2007 Elfin MS8 Streamliner

Auto Car | 2007 Elfin MS8 Streamliner | For over 40 powerful years, Garrie Cooper's Elfin Sports Car Company has produced some of the most highly competitive sports and open-wheeler racing cars of their day, ranging from the 1959 Streamliner, to Formula Vees through to "big banger" sports cars and the MR9 Formula 5000 of the 1980"s.

Elfin has won no less than 29 championships and major titles including two Australian Driver's Championships, five Australian Sports Car Championships, four Australian Tourist Trophies and three Formula Ford titles. World Formula One Champion James Hunt raced an Elfin, as did the brilliant French Formula One driver, Didier Pironi. Elfin also took out the Singapore Grand Prix and twice won the Malaysian Grand Prix. The original Elfin Clubman was designed in 1961 and 14 vehicles were manufactured. For the new Millennium, enter the "New Generation" Elfin Clubman Type 3 and MS8 Clubman and Streamliner models.

The Elfin MS8 models have been designed by Elfin Sports Cars and styled by the Holden Design team. This collaboration between two proud Australian manufacturing icons has been an enthusiastic exercise, by car enthusiasts, for car enthusiasts.

The Elfin MS8 sports cars are worthy successors to the famous Elfin MS7, the Chevrolet V8 powered Elfin which won the 1975 and 1976 Australian Tourist Trophy Sports Car Championships.

As with the Clubman, it features a 5.7-litre V8, which makes the Lotus 2-Eleven's supercharged 1.8-litre unit look rather weedy. Sourced from the Corvette, the motor pumps out 328bhp and 465Nm of torque. And as the Elfin weighs only 1,100kg, the 0-62mph sprint takes 4.4 seconds, while the top speed is around 160mph.

Add in a removable hard-top, rear-wheel drive and a meaty six-speed gearbox, and the driving experience is exciting. Acceleration is vivid and the engine sounds amazing, but what's surprising is the comfortable ride and how well built the hand-crafted interior is.

The car grips well and corners quickly, but while the brakes provide good stopping power, they're unassisted and heavy to use, which is at odds with the light steering.

At nearly £50,000, the MS8 Streamliner is expensive. But with only around a dozen expected to be sold in the UK every year, it will certainly be a rare sight.

Source : www.fast-autos.net

1988 Ferrari Testarossa

Auto Car | 1988 Ferrari Testarossa |  Introduced at the 1984 Paris Salon, the Testarossa caused a sensation. Seemingly loved and loathed in equal measure, the functionality of its Pininfarina styled bodywork was disguised by a wealth of flamboyant / futuristic detailing. Developed with the aid of a wind tunnel it combined a low drag coefficient with impressive negative lift characteristics (hence the lack of extraneous aerodynamic aids). The first twelve-cylinder Ferrari to be marketed in America for a decade, the new flagship was of vital importance to Maranello.

Although, it was built around a similar tubular steel matrix and retained the same mid-engined layout as its Berlinetta Boxer forebears, the Testarossa was more than just a simple evolution. Its use of galvanised steel for the doors, roof and bulkheads promised greater longevity (the rest of the bodywork was formed in aluminium), while a longer wheelbase, wider track and revised all-round double-wishbone coil-over suspension promoted better handling. As well as greater interior space, drivers also benefited from an adjustable steering column, re-profiled seats and air conditioning. Mounting the drivetrain and rear suspension on a separate subframe meant better noise insulation and easier servicing. The switch from a large front-mounted radiator to twin units housed in front of each rear wheel (and force fed air by special aerofoils secreted in the prominent door / rear wing strakes) resulted in more efficient cooling and less heat soak.

