AX in the USA

Paul Krüger
04/30/2024

Citroën AX GT (1992) in New Jersey, USA – © bringatrailer

Americans have been coming to Paris for over 70 years. Now it's finally the other way around. Three years ago, Liebhaber actually brought a Citroën AX GT from the USA to the land of opportunity. Since then, the speedy little thing has probably caused a few perplexed faces there - not only because the little guy weighing just over 700 kg with its 75 hp is pretty good, but also because Citroën's smallest car from the Aulnay-sous-Bois plant has never been offered as a new car from the factory in the USA.

Nevertheless, the enthusiasm for the wild little car in the land of relaxed road cruisers never seemed to last very long. After a change of ownership in early 2024, the red Citroën is once again up for sale in New Jersey. A re-import to the home country is unlikely to be worthwhile. So we can only hope that an enthusiast will be found in the USA who enjoys clogging up the intake tract of the local displacement monsters from time to time.

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Cologne Carnival - Or: a Mercedes in a Ferrari costume

Paul Krüger
04/29/2024

Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta SWB (1960), eingesetzt von der Scuderia Colonia bei der Tourist Trophy in Goodwood 1960, in der Loh Collection

I have not yet fully recovered from the shock that the Bertone Carabo is in fact a completely different color than I always assumed, when the evil reality prepares to destroy another childhood misconception that has been stored away as fact for decades. The press release on the occasion of the new Ferrari special show at the Loh Museum is to blame. Alongside all the red racing cars, there was a 250 GT SWB on display whose color scheme looked surprisingly familiar to me.

A wide black, red and gold stripe runs across the black bodywork from the radiator grille to the rear bumper, and the number 8 is emblazoned in a large white circle on the doors - just like on the Bburago kit of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL that I put together when I was a kid. Of course, at my single-digit age, I still lacked the journalistic skepticism to question the historical accuracy of this decoration. I simply accepted it. German car, German colors - it'll be fine.

Bausatz eines Mercedes-Benz 300 SL im Stil der Scuderia Colonia

That's what you get for being so gullible. At least the displacement of three liters fits. After that, the similarities between the prototype and the model become much less obvious. For as strange as the Teutonic decoration on the Italian racing car may seem, it is at least correct on the short 250 GT with chassis number 1807: Willy Mairesse and Wolfgang Seidel competed in the Tourist Trophy in Goodwood for the Scuderia Colonia in 1960 painted and numbered like this.

There, however, the other Ferrari drivers gave them a run for their money, especially Stirling Moss in the now much more famous number 7 with the white banderole around the nose. Mairesse and Seidel finished eighth, six laps behind Moss. Perhaps a better result would have been possible with Wolfgang von Trips as the third driver. However, although perhaps the most prominent co-founder of Scuderia Colonia was registered for starting number 8, he did not drive the black, red and gold Ferrari.

However, he did have an indirect connection to the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. Trips drove one of the gullwing coupés in the touring car race at the 1955 Swedish Grand Prix. However, it was not black, but silver - and the Scuderia Colonia did not even exist yet.

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Also other colors at the Retro Classics in Stuttgart

Bruno von Rotz
04/28/2024

Two days ago we had it from red as a frequently encountered color at the Retro Classics Stuttgart this year. But of course there were also much rarer paint finishes.

BMW E5 E34 an der Retro Classics Stuttgart (© Bruno von Rotz)

For example, we came across a BMW M5 from 1993 in the special paint finish 490 with the designation "Lila Metallic". It seems that this is the only M5 from the E34 series to wear this striking paint finish.

Austin A40 Somerset Drophead Coupé 1953 (© Bruno von Rotz)

Nowadays, an Austin A40 Somerset Drophead Coupé in sunflower yellow is hardly easier to find. The 1953 convertible on show in Stuttgart is said to exist only 26 times worldwide and will there be another yellow example?

Zwei Ford Model T an der Retro Classics Stuttgart 2024 (© Bruno von Rotz)

Henry Ford was not so keen on colors. His device was: You can order a Ford Model T in any color as long as it is black. Well, at Retro Classics, the Ford T models were definitely more colorful ...

And yes, today is the last day of this year's Retro Classics in Stuttgart. A visit is worthwhile, because there are still many other cars and other colors to discover ... For all those who stayed at home, we are of course already preparing a comprehensive review of Retro Classics Stuttgart ...

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Six cylinders in a row - a little different

Bruno von Rotz
04/27/2024

Sechs Zylinder in Reihe (NSU Quickly) - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2024 (© Bruno von Rotz)

We are big fans of in-line six-cylinder engines. But as we wandered through the Retro Classics halls, it wasn't a car that caught our eye, but a motorcycle with six cylinders in a row. It was on display at the NSU Club stand, on the subject of the NSU Quickly.

