Harry no longer drives a car (Obituary Fritz Wepper)

Bruno von Rotz
03/31/2024

Derrick-Ausschnitte / Fritz Wepper

A few days ago, on March 25, 2024, the actor Fritz Wepper passed away at the age of 82. He is known to almost every TV crime show viewer, as one of his most famous roles was that of Harry Klein, who solved criminal cases together with Stephan Derrick for decades.

Do you still remember Inspector Derrick? And his colleague Harry? And the famous phrase: "Harry, can you pull up the car?". And what happened next? Exactly, Harry Klein drove around the corner in his BMW and let Stephan Derrick get in. However, the sentence was "Harry, we need the car, now" and it was only used in one episode. The rest is legend.

But Harry still drove a car in many episodes of the TV series that appeared between 1974 and 1998, and it was always a BMW, initially the 5-series E12, later the successor model E28, or various 7-series E23, E32 and E38.

Fritz Wepper was also a very active actor beyond the Derrick television series, appearing in countless films and television series, sometimes together with his brother Elmar Wepper. He also gave his voice to other actors as a dubbing actor. Just a few years ago, he was still in front of the camera and also published a book together with his wife.

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Are movie cars really too expensive?

Bruno von Rotz
03/30/2024

Pontiac Firebird aus dem Film "Smokey and the Bandit" (© Barrett & Jackson)

It was in 2021 when a Porsche 928 from 1979 was auctioned by Barrett & Jackson for USD 1.98 million. Never before or since has more been paid for an early 928.

Porsche 928 von 1979 aus dem Film Risky Business (© Barrett & Jackson)

The reason? Tom Cruise had driven the manual eight-cylinder in the movie "Risky Business". This was enough to sell the car for over 30 times more than other examples of the same type.

Too high a premium? Well, a wooden panel has just been auctioned off for USD 718,750. This wooden panel also made an appearance in a movie, saving Kate Winslet from sinking in the film "Titanic", but did not have enough space to save Leonardo DiCaprio, although this is still a matter of debate today.

Holzplatte im Film Titanic

The piece of wood is said to have been part of the door frame of the first-class lounge, a movie prop. The salvage value is unlikely to be more than USD 100.

Pontiac Firebird aus dem Film "Smokey and the Bandit" (© Barrett & Jackson)

The 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SE from the film "Smokey and the Bandit" of the same year will soon be going under the hammer. The German title at the time was "Ein ausgekochtes Schlitzohr" and despite low production costs of USD 3.4 million, the film generated an impressive USD 300 million in sales. Barrett & Jackson is auctioning the 6.6-liter V8 coupé with 3-speed automatic on April 18-20, 2024 in Palm Beach with no reserve price, but if Burt Reynolds is as popular as Tom Cruise, then this Pontiac Firebird should easily exceed half a million USD, but would still be a bargain compared to the Titanic wood panel.

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Always those Triumph riders...

Paul Krüger
03/29/2024

Triumph 2000 (1966) ist in einen Unfall mit einem Radfahrer verwickelt

It was bound to happen sooner or later. Now the reckless overtaking driver from last week has actually hit a cyclist with his Triumph 2000. Of course, the brochure doesn't show this fatal consequence of high-speed six-cylinder enjoyment. Nor can it. Because the two scenes have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

Explanation: In the 1970s, the German chemical company Knoll AG brought out a twelve-part record series entitled "Medical English for German doctors" to teach German doctors English technical vocabulary. The picture above adorned the cover of the episode "Road Accident" - and was of course a fake.

The fact that the graphic designers also chose a blue Triumph 2000 Mk I for the main automobile role was probably pure coincidence. When the record language course was released in 1972, the revised Mk II had already been on the market for more than two years.

Triumph 2000 (1966) auf dem Titel von "Medical English for German doctors" (1972)

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Citroën Dyane Serra - Or: the Mini-Mistral

Paul Krüger
03/28/2024

Citroën Dyane 6 Coupé Serra (1970)

The Citroën SM with its Maserati V6 was not the only combination of double-angle and trident - at least stylistically. In 1970, Spanish coachbuilder Pedro Serra Vidal created a unique hatchback coupé based on the Dyane 6, which bears an undeniable resemblance to the Maserati Mistral, at least from the front. The rear, on the other hand, with its angular spoiler lip, was more reminiscent of the Fiat 850 Coupé.

Citroën Dyane 6 Coupé Serra (1970)

It is said that the idea of the Dyane in designer guise was the brainchild of a Spanish industrialist who wanted to have a small series of 100 produced, but died before the project could be realized. As a result, only a single example survived, albeit in surprisingly good condition, and today circulates under the name "Dyna M" - not to be confused with the Ami 6 Break, which was sold in Spain as the Citroën Dynam.

Citroën Dyane 6 Coupé Serra (1970)

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Transeurop-Express - Opel Manta with six-cylinder engine

Paul Krüger
03/27/2024

TE 2800 (1974) – Opel Manta mit Commodore-Sechszylinder

In the mid-1970s, a small Belgian company did what Opel tuners all over Europe dreamed of and implanted the 2.8-liter six-cylinder engine from the Opel Commodore GS into the front end of the factory-built Manta A. The plan was to build 500 cars for FIA homologation as touring cars with factory support in order to be able to compete against the Ford Capri and BMW 02 on the racetrack again.

The engine-less Manta was delivered from the Opel plant in Antwerp to Transeurop Engineering in Zolder, where it was married to the 142 hp Graugusstrumm. To even out the weight distribution after the transplantation of the heavy iron heart, the hood, fenders and aprons were replaced with GRP parts and the battery was relocated to the trunk.