Extensively reworked, the 4942cc flat-12 (whose roots dated back to Ferrari's 1975 312T F1 car) was lightened by 20kgs and featured ellipso hemi-spherical combustion chambers, four-valve cylinder heads and Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection. Developing some 390bhp and 362lbft of torque, it was mated to a five-speed manual gearbox but kept in check by twelve-inch discs all-round (gripped by four-pot callipers) and a limited slip differential. Highly praised by the contemporary motoring press, Autocar magazine found the Testarossa capable of 181mph and 0-60mph in 5.3 seconds. Predictably exclusive, just 438 are thought to have been UK supplied. Finished in Rosso Corsa with Crema leather upholstery, this particular example is described by the vendor as being in "very good" condition with regard to its engine, five-speed manual gearbox, electrical equipment, interior trim, chassis, bodywork, paintwork and wheels / tyres.

Warranted to have covered less than 17,000 miles from new, 'E40 DCU' is accompanied by assorted invoices from the likes of Graypaul and Bob Houghton. While, the history file also contains a CD recording of its most recent cambelt change. Starting readily upon inspection, the Testarossa is said to be one of the cars that the vendor's wife enjoys driving the most (a testament to its nicely weighted controls and usable nature). Riding on five-spoke alloys and sporting orange-faced instruments, this low mileage Ferrari is offered for sale with the aforementioned documentation, MOTs dating back to 1991 (including a continuous run from 1995 onwards) and current MOT certificate valid until November 2008. Among the most coveted 'Poster Cars' of the 1980s, how long will it be before the Ferrari Testarossa has its day in the sun?

Source : www.motorbase.com

1982-1985 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole

Auto Car | 1982-1985 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole |  Along with the coupe version, Ferrari also revealed the 308 GTS Quattrovalvole - the 308 GTB Quattrovalvole targa version. The car remained into production from 1982 to 1985, with 3042 units produced, in both right and left hand drive versions. All US market examples were fitted with catalytic convertors. The Quattrovalvole part of the model name referred to the four valves per cylinder heads on the engine, which provided increased power over the preceding model.

Along with the other chages, also seen in the coupe version: the addition of a slim louvre panel in the front lid to aid radiator exhaust air exit, paired electrically operated door mirrors with a small enamel Ferrari badge on the shell, a revised radiator grille with rectangular driving lights at the extremities, and rectangular (instead of round) side repeater lights, on the targa version the removable grained satin black finished roof panel was stowed in a vinyl cover behind the seats when not in use.

As the coupe version, the targa version was powered by a V8 engine, in 90 degree configuration, with belt driven twin overhead camshafts per bank, having a total capacity of 2926cc. The engine developed a total of 240bhp at 7000rpm for the European models, and 235bhp at 6800rpm for US market variants. It was mated to a transversely mounted in unit with the all synchromesh five speed transmission assembly, which was below, and to the rear of the engine’s sump.

The options list included: metallic paint, a deep front spoiler, air conditioning, wider wheels, 16" Speedline wheels with Pirelli P7 tyres, and a rear of roof satin black finished aerofoil.

Source : www.topspeed.com

1984 Ferrari 512i Berlinetta Boxer

Auto Car | 1984 Ferrari 512i Berlinetta Boxer |  Enzo Ferrari wasn’t blind to the success of the Dino, or to the market’s yearning for a midengine 12-cylinder Ferrari. When finally he decided to make one, however, he surprised most everyone by using a “flat-12” engine rather than a V-12.

The engine design was dubbed a “boxer” because the pistons were opposed parallel to one another and moved like a boxer throwing jabs. Ferrari had used the flat-12 configuration for years. It appeared first in its Formula 1 cars in 1964 and ‘65, then in 1969’s undefeated hillclimb champion, the Ferrari 212 E Montagna. Ferrari’s 1970 and ‘71 F1 machines also were flat-12 powered.

“I very much liked the Boxer engine because of its space architecture,” Sergio Pininfarina said. “For years I had to fight with a high engine and a large radiator because the engine’s height automatically (dictated) the radiator’s height ... The boxer engine was lower, making everything easier.”

This was the world’s first roadgoing flat-12 engine. But the fact that it displaced the same 4.4-liters as the Daytona’s V-12 allowed Ferrari to use components already in production, including pistons and connecting rods. This Ferrari engine was also the first in any high-performance sports car with camshafts driven by belts rather than by chains. That made it quieter, less costly to build, and easier to service. The transmission was offset to the left, with the gearbox located ahead of the final drive to provide room for the engine oil sump.

