What does it take to ignite a passion for classic cars? Fond childhood memories of the smell of grandfather’s Opel Kadett C or the dusty Hillman in the blocked garage? Thrilling duels between Mercedes and BMW in the DTM? Or pleasant memories of cult TV stars on four wheels?
Continue reading Success in series – Automobile film and TV stars
Buying a car depends on many factors. In the end, reason is the deciding factor in most cases. But what is true today was quite different in the 1950s and 1960s in the USA. The Pontiac GTO, the Cadillac Fleetwood and the Lincoln Continental could not be too expansive and opulent.
Continue reading Pontiac GTO & Co. – Between tail fin and oil crisis
Where is the journey heading? What does the future hold for classic cars? A frequently asked question in the automotive sector, especially when it comes to classics. Many things are currently on the move: New drive concepts are finding their way into current new cars, but does that also have an impact on my classic?
Continue reading The Future of Classics – A Forecast
No question: SUVs are IN – from the Suzuki Jimny to the now ubiquitous G-Class, the roads are full of SUVs. Every manufacturer is betting on this market segment – and even luxury brands are occupying this market. Aston Martin builds the DBX, Maserati the Levante, Lamborghini the Urus and soon Ferrari will also delight mankind with an SUV. Continue reading Fiat Panda 4×4 & Co. – The birth of the cult SUVs
In France and England, CZ and Z models were already present in the mid-sixties. The German Teenie-Magazine “Bravo” and the TV youth programme “Hallo Freunde” presented Honda’s tiny bike, but rather conservatively as “Pfiffikus”. Continue reading Dax and Monkey – Honda’s little racers
Anyone interested in a classic car or motorbike should also consider how he or she can adequately maintain the vehicle before buying it. For very early models or even for relatively new ones, there are legitimate questions about the supply of spare parts. An inventory Continue reading Spare parts coming classic – Of bottlenecks and new opportunities
In 1970, the “Trimm Dich fit” campaign was launched to motivate Germans to do more sport and thus fight the “prosperity belly”. With various slogans and campaigns, this campaign of the German Sports Federation DSB ran until 1986. Whether it is a coincidence that the Ford Capri (1968-1986) and the Opel Manta (1970-1988) were produced in the same period, we do not know. But we do know that both vehicles represent this zeitgeist wonderfully. Continue reading Ford Capri vs Opel Manta A – Two sporty coupés for everyday use
Sir Stirling Moss passed away in London in April 2020. Many honouring and loving obituaries and memories of the racing legend have been written since then. With the short film The Last Blast, Mercedes-Benz Classic pays homage to Moss in a very special, touching way. Continue reading The last blast – A special farewell to Sir Stirling Moss
When I turned 40, I got a poster. On it, a fat 40 grinned in my face, in front of it a BMW M1 and above it the slogan – “Legendary since 1978”. It doesn’t look that old yet, I thought, and wondered who would have held up better – definitely the M1! When another BMW legend turned 40 last year, my cylinders suddenly started ringing. No amount of 100 octane from the trusted fuel dealer helped, but I went into my garage, stroked the squeaky orange seat of my 1983 BMW R 80 G/S and looked at it as if falling in love for the second time with my own… um… let’s not make such comparisons.
Today’s roads are dominated by so-called sport utility vehicles (SUVs). However, their forefathers were designed for off-road use by the military, aid organisations and forestry and agricultural operations. A look back at their actual purpose.
Continue reading Off-road vehicles in action – from army to civil defence
