From May 24 to July 18, 2021, the Motorworld Manufaktur Region Zürich will become a mecca for motorsport fans. With the support of Kuno Schär, Solitude GmbH is staging a pop-up event in memory of the world's fastest racing class in the listed building. Eight high-performance sports prototypes with the nickname "Big Bangers" will be on display for two months in Motorworld on an area of around 200 square meters. The historic occasion is the commemoration of the "Interseries", which was launched in 1970 as the European counterpart to the American CanAm Cup.
From May 24-30, exhibition partner Aston Martin St. Gallen will also be presenting two vehicles from the limited edition "Vantage V12 Zagato Heritage TWINS". The special series, limited to 19 pairs of vehicles, is being created to mark 100 years of Zagato and 60 years of collaboration with Aston Martin. Further rare Aston Martin models will be on display during the course of the special exhibition, including the Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 from the 12-hour race in Bathurst and a DB4 Continuation.
The special exhibition starts on May 24 to mark the 40th anniversary of the death of Swiss racing legend Herbert "Stumpen-Herbie" Müller. As part of the exhibition, Daniel Müller, son of Herbert Müller, will present the newly published biography of his father "Herbert Müller...alles zu langsam".
The fastest Europeans
Porsche cars dominated the European Interseries from 1970 to 1974 with the Type 917. The championship winners were Jürgen Neuhaus (917 Coupé) in 1970, Leo Kinunnen (917 Coupé and 917/10 Spyder) from 1971 to 1973 and Herbert Müller (917/30 Spyder) in 1974.
The biggest opponents were drivers such as Helmut Kelleners and George Loos with the McLaren M8F with over 800 hp. But the Ferrari 512s with their 600 hp twelve-cylinder engines also belonged to the top group in the early years of the Interseries. "Powered by Porsche" were the Behnke, KMW and Tecno brands. Lola's T 70 also provided a solid basis for the fast sports prototype class. Fascinatingly beautiful exotics were the Alfa Romeo 33 and the three-liter Abarth. A Sauber C5 was successful in 1976 with the Swiss driver Peter Müller.
Five Swiss personalities and brands played a notable role in the Interseries: Edi Wyss, Herbert Müller, Peter Sauber, Fredy Lienhard and Horag.
Edi Wyss, born on September 3, 1942, from the Zurich Oberland, is the bridge between them all. He joined McLaren in England as a mechanic in 1968 and accompanied Denny Hulm to the Formula 1 world championship title. He then traveled the world as an "itinerant mechanic", working with Joakim Bonnier, Clay Regazzoni and Herbert Müller, among others. 50 years ago, "The Swiss Wiz" was Jo Siffert's racing mechanic in the CanAm Cup and looked after his Porsche 917/10 with over 1000 hp.
Finally, in 1974, Wyss constructed the C4, the Swiss racing team's first monocoque racing car, for Peter Sauber. He then set up his own workshop in Zurich-Witikon, focusing on classic Ferraris.
Herbert Müller won the Interseries three times in 1974, 1975 and 1976. The first two championships in a Porsche and finally in 1976 with a Sauber C5-BMW. The special show in the Swiss top driver's honor begins on May 24, 2021, 40 years after his fatal accident in the 1000 km race at the Nürburgring. The 40th anniversary of his death will be celebrated by his son Daniel Müller at Forellensee in the Bernese Oberland. The biography of Herbert Müller will be presented in June as part of the exhibition "The Interserie lives".
Major Swiss collectors open their garages
The "Autobau Erlebniswelt" in Romanshorn is a cooperation partner of the Big Banger Show. Owner Fredy Lienhard himself drove a Horag CanAm in the Interserie. Based on F 3000 monocoques, some very successful vehicles with 3.5-liter Formula 1 engines were built from 1987 onwards. The Swiss racing car manufacturers won the overall classification of the European Interseries in 1995, 1996 and 1997. These vehicles mark the spectrum of the last generation of Interseries cars. The regulations gave the constructors an unusual amount of freedom. The championship was ultimately held until 2009.
Major Swiss collectors opened their garages for the pop-up event at Motorworld Manufaktur. A Ferrari 512 and a Porsche 917 will be on display, while Edi Wyss will provide the McLaren M8 that George Loos successfully drove from 1971. A T 70 Lola Coupé and a Spyder version of the English sports prototype are coming from collectors, and Engelbert Möll's famous Abarth collection is also contributing some very special highlights. Both three-liter sports prototypes built in 1970 will be on display together for the first time: The carburetor version "3000 Sport Spider Prototipo" and the fuel-injected version "3000 Sport Prototipo". Herbert Müller's Sauber C5 winning car is expected to round off this unique horsepower show.
Last year, the event agency Solitude GmbH caused a sensation at Motorworld Region Stuttgart with this motorsport theme. Managing Director Tobias Aichele commented: "I am delighted that our exhibition concept has found such a successful continuation in the Zurich region and am pleased that we can remind visitors of the great importance of Swiss personalities and racing teams in this European championship." The motorsport enthusiast continues: "It is important to me that even in these times characterized by Corona, we make motorsport tangible within the scope of the possibilities - for example in a special themed property such as Motorworld Region Zurich."
The pop-up event was made possible by a brand with strong motorsport genes, Aston Martin, or Aston Martin St. Gallen to be precise. As a bridge to the modern motorsport era, the Aston Martin Vantage V12 Zagato Heritage Twins will be on display in the foyer of the exhibition hall during the first week of the exhibition - a feast for the eyes. The special series, limited to 19 pairs of vehicles, is being created to mark 100 years of Zagato and 60 years of collaboration with Aston Martin. Further rare Aston Martin models will be on display during the course of the special exhibition, including the Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 from the 12-hour race in Bathurst and a DB4 Continuation.
Further information can also be found on Facebook or Instagram (#interserie50) and on the homepage of our partner agency infact.digital. Information on how to get there and the opening hours can be found on the homepage of Motorworld Manufaktur Region Zürich.