The chassis was a semimonocoque design around the cabin, with tubular subframes front and rear. Suspension was independent all-around.

Pininfarina used 1968’s P6 racing prototype as the design’s starting point. Making the Ferrari 365 GT4/BB’s lower portions a different color from the top was a styling touch from the designer’s 1956’s Superfast I showcar. “The idea was to ‘cut’ the car in two to make it look slender,” Pininfarina explained.

The prototype Boxer made its debut at the Turin Auto Show in 1971, its top speed listed at a heady 188 mph. But it would be two years before it entered production. And the world that greeted Ferrari’s fastest car was far different from the one that worshipped the Daytona. The oil crisis, political strife, crippling strikes, and material shortages affected the Boxer’s build quality and production process.

That may very well have affected its performance, and any performance deficit was a damage to its reputation. For while every magazine met or exceeded the Daytona’s 174-mph claimed top speed, none got close to the Boxer’s quoted maximum. For example, in its June 1975 road test, Road & Track called the Boxer “the fastest road car we’ve ever tested.” But the 175 mph it recorded was well short of 188.

Worse, acceleration times were disappointing; R&T needed 7.2 seconds to hit 60, some 2 seconds off factory figures. A slipping clutch and a transmission that frequently remained in neutral when upshifting at redline certainly didn’t help. And at speeds above 130, the front became light on undulating roads.

Other magazines encountered similar problems, but when a 365 BB was right, it was really right. Mel Nichols clocked 0-60 in 5.4 seconds and 0-100 in 11.3 in a CAR road test that lauded the Ferrari effusively.

Refinement issues were addressed in 1976, with introduction of the Ferrari 512 BB. The new name signified the engine's 5.0-liters and 12 cylinders. Rear track increased 1.7 inches, and the body was 2 inches wider and 1.5 inches longer. The front end had a small chin spoiler, and NACA ducts helped rear brake cooling.

Road & Track tested a federalized Ferrari 512 in March 1978. Sixty now took 5.5 seconds and 100 took 13.2. Though the editors didn't record its actual maximum speed, they marveled at its ability to keep accelerating, easily running it beyond 150 mph. "The 512 (is) the best all-around sports & GT car we have ever tested,” they concluded.

At 1981’s Frankfurt Show, Ferrari introduced the most refined version of the series, the fuel-injected Ferrari 512 BBi. This would prove the most-popular of the BBs. The Ferrari 512 BBi looked almost identical to its predecessor, save minor exterior details such as badging, but its flat-12 featured Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection instead of multiple carburetors and used a Digiplex ignition system.
The close of Boxer production in 1984 represented yet another milestone in Ferrari history. “It was something special,” said coachbuilder Sergio Scaglietti, whose firm made the bodies. “It was the last car where we made everything by hand.”

Source : auto.howstuffworks.com

1982 Ferrari 308 GTS

Auto Car | 1982 Ferrari 308 GTS |  The Pininfarina designed Ferrari 308 was debut in 1975 and was immediately a success. The vehicles performance, handling, and styling were phenomenal. For the initial 18 months of the 308 GTB's production, fiberglass was predominately used for the bodies, but later switched to all-metal. The fiberglass bodies were around 125 kg lighter. The 308 was capable of producing 255 bhp from its 3 liter, V8, carburetor engine. In 1980, a Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system was installed due to new emission regulations. This caused the horsepower to drop to around 215 hp, thus making the 308 GTBi the slowest of the 308 series.

In 1981, Ferrari introduced 4 valve heads for the 3 liter V8's. This 308's now became known as 308 GTB/GTS Quattrovalvole. The engine now produced 240 BHP, and with the extra weight that was imposed due to using all-metal rather than fiberglass, the performance and handling was back to where it was when it began production. In 1985, Ferrari introduced the 328 GTB/GTS. A vehicle that came equipped with a 3185 cc engine that produced 270 BHP.