TE 2800 (1974) – Opel Manta mit Commodore-Sechszylinder

The Belgian car was not allowed to be called "Opel" or "Manta", which is why it was exhibited as the TE 2800 at the Brussels Motor Show in 1974 - albeit on the official Opel stand. Transeurop boss Vic Heylen promised a top speed of over 200 km/h and the ability to reach half speed in 7.9 seconds. It is said that even the Belgian highway police were interested in the fast interceptor.

In Germany, the TE 2800 was first marketed by Steinmetz and then by Irmscher. However, the oil crisis caused the homologation target to be missed by a wide margin. Only 79 six-cylinder Mantas were produced until Transeurop Engineering went bankrupt in 1975. Irmscher then attempted a successor based on the Manta B. But the Irmscher 2800 with Commodore GS/E engine was even more unsuccessful and only 27 were produced.

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Once upon a time ... the rear window

Bruno von Rotz
03/26/2024

Fiat 124 Sport Coupé von 1969 (© Daniel Reinhard)

I would never have imagined that I would be writing this at some point. But now Polestar has actually done away with the rear window (on an SUV "coupé"!). Indeed! The Polestar 4 no longer has a rear window.

Polestar 4 Heck (© Polestar)

The Swedish manufacturer explains this groundbreaking innovation as follows:
"By removing the rear window and installing a rear-facing HD camera, the interior space and visibility to the rear are improved."

Polestar 4 von 2024 (© Polestar)

Now the Polestar driver may be happy about his high-definition view of the traffic behind him on the monitor, but as the driver behind, the story is quite different. Whereas you used to be able to see through the car in front (see Fiat 124 Sport Coupé above), you now drive blindly behind.

What is the point of having additional brake lights in the middle and higher up if you can't see them through the car in front of you at an early stage? In any case, the person driving directly behind a Polestar 4 will hardly benefit from these additional brake lights in future.

And I'm already beginning to imagine how a caravan of Polestar 4s will start to roll off even more slowly than usual at the green light, because everyone will only realize much later that there is movement in the convoy again.

Overall, I could well imagine that the number of accidents (rear-end collisions) will increase if this example sets a precedent. However, perhaps the emergency brake assist system will then help to prevent accidents caused by modern technology after all. Brave new world ...

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Little known from the world's largest car manufacturer

Bruno von Rotz
03/25/2024

Toyota Corona Sports Coupé Prototype von 1963

No, the coupé pictured is not an Iso Rivolta or an Innocenti C, even if there is a certain visual similarity. It is a Toyota Corona Coupé from 1963, which probably remained in the prototype stage.

Nowadays, everyone knows Toyota, everyone has probably driven or been a passenger in a model of the Japanese brand. Every petrolhead likes the Toyota Celica, the Supra or, more recently, even the Yaris GR. But models such as the Toyota 2000 GT or the Corolla have also contributed to the brand's popularity.

In fact, Toyota models were hardly a household name in this country before the 1970s, although the company founded by Kiichiro Toyoda in 1937 had been building cars for much longer. Some of these were also marketed under the name Toyopet.

Toyota 700 von 1964

For example, the Toyota 700, also known as the Publica, is hardly better known than the Corona Coupé pictured above. The compact saloon is somewhat reminiscent of the Goggombil variants Isar T600 and T700 or the Trabant. The air-cooled two-cylinder engine was installed at the front and drove the rear wheels.

Toyota Crown de Luxe von 1964

Several classes larger, but hardly ever seen in this country, was the Crown of the early sixties, which visually took a leaf out of the book of the Ford Falcon and the Imperial models from Chrysler.

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The center lane on a two-lane road

Paul Krüger
03/24/2024

Ein Triumph 2000 (1966) beim Überholen eines LKW

The fact that this picture is a "picture (almost) without words" is not because few words are needed to understand it - but because the editor, who is otherwise never at a loss for words, is at a loss for words. Because this photo of a Triumph 2000 overtaking a lorry on a two-lane highway, unperturbed by oncoming traffic, was not printed in a traffic guide as a bad example - but in the official sales brochure as a demonstration of the superior performance reserves.

The Triumph 2000 - so it said - was so incredibly powerful with its 91 hp two-liter six-cylinder engine that every lurker in front was passed in record time and overtaking lost all its terror for the Triumph rider. Whether the latter also applies to oncoming traffic and passengers, however, is left open in the brochure. Likewise the question of what happens if an oncoming Triumph 2000 also makes use of its power at the same moment...

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What it was really like: Mille Miglia in 1953

Bruno von Rotz
03/23/2024

Anyone who has seen the movie "Ferrari" also got an impression of the Mille Miglia of the fifties. However, there are more authentic films about it, one of which was shot by Shell in 1953 and lasts 37 minutes.

The documentary shows cars, drivers, preparation and race scenes, a really great contemporary document. Absolutely worth seeing. For those who prefer to look at photos, we have recently published a Mille review 1927-1957with many historical photos.

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30 years thirtieth birthday

Paul Krüger
03/22/2024

Opel Astra Caravan (1993) und Opel Caravan 1000 (1963)

No one has ever thought of this before: we are now celebrating anniversaries of anniversaries! And we're a little late for the debut. In March 1993, Opel had been producing compact station wagons for 30 years and, to mark the occasion, had a current Astra Caravan drive in front of the camera together with its Kadett ancestor. Unlike the sedan and coupe, the station wagon was not an officer's candidate and was simply called the Caravan 1000.

In the meantime, another 30 (well, 31) years have passed and the Astra F itself is a classic car, even if it doesn't really look like one. Equally remarkable: while the classic estate is slowly dying out, the Astra Caravan is still being built in its sixth generation, even though it has been called the "Sports Tourer" for 15 years - and has now taken on dimensions that surpass even the Opel Rekord from 60 years ago.

Opel Astra Caravan (1993) und Opel Caravan 1000 (1963)

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