A couple of guys had apparently come up with the idea of building a drag bike powered by six NSU Quickly two-strokes connected in series. It's not quite finished yet, but it already looks very cool. Of course, one immediately wonders whether the engines will fire simultaneously or evenly staggered and how the whole thing will run and sound. You can watch videos of the creation process on YouTube, but the final one, in which the Super-Quickly roars off, still seems to be missing ...

P.S. Admittedly, this is not a car topic, but this one-off is still almost worth a visit to Retro Classicsin Stuttgart, which is open until Sunday, April 28, 2024.

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The main thing is red - from Retro Classics Stuttgart

Bruno von Rotz
04/26/2024

Retro Classics opened yesterday in Stuttgart. We have already strolled through the halls and had a look around. We were struck by the large number of red cars that were also for sale. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.

Ferrari 348 TS und Porsche 964 C4 Cabriolet - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2024 (© Bruno von Rotz)

The Ferrari 348 ts is of course expected in red, more elegantly named "Rosso Corsa". The model with only 22,000 km on the clock is on offer for EUR 89,900.

Porsche sports cars were often delivered in red - in Zuffenhausen, for example, they were called "Indian Red". At the time of the 964, which is offered as a C4 Cabriolet from 1990 with 145,000 km on the clock for EUR 49,900, red was certainly no longer the most popular Porsche color. But it was probably still quite popular compared to today.

BBMW Z3 1.9 16V - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2024 (© Bruno von Rotz)

But the Bavarians can also do red, for example as the BMW Z3 1.9-16V from 1998. With 79,500 km on the clock, the convertible costs EUR 17,499.

Audi Cabriolet 2.0 1996 - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2024 (© Bruno von Rotz)

And while we're in Bavaria, there's Ingolstadt as well as Munich. And that's where the Audi Cabriolet comes from. In Stuttgart there is one from 1996 with the two-liter engine, just over 174,000 km on the clock, for EUR 12,200.

Mercedes-Benz 190 SL 1955 - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2024 (© Bruno von Rotz)

And even closer to Retro Classics, the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL was built in Sindelfingen. The early 1955 convertible is said to cost EUR 109,000, but let's go back to Italy.

Alfa Romeo Montreal 1971 - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2024 (© Bruno von Rotz)

The Alfa Romeo Montreal 1971 was built in Milan and is now looking for a new owner for EUR 57,900 with Italian paperwork and in driving condition as a restoration base.

Moto Guzzi V5 von 1972 - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2024 (© Bruno von Rotz)

If you don't have that much money and are happy with two wheels from Italy, you should perhaps take a look at the Moto Guzzi V50 from 1972. The seller is asking EUR 8000 for the machine, which has just been brought out of hibernation.

Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40 von 1983 - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2024 (© Bruno von Rotz)

The Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40 convertible from 1983 comes from a little further afield, and the restored diesel off-roader is set to change hands for EUR 26,500.

Ronart von 1980 - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2024 (© Bruno von Rotz)

And if the selection so far has not been big enough, you can also go for an exotic car, such as the Ronart W152 from 1980, which is almost hidden between a Porsche and a Mercedes-Benz, although with 250 hp it can probably provide the most driving pleasure of the three cars. However, this is also worth EUR 75,000.

Of course, there are many more cars, also in other beautiful colors, for sale in Stuttgart, but we have only concentrated on a selection of the numerous red vehicles. Retro Classics is still open until April 28, 2024. However, if you want to buy one of the cars shown here or other cars, you may have to hurry, because otherwise you will come across a sign like this:

Verkauft - Retro Classics Stuttgart 2024 (© Bruno von Rotz)

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Back roads through automotive history (3): Are chauffeurs domestic staff or salaried mechanics?

Gerhard Schütz
04/25/2024

It's true: the most beautiful, interesting and sometimes weirdest discoveries are always made on the back roads. This also applies to the byways of automotive history. This series brings you surprising facts from earlier times about technology, design and life with the car.