The 308 was Ferrari's first two-seat V8 road car. Made available to the public in 1975, it was the long awaited successor to the incomparable Dino 246 GT. The 308 series was a new beginning for the company as the premier builder of exotic sports cars for road use. As such, the 308 was designed to epitomize the sports car in its era. It did so admirably, and remains perhaps the most influential enthusiast car in history. The 308 is the car against which every subsequent sports car has been measured, upon which every Ferrari V8 sports and racing car has been based, and the car that brought Ferrari from the pinnacle of elite car-culture recognition into the minds of the general public. 25 years later, the shape and sound of the 308 is still 'Ferrari' in the minds of many people.

The Ferrari 308 GTS provided Pininfarina with an opportunity to flex its design and styling muscle. The company responded by redefining the public's collective impression of what a Ferrari, and indeed what a sportscar, should look like. The task given Pininfarina was the creation of a two-seat mid-engined V8, and few can have expected the Turin designer to respond with such a tour de force.

The 308's shape bears a passing resemblance to Pininfarina's Dino 246 GT. Where the older car was the ultimate expression of curvaceous 1960's styling, the 308 hinted far more at the future. From its sharp nose incorporating a slim bumper and a deep air dam, to its retractable headlights and row of black louvres that vent air from the radiator, the line flows up the windshield and out around the flanks to reunite

with itself at the buttress C-pillars, ending in a very subtle rear lip spoiler. The design is so beautiful and effective that it has been a basis for exterior styling of every subsequent V8 Ferrari and an object of study for design students the world over.

GTS models had louvered panels over the whole of their rear quarter windows. Increased venting front and rear served to improve cooling with each evolution of the engine. By and large, however, the design of the 308 was so iconic and effective that it was virtually unchanged throughout its decade of production.

Source : www.conceptcarz.com

1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS

Auto Car | 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS | The Dino was the first rear-engined Ferrari production sportscar. It was produced in two versions: the 206 GT (1968-1969) – powered by a 2.0 liter engine with 180-hp – and its evolution, the 246 GT, which was produced from 1969 to 1973.

The 246 GT was powered by a 2.4 liter V6 engine delivering 195hp. The body was designed by Aldo Brovarone (Pininfarina) and the engine had been originally developed by Enzo Ferrari’s son Dino, who had died in 1956. Among the technical highlights were light-weight aluminium body, full independent suspension, and four disc brakes. From 1972 a GTS open-top version was also included in the production range. Commonly referred to as "baby Ferrari", the Dino was produced in 3,500 units until 1973, when it was replaced by the 308 GT4 designed by Bertone.

For 1969, the Dino’s V-6 engine was enlarged to 2,418cc, with output in European versions reaching 195 horsepower. Renamed the 246 GT, and largely unchanged in its design, it would prove to be the ultimate evolution of the diminutive Dino, offered either as a standard hardtop or a targa-topped GTS in 1972. Both the GT and GTS variants stayed in production until 1974 and, while they adhered to Ferrari’s tradition of free-revving, high-performance engines, the responsive handling and dynamic advantages offered by a mid-mounted engine and four-wheel independent suspension characterized Ferraris well into the 1990s.

The Dino 246 genuinely delivers the driving sensation only offered by a Ferrari. As its popularity continues to grow, it is the GTS variant, which was produced in lower numbers, that remains a favorite among cognoscenti as a trailblazer of the production mid-engined modern Ferrari.

 

Source : www.carbodydesign.com

1965 Ferrari 365 P2

Auto Car | 1965 Ferrari 365 P2 | Ferrari built this car for Luigi Chinetti's North American Racing Team (NART) for the 1965 Le Mans where it finished 7th. It won the 1965 12 Hours at Reims with Pedro Rodriguez and Jean Guichet driving. This car is powered by a 4390cc, V12 engine, developing 380 horsepower and has a top speed of 186 miles per hour.The car was rebodied for the 1966 and 1967 Le Mans races where it did not finish. This car was also raced at Daytona and Sebring.

