Who invented it? Young talent campaigns in the classic car scene
04/17/2025
First of all: The answer to the above, not entirely serious question is ultimately unimportant, as the following is about promoting young talent for the classic car hobby. And every successful initiative should be welcomed.
Back in 2023, the R/C 107 SL-Club Deutschland e.V. made a red Mercedes-Benz 560 SL from 1988, which was only called "JR" because of its registration number (S-JR 560 H), continuously available for the purpose of recruiting the next generation of classic car enthusiasts. Which already settles the proverbial question of who deserves the honor of the first idea.
However, because this endeavor has now been quite successful, another club for classic Mercedes-Benz vehicles has launched a similar initiative. We are talking about the Mercedes-Benz Interessengemeinschaft e.V. (MBIG) and its "Wilhelm" campaign. Wilhelm, the little brother of "JR", is a blue and black Mercedes-Benz 230 CE - a 124 model series coupé - which was presented at the last Retro Classics in Stuttgart.
Incidentally, the name of the project car comes from its first owner. MBIG will make this vehicle available free of charge for four months (with the exception of fuel) if applicants meet certain criteria. In addition to age (18 to 33 years) and possession of a class B driving license, these include a willingness to share their experiences with the car and to actively participate in club life.
At this year's Techno Classica , "Wilhelm" has now been handed over to the first young driver: nineteen-year-old Isabel Berger from Hückeswagen near Cologne. Isabel is currently training to become a healthcare and nursing assistant and has been in contact with Mercedes-Benz classic cars since childhood. She was infected by the classic car virus through her father, who owns a classic car himself and keeps it in a species-appropriate manner. It's great that father and daughter now have the same hobby!
And things continue with "JR" too. It was exhibited directly opposite "Wilhelm" at the Techno Classica. This car is also waiting for a new temporary owner. And who knows? Maybe there will be other clubs that decide to do something similar.