Chaffeur sitzt hinten (Archiv Gehard Schütz)

A French newspaper report in 1911 stated:

"We ask our readers the following questions:

How does one choose one's chauffeur? Is it better if he has professional training as a mechanic, or if he is simply a skilled man with a mechanical aptitude? Or is a domestic servant preferable who is used to the house, intelligent but not capable of carrying out major repairs?
Is it better if he is married or single?
If a mechanic has board and lodging, what salary can he claim?
Is he entitled to gifts or a bonus, and if so, under what conditions?
It is customary to dress your mechanic. What clothing do you owe him? For example, do you owe him gloves, but also shoes?
If the mechanic does not have board and lodging when traveling, what do you owe him?
Can you demand that the mechanic washes the car every day when traveling if the day was not too hard, if you arrive early and the mechanic can rest?
What place do you assign him when traveling if the mechanic is not driving?
Should the mechanic buy tires, fuel, etc. himself? If so, what control does the patron have?
Is it customary for the mechanic to keep a portion of the resale proceeds for used tires, old accessories, etc. for himself?
If a mechanic comes home late at night, for example at one o'clock, when can you ask him to drive the car again?
If you no longer need the mechanic, the law allows him eight days' pay. But what about the clothes, do they belong to him?

Der Millionär als Chauffeur (Archiv Gerhard Schütz)

The answer from a reader was:

Choosing a professional mechanic is absolutely unnecessary, even harmful. Unnecessary, because a professional is a factory worker who is unlikely to adopt the correct attitude of any good servant, and the chauffeur is a servant, no more, no less.
A professional will always keep his habits: Careless dress, letting himself go, improper posture in the seat while waiting, coarse language, etc. This is particularly harmful because it can have a negative influence on the other staff, and bad habits spread faster than good ones.
In my opinion, the coachman or valet who is made a chauffeur is not entitled to an additional salary. As a coachman he cleaned the horses' hooves, as a valet he cleaned the silver and waxed the parquet; why should he be paid extra for pumping up the tires or putting in fuel?
With board and lodging, the chauffeur earned at most 100 francs a month, and that is a high maximum. A good coachman earned that much. In what way should a chauffeur be superior to a coachman? Isn't it even more difficult and more delicate to look after, guide and train a horse than to turn a starter crank, fill up with gasoline, change gears, grease the clutch or adjust a valve?
Gifts or gratuities? Certainly not gratuities. Gifts - yes, because it has become so common, even if the servant is unlikely to thank you for the New Year's gift because, according to his mentality, he takes it for granted.
When traveling: If board and lodging are not included, it is sufficient to give the chauffeur about 7 francs per day. And if that's not enough for him, you can throw him out or remind him of the times when he earned 50 centimes a day on his farm, knocking stones or collecting dead wood and in the evening he was given bacon soup and a glass of clear water before retiring to an attic room that was less comfortable than a hotel room.
Car washing: You can ask for this, at least on days that aren't particularly strenuous, especially as it's good for the car and the chauffeur too, who then doesn't go drinking in the first best bistrot.
If he's not driving, I put my chauffeur in the seat where he'll disturb me the least. That's my only criterion.
I always buy my own tires and gasoline because it saves me a lot of money.
Used tires, etc.: I know that certain patrons think that way. But it's a mistake that only encourages careless driving. Did coachmen get the proceeds from the sale of used saddlery? Exactly.
If you let the chauffeur take care of one or the other, then only against dated and signed invoices. Otherwise it's impossible to check.
If you come back at one o'clock at night, you can easily ask for the car at nine o'clock in the morning. The mechanic will get up a little earlier or sleep a little less - that's all.
When it comes to dismissal: the clothes are the property of the car owner. This should not even be discussed.
The owner gives the chauffeur the livery and determines its cut and color himself. As for the shoes: they are only given to him if his own are too ridiculous. I advise from experience to design the uniform in such a way that the chauffeur doesn't like it. That way, he only wears it while working, which reduces wear and tear.
In conclusion, I think that chauffeurs are generally allowed to get away with too much. He is a simple domestic servant, but in the early days of the car they were seen too much as technical magicians and thus spoiled. There are enough individuals among the chauffeurs who nonchalantly stand on the running board as if they owned the car and smoke a cigarette - if it's not the patron's.
In short: you shouldn't worry too much about them, they'll put on less of a show."

Chaffeur De Dion (Archiv Gerhard Schütz)

Those were the days. Reading between the lines, it is clear that the chauffeurs began to develop their own professional pride, which obviously didn't suit the patrons at all.

Der Chauffeur wechselt das Rad (Archiv Gerhard Schütz)

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Congratulations to Karl Ludvigsen on his 90th birthday!

Bruno von Rotz (Fotos: Archiv Ludvigsen, Jens Torner/Porsche)
04/24/2024

Ludvigsen liebt klassische Automobile

Today, exactly 90 years ago, Karl Luvigsen was born. This was in 1934 and it is immediately clear that Karl himself experienced a significant part of the history of the automobile. Not only as an observer and perhaps owner of cars, but also as part of the car industry, as he was employed in various roles at General Motors, Ford and Fiat, among others.