It is now in its original 1965 bodywork and the only Ferrari P2 in its 1965 form.At the 1963 Le Mans 24 Hour race, Ferrari captured more than a victory, it secured another milestone when their 250 P became the first mid-engine car to capture the checkered flag at Le Mans. The mid-engine revolution had begun well before the 250P took its victory; mid-engined cars were winning in all arenas and it was only a matter of time before this configuration would rule the legendary Le Mans circuit. The mid-engine layout offered better handling and aerodynamics.

For Ferrari, their origins with the mid-engine layout traces back to the 246 SP Prototype introduced in 1961. The 250P utilized the tubular frame from the 246 though it was enlarged to accommodate the single cam, 3-liter V12 Testa Rossa engine. The interior had seating for two; directly behind the cockpit were the engine and the five-speed gearbox. In it racing debut at Sebring, the Ferrari 250 P finished in first and second place. It went on to capture first overall at Nurburgring. In the capable hands of Ludovico Scarfiotti and Lorenzo Bandini, the 250 P earned first overall at Le Mans. A second Ferrari 250 P car finished in third place.

The following season, in 1964, Ferrari introduced their updated 275 P and 330 P, an evolution of the 250 P. They had the same basic design as the 250 P and were made available to privateers. The 250 P cars had been all Factory Works entries. The 250 Le Mans mid-engine racer was a privateer model, introduced in November of 1963 and raced with great success around the world. In total, there were around 32 examples of the 250 LM created. Most were powered by a 3.3-liter engine that produced 320 horsepower.

The 275P was powered by a V-12 engine that displaced 3275cc and produced 320 horsepower, 20 more horsepower than the 250 P. The 330 P's engine displaced 3967cc and was capable of 370 horsepower. The 275 P continued the tradition of the 250 P by capturing 1st and 2nd at Sebring. In third place was the 330 P. At Nurburgring, a 275 P finished first. At Le Mans, Ferrari would earn their eighth overall victory in the 24 hour race. Drivers Jean Guichet and Nino Vaccarella crossed the finish line first in a 275 P. A pair of 330 Ps captured second and third place. For 1965, competition had reached a new level. The legendary Ford GT40 cars were challenging Ferrari for the coveted Le Mans victory. Ferrari's answer was more horsepower and more aerodynamic bodies. Thus, the P2 series was born.

Though the 275 P2 and 330 P2 had similarities to the 250 P, they did have their differences. The cars had been designed with the aid of a wind tunnel. They sat lower to the ground, were wider, lighter, had a new tail and spoiler, and had several other noticeable changes such as a more upright windscreen. Construction was handled by Carrozeria Fantuzzi. The front wheels measured eight inches while the rears were larger by an inch. Instead of the traditional wire wheels, cast-magnesium units rode at all four corners. Ferrari fitted these new cars with a suspension system similar to the ones being used in their Formula One program.

Mounted mid-ship were the double overhead camshaft V-12 engines with twin plugs per cylinder. The 275 P2 produced 350 horsepower, while the 330 P2 was capable of over 400 horsepower.

The P2's would not win at Le Mans. A 275 P2 did take the overall victory at Monza and the Targa Florio while the 330 P2 won at the Nurburgring. Things went well for the 365 P2 at Reims, rewarding the car with an overall victory. A Ferrari did win at Le Mans in 1965; it was a 250 LM North American Racing Team (NART) entry driven by Jochen Rindt and Masten Gregory.

Source : www.conceptcarz.com

1961 Ferrari 250 GT

Auto Car | 1961 Ferrari 250 GT | The 250 GT SWB was designed by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti. It was designed for the race track and the road. This two-seater had an aggressive stance and a wheel base 8 inches shorter than the LWB edition. The street versions were called 'Lusso' (luxury) and contained a Colombo V-12 producing as much as 280 BHP and propelled the vehicle to a top speed of about 150 mph. Modifications had been made to the engine to make it easier to work on during competition events. For example the spark plugs were moved to make them more accessible. The competition models had their body entirely made of the weight-saving metal aluminum. Also, plastic side windows were used to help keep the weight to a minimum. By shortening the wheel base, the chassis became more solid and the vehicle more agile.

