BMW 507, the small BMW 700 Cabriolet with the really big BMW 502 V8 Baur Cabriolet.
The winner of the class was the freshly restored BMW 507 from 1957, but perhaps the most interesting story was told by the BMW 327 Convertible, which belonged for decades to Danish motorsport journalist Bjarne Kornbech, who drove over 500,000 km in it after buying the car with 123,000 km on the clock.
Coupé elegance of the sixties from different perspectives
Five coupés, all built in the sixties, competed for the class victory in the "When Dreams come True" category. The heavyweight Bentley S2 Continental MP Coupé from 1962 competed against the Fiat 2300 S Coupé from 1967, the Ferrari 365 GTC from 1969 competed against the (Bertone) BMW 3200 CS from 1964 and the Opel Diplomat Coupé from 1967.
The home winner was the Opel, one of 347 coupés built, which could not have clear American design roots, especially in the roof area.
Like the entire Concours, the award ceremony, at which the three best cars in each class drove up, took place in largely dry weather, the defilée lasted around 90 minutes, after which the winners were announced and the two Best of Shows were announced. Incidentally, the public had opted for the BMW 507, which certainly left nothing to be desired in terms of elegance and condition.
The participants of the Concours d'Elégance and the prize winners
| Class | Make | Type | Year | Prizes/Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| It's a big world | Bentley | 4 1/4 Litre Gurney Nutting Coupé | 1937 | not present |
| It's a big World | Bugatti | Type 57 Ventoux Series 3 | 1938 | |
| It's a big World | Bentley | 4 1/4 Litre Park Ward Saloon | 1938 | |
| It's a big World | Delahaye | 135M | 1938/1939 | Best unrestored condition |
| It's a big World | Rolls-Royce | Wraith Erdmann & Rossi | 1939 | Class winner, Best restored condition |
| The Beauty of Power | Bentley | 8 Litre Le Mans Style Sports Tourer | 1932 | Class winner |
| The Beauty of Power | Alfa Romeo | 6C 1750 Touring | 1933 | Best Pre-War Open |
| The Beauty of Power | Aston Martin | Ulster Mk. II | 1935 | not present |
| The Beauty of Power | Audi | Front 225 Roadster | 1935 | out of the ranking |
| The Beauty of Power | Peugeot | 402 Darl'Mat DSE | 1938 | Best Pre-War Closed |
| Best of both Worlds | Facel Vega | FV2B | 1956 | |
| Best of both Worlds | Iso | Grifo A3/C Stradale | 1965 | Class Winner |
| Best of both Worlds | Vetta Ventura | Apollo 5000 GT | 1965 | |
| Best of both Worlds | Jensen | FF | 1969 | |
| Best of both Worlds | Bristol | 411 MK. II | 1971 | |
| Best of both Worlds | De Tomaso | Pantera GT/L | 1974 | |
| The Art of Lightness (Touring) | Alfa Romeo | 6C 2500 SS Aerlux | 1949 | Class winner |
| The Art of Lightness (Touring) | Ferrari | 340 America Touring Berlinetta | 1951 | Best Post-War Closed, Best of show (jury) |
| The Art of Lightness (Touring) | Alfa Romeo | 1900 CSS Touring Series 1 | 1954 | |
| The Art of Lightness (Touring) | Maserati | 3500 GT Touring | 1960 | |
| The Art of Lightness (Touring) | Lancia | Flaminia GT Convertible Touring | 1961 | |
| The Art of Lightness (Touring) | Alfa Romeo | 2600 Spider | 1963 | |
| The Art of Lightness (Touring) | Lamborghini | 350 GT | 1964 | not present |
| The Riviera Feeling | Siata | 1400 GS Spyder SL | 1951 | Class winner |
| The Riviera Feeling | Porsche | 356 Cabriolet Glasses | 1952 | |
| The Riviera Feeling | Lagonda | Drophead Coupé | 1953 | not present |
| The Riviera Feeling | Aston Martin | DB 2/4 Mk II DHC | 1955 | |
| The Riviera Feeling | Mercedes-Benz | 190 SL | 1956 | |
| When Dreams come True | Bentley | S2 Continental MP Coupé | 1962 | |
| When Dreams come True | BMW | 3200 CS | 1964 | |
| When Dreams come True | Opel | Diplomat Coupé | 1967 | Class winner |
| When Dreams come True | Fiat | 2300 S Coupé | 1967 | |
| When Dreams come True | Ferrari | 365 GTC | 1969 | |
| Under the White and Blue Sky (100 years of BMW) | Dixi | DA 1 Ihle roadster | 1927 | |
| Under the White and Blue Sky (100 years of BMW) | BMW | 327 Convertible | 1939 | |
| Under the White and Blue Sky (100 years of BMW) | BMW | 502 V8 Baur Convertible | 1955 | |
| Under the White and Blue Sky (100 years of BMW) | BMW | 503 Convertible | 1958 | |
| Under the White and Blue Sky (100 years of BMW) | BMW | 507 | 1957 | Class winner, Best Post-War Open, Best of show (public) |
| Under the White and Blue Sky (100 years of BMW) | BMW | 700 Convertible | 1961 | |
| The Spirit of the Seventies | Opel | GT Conrero | 1969 | |
| The Spirit of the Seventies | BMW | 2800 CS Schnitzer | 1970 | |
| The Spirit of the Seventies | Ferrari | 365 GTB/4 Competizione | 1973 | Class winner |
| The Spirit of the Seventies | Ford | Capri 3100 RS | 1974 | |
| The Spirit of the Seventies | Porsche | Carrera RSR Cafe Mexicano | 1974 | |
| The Spirit of the Seventies | Ford | Escort Zakspeed | 1975/1976 |