Ludvigsen am Lenkrad des Scarab Chevy in Riverside

He is therefore an insider and at the same time an incredibly diligent historian and reporter. There are already over two dozen reportsby Karl Ludvigsen on our own channel alone, but he has written and continues to write for a large number of other car magazines and portals. Racing is just as important to him as the technology and design of interesting cars and the people behind them. This is what makes his articles so diverse, colorful and enlightening.

Above all, however, this car enthusiast is a good role model for us all, because if we are still as active and perceptive at the age of 90 as Karl Ludvigsen constantly proves, then we can count ourselves lucky.

With this in mind, we wish Karl Ludvigsen a happy birthday and look forward to many more years of fruitful collaboration with him.

P.S. If you are still looking for vacation reading and would like to take a handy little bookwith you , please refer to his portraits of interesting car people, which he published in German a few years ago.

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Is the humpback Volvo really that offensive?

Bruno von Rotz
04/23/2024

Some time ago, Google had already warned us that one of our contents, at that time it was a Volvo 164, was immoral .

Now we have received two warnings with the note "For adults only: sexually offensive content" for two vehicle market advertisements, each showing a Volvo PV 544, for example hereor here.

We can't find anything objectionable in either the pictures or the text. But maybe we're just not artificially intelligent enough? Since last time it was about a Volvo 164 and this time about a Volvo PV 544, we suspect that the "problem" has more to do with the brand name than the type designation.

Well, we always have the content checked again after such Google warnings. As soon as a naturally intelligent person looks over it, the warning disappears again ...

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Once upon a time ... the emergency wheel

Bruno von Rotz
04/22/2024

A full-size spare wheel, which corresponded to those mounted on the two axles, was almost the norm until the 1980s. But as early as the seventies, car manufacturers began to provide cars with narrower emergency wheels ("space savers") instead of the large and heavy spare wheel. The advantages were clear: the smaller wheel was lighter and took up less space in the luggage or engine compartment. In addition, the likelihood of a puncture had steadily decreased over the decades, which is why many spare wheels remained in place unused for years anyway.

Of course, the spare wheels also had disadvantages if they had to be used. The tires were usually narrower and offered less traction, they braked worse and on some cars the electronic assistants did not work correctly. Nor did they improve the car's appearance, on the contrary. In addition, the maximum speed was usually limited and there were often problems when the larger normal wheel had to fit into the full trunk instead of the emergency wheel and there was no more room. Because the emergency wheels were cheaper to produce, they nevertheless became popular (with the manufacturers). The first Seat Ibiza also had an emergency wheel, which was stored in the engine compartment (and can be seen in the photo above).

Today, however, hardly any cars are equipped with emergency wheels any more; instead of them came small compressors in combination with a liquid to seal holes in the tire. This may work for minor tire damage, but in more serious cases, the only thing that helps is a call to ADAC, TCS and the like, or the car manufacturer's breakdown service.

In the past, the "normal" spare wheel was not only used for emergencies, but also as a fully-fledged utility wheel. This saved one rim and meant that four summer and four winter wheels were sufficient. One of the unused wheels then took on the role of the spare wheel. But yes, that was a long time ago ...

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Once upon a time ... the diffusing disk

Paul Krüger
04/21/2024

Paige Model 6-55 Essex Tourer (1918) – Scheinwerfer mit Streuscheibe

Isn't it outrageous that eye clinics still charge several thousand francs for corneal lasering? You can get it for free on any highway these days! You just have to wait until a modern vehicle with LED headlights comes along at night.

Okay, back to seriousness for a moment. Matrix headlights, which use intelligent traffic recognition and automatic cut-off to increase visibility without dazzling other road users, are all the rage these days. Thousands of small mirrors and countless servomotors in the headlights do their utmost to ensure that the light only reaches the right places. With enormous technical effort, attempts are being made to get to grips with a problem that was solved 70 years ago with a simple ground pane of glass.

Scheinwerfer verschiedener Arten mit Streuscheiben für Nebel und Fernlicht

The good old lens always directed the headlights of your own car a little to the right so that you could see as far as possible in your own lane and dazzle oncoming traffic as little as possible. Due to the fixed glass - apart from the height adjustment for different loads - there was only one fixed direction for the light. The expected glare for every road user was therefore predictable and reliably foreseeable.

Of course, this meant that the illumination of the road was not always 100 percent perfect. But then you simply adapted the speed to the visibility conditions - and not the other way around. The biggest disadvantage of the asymmetrical lens was therefore purely aesthetic. From then on, the headlights no longer looked as artistic as the 1918 Paige Model 6-55 above, but always squinted a little to one side.

Scheinwerfer eines VW Käfer

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