The Berlinetta (litle coupe) Lusso (luxury), more commonly known as the 250 GT/L was also designed by Pininfarina and debuted at the 1962 Paris show.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB with chassis number 2443GT is a left hand drive vehicle with competition features. It was constructed on May 04th of 1961. During its early life it was driven in various hillclimb competition, driven by Walter Lambert and bearing the number 173. In June of 1961 it was entered in the Col de la Faucille Hillclimb, again driven by Lambert, but bearing number 42. It finished second in class. Tragedy struck the following day as the vehicle was involved in an accident that claimed the life of its driver. The vehicle was repaired but its original engine, #682F was replaced with block #730 E. The rear axle number 339F was replaced with #161 F which had been retro-fitted from 1931GT.

The car has been entered into the Oldtimer Grand Prix in Nuerburgring drivers P. Luigi Pantaleoni, Fabrizio Violati, and Archibald von Wegner.

In 2001 the car was sold at Bonhams Gstadd Auction where the car netted $1,640,750 which included buyers premium. In 2004 it was driven by Bobby Rahal in the Monterey Historic Races. In 2006 it was driven by Rahal at the Cavallino Classic.

One of two original Scuderia Ferrari Factory Competition (Berlinetta) team cars, also known as 'SEFAC Hot Rod.' Driven by factory team driver, Joe Schlesser, for LeMans in April 1961; crashed while practicing It was rebuilt by Modena factory. It raced in Italy; ran the Targa Florio 1965. Class wins in Hill Climbs Austria in 1967. Tour Auto France 2004. Tour Britannia in UK, 2005. Goodwood Revival in UK with co-driver Stirling Moss in 2005.

This aluminum body competition model won Monterey Historics in its race in 2006, driven by Hans Hugenholtz.

Ferrari 250 GT SWB with chassis number 2701GT is a Berlinetta Competizione with left hand drive. It was constructed near the close of July 1961. It was originally finished in gray metallic with engine number 388E. It was used as a factory test car. For the 1961 LeMans, it was a practice vehicle driven by Fernand Tavano and Jo Schlesser. By 1967 it was competing in Hillclimbs, driven by Egon Hofer. At the Weerberg Hillclimb and Gaisberg Hillclimb, it finished first in class. At the Targa Florio it was driven by Hofer and Aruntunoff and bearing the number 74. Unfortunately, it failed to finish.

The car was sent back to the factory and its engine was repaired. It was given engine number 330 GT. It was then sold to Anatoly Arutunoff of Oklahoma who paid $3,900. Since then, it has changed hands.

Source : www.conceptcarz.com

1958 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe

Auto Car | 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe | Pinin Farina developed a new 250 GT Coupe by at the end of 1957 while the Ellena-bodied car was still in production. Several prototypes were built, the third of which was sold to Prince Bertil of Sweden. Another prototype was entered in the Concours d’Elegance at Antibes, one of the earliest appearances of a Ferrari in concours competition. Production of the 250 GT Coupe began in 1958 at Pinin Farina’s new factory at Grugliasco and it was during production of this model that the company’s name (and its founder’s name) was changed to Pininfarina

The Ferrari Pinin Farina Coupe shown here, chassis number 1233 GT, was sold new through the Venezuelan Ferrari importer Carlos Kauffmann in Caracas to the first owner, an engineer named Staccioli.

The Ferrari 250 GT Coupe was so well received that some 350 examples were produced and road car production at Maranello was increased by 75% purely because of the success of this car. It is no surprise as to why—the 250 GT Coupe had purposeful, notchback styling, the best-appointed interior of any Ferrari built thus far; it could attain a top speed of 240 km/h and would sprint from zero to 100 kmh in 6.7 seconds.

 

Source : blog.hemmings.com

1954 Mercedes-Benz Blue Wonder Transporter

Auto Car | 1954 Mercedes-Benz Blue Wonder Transporter |  As part of this year's celebrations for the 75th anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows, the German automaker has brought together three generations of trucks that have been used to transfer the firm's racing cars over the years. These include the 1934 Lo 2750, an awesome replica of the once fastest racing car transporter in the world, the so-called 'Blue Wonder' from 1955 that was powered by the original Gullwing's direct-injection engine, and a modern day Actros Truck.

Needless to say, the one that stands out like a shining star is the official replica of the 'Blue Wonder'. Built at the request of racing manager Alfred Neubauer in the mid 1950s, this one-of-a-kind transporter served Mercedes-Benz for more than a decade.

The 6.75-metre-long and two-meters-wide hauler used a lengthened tubular frame from the Mercedes-Benz 300 S luxury coupe of the era.

Power was provided by a three-liter inline-six with direct-injection that came straight from the legendary 300 SL Gullwing sports car of 1955, while various body components such as the doors, wings and some of the interior appointments were sourced from the Mercedes-Benz 180 standard saloon. It was then billed as the 'fastest racing car transporter in the world'.

After Mercedes-Benz withdrew from motor sports at the end of 1955, the 'Blue Wonder' initially served as an exhibition vehicle in the USA, followed by ten years of service for Mercedes-Benz test drives. Unfortunately, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, who managed the motor sports department during the racing car carriers' "active" period, had the one-off model scrapped in 1967.

However, decades later, Mercedes-Benz rebuilt this stunning racing car hauler based on archive photographs.

As for the other two trucks featured here, the Mercedes-Benz Lo 2750 is a completely restored model from 1936 equipped with a four-cylinder petrol engine while the 4-meter tall and 16.5-metre long 2009 Actros Truck that's powered by a V8 turbo diesel currently serves as a carrier for Mercedes-Benz's Formula 1 and DTM racing cars.

Source : carscoop.blogspot.com

1939 Mercedes-Benz G4 Offroader

Auto Car | 1939 Mercedes-Benz G4 Offroader |  In the early 1930's, Daimler-Benz worked on the development of a heavy off-road sedan for the Reichswehr (German military). In 1934, a three-axle car was created, called the "Geländewagen Typ 4" or G4. Because it was too heavy and too costly for the Reichswehr, the car would probably have faded into history if not for Hitler and other important figures of the time. After their ascension to power, many German dignitaries used them to visit army maneuvers and attend parades. It was also used during the annexation of Austria, the occupation of Czechoslovakia, and for tours of captured territories.

For this, the Mercedes-Benz G4 was supremely suited, since it was capable of driving off-road while offering its occupants a first-class ride. Over time, the engine was produced in three variants and the body's exterior was modified repeatedly. Some cars were even bullet-proofed and came equipped with "run-flat" tires should they be shot out.

Daimler-Benz has a long history of producing four-wheel drive vehicles. In 1907, the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft built a four-wheel drive vehicle called Dernburg-Wagen, which was also equipped with four-wheel steering, that was used by German colonial civil servant, Bernhard Dernburg, in Namibia, Africa. In 1926, Mercedes and BMW introduced a rather sophisticated four-wheel drive, known collectively as the G1, the G4 and the G4 following. The 1937 Mercedes-Benz G5 and BMW 325 4x4 featured full time four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, three differential lockers, and fully independent suspension. They were produced because of a government demand for a four-wheel drive passenger vehicle. The modern G-series/Wolf such as the G500 and G55 AMG still feature some of the attributes, with the exception of fully independent suspension since it hinders suspension articulation. The Unimog is another Mercedes truck.

It was not until "go-anyw" vehicles were needed for the military that four-wheel drive found its rightful place. The Jeep, originally developed by American Bantam but mass-produced by Willys and Ford, became the best-known four-wheel drive vehicle in the world during World War II. Willys (since 1950 owner of the Jeep name) introduced the CJ-2A in 1945 as the first full-production four-wheel drive passenger vehicle, possibly beaten by the 1941 GAZ-61.

Pictured is a 1:43 scale diecast replica of an uparmored 1939 Mercedes-Benz G4 limousine that was presented to Generalisimo Francisco Franco of Spain by the Reich Chancellor of Germany, and produced by Minichamps. Comes in a handsome display case. #MIN436035600

Dimensions:
Length: 6 inches
Width: 2 inches

Features:
- 104 Parts with 127 Decorations
- 43 Mask sprays
- 10 Tampo prints
- 4 Decals
- 20 Free sprays
- 50 Chromed parts
- Comes with acrylic display case

Source : www.worthpoint.com

1935-1936 Mercedes-Benz 150 Sports Roadster

Auto Car | 1935-1936 Mercedes-Benz 150 Sports Roadster | In February 1935 the then Daimler-Benz AG presented the Mercedes-Benz 150 Sports Roadster (W 30 series) at the International Automobile and Motorcycle Show (IAMA) in Berlin. The new car was positioned in the model range as a compact sports car with the potential for a bigger series – but in the end only a very few examples were actually built. The exact number is unknown.

The 150 was one of a succession of distinctive Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the early 1930's. Against the backdrop of the generally difficult economic situation at the time they were created with the intention of completing the lower end of the product portfolio. At the same time they are examples of the consistent implementation of innovative vehicle concepts throughout the long history of Daimler AG.

In 1934 the four-seater Mercedes-Benz 130 (W 23), the first series-produced car of the brand with a rear-mounted engine, appeared. In that same year the two-seater 150 model with mid-engine was built as a so-called Sports Saloon – today we would call this a coupé or sports coupé – especially for the "2000 Kilometres Across Germany" long-distance rally. In 1936 the four-seater Mercedes-Benz 170 H (W 28), with rear-mounted engine, debuted as the successor to the 130.

The two-seater Mercedes-Benz 150 Sports Roadster presented in 1935 is based on the engineering of the 150 Sports Saloon. It also has a mid-engine: to improve axle load distribution the drive unit engine-cum-transmission is rotated through 180 degrees; the engine is in front of the rear axle, the transmission behind it. Compressed air cooling enables the use of a smaller radiator since an engine-driven, encapsulated fan forces the cooling air through the radiator. The small rectangular radiator is located behind the engine, over the rear axle.

The engine can be regarded as a high-performance unit: with a displacement of 1.5 litres it produces an output of 40 kW – a very remarkable figure for the time, which even many a bigger-displacement engine could not deliver. The top speed of the Mercedes-Benz 150 Sports Roadster is put at 125 km/h, which is unusually fast for the 1930's.

A sales brochure praises the vehicle as a "spirited sports car" and emphasises the qualities of the sports engine and the excellent power-to-weight ratio. "One horsepower carries the burden of only 19 kg! This explains why the 150 has an acceleration in all gears that is almost a match for that of a supercharged car." The Mercedes-Benz 150 Sports Roadster remained in the official sales line-up until 1936.

Its body design fundamentally distinguishes it from the Sports Saloon. It was completely redrafted and shows some of the typical features of the open-top sports cars of its period, for example the backswept, divided windscreen and the two externally mounted spare wheels, which are fitted on the sides behind the doors, however. A main-beam headlamp is trimmed into the middle of the front end. A striking feature is the boattail, which tapers to a point and has two number plate holders. The Mercedes star on the front end stands upright; the rear-engined models 130 and 170 H have stars lying on the body's sheet metal. Both the light, unbuttonable roadster soft top and small items of luggage can be stored behind the seats. There is space under the front bonnet for a large suitcase and the fuel tank.

So the ingredients promised an exciting sports car, which also had a relatively moderate price of 6600 Reichsmarks – preconditions for a larger unit volume. But the production numbers remained extremely limited. The existing figures differ: one statistic shows 20 units; the statistics for the bodies built in Sindelfingen on the other hand cite five manufactured units – one in 1934, four in 1935. Finally, the delivery of only two units can be proven with the commission books. In any case, the Mercedes-Benz 150 Sports Roadster is one of the rarest automobiles of the Mercedes-Benz brand.

A 1936 Roadster is in the possession of Daimler AG. It was acquired second-hand with a mileage of 44,500 kilometres on the counter in the early 1950's through the good offices of Jakob Werlin, a former member of the Board of Management. It appears to be the sole surviving car of what at the time was a very progressive model series.

Source : www.wheelsjamaicahost.com