Dayton Cars & Coffee, April 28, 1018 at Austin Landing

I knew it would be a hectic affair by the time I got to the I-75 exit ramp at Austin Landing. I thought I was getting there early -- a bit after 8 a.m. -- but there were already an incredible number of cars in place and more in line ahead of me.  And it was cold-- 43 degrees with some wind. It goes to show you how much folks like cars.  many who attended came in everyday vehicles, and there just to watch.  The hot coffee hit the spot, as did a number of the cars.

Ford Motor Company and the Future of the Passenger Car

From Ed Garten:

Ford Motor Company said on Wednesday the only passenger car models it plans to keep on the market in North America will be the Mustang and the upcoming Ford Focus Active, a crossover-like hatchback that's slated to debut in 2019. 

That means the Fiesta, Taurus, Fusion and the regular Focus will disappear in the United States and Canada. 

Ford will, however, continue to offer its full gamut of trucks, SUVs and crossovers. 

By 2020, "almost 90 percent of the Ford portfolio in North America will be trucks, utilities and commercial vehicles," the press release says. "The company is also exploring new 'white space' vehicle silhouettes that combine the best attributes of cars and utilities, such as higher ride height, space and versatility."

The Future of the SUV -- Why are they so popular today?

The SUV (along with unitized body Crossover) is quickly becoming the vehicle of choice not only in the U.S. but China, Europe, and elsewhere in the world. No longer are passenger cars dominant in the marketplace, particularly if you also consider pick-up truck sales within the confines of the U.S. Last year about 1/3 of all vehicle sales were due to SUVs and Crossovers, and there are projections that more than 50% of all sales will be SUVs within the next five years.  It seems that all age groups are embracing this latest trend, and with it the love affair with the passenger car has been replaced with a sort of quirky attraction to a boxy, high and heavy “utilitarian tool” for enhanced mobility. Unlike passenger cars from the past, the SUV is much harder to love.  Many look pretty much alike, boxes with some edges. Aerodynamics has dictated general styles.  So distinctiveness is relegated to the brand symbol stamped into the front grill.

The SUV is popular to many Americans because it is so handy. It can carry dogs, people, lumber and home repair items, and golf clubs with relative comfort.  For older folks it is high off the ground and easier to get in and out. With all the new engine and transmission technologies these vehicles get acceptably good gas mileage, and usually are quite affordable when purchased. With interior quality now far better than it was 10 years ago, the SUV can be not only comfortable but aesthetically pleasing while sitting in the passenger seat or behind the wheel.  

Note that even German luxury makers BMW, Mercedes and Porsche thrive in terms of SUV sales. A decade ago who would have taught that these auto companies (and VW!) would have a substantial part of their business not in passenger cars but in SUVs or Crossovers!

In the U.S. size does matter.  We are generally a big people.  And now a high percentage of us are obese! So SUVs fit us physically. And we are growing older.

These cars are increasingly connected to the internet, and other wireless services, and so appeal to younger buyers. They do impart an aggressive stance, and that appeals to some people.  And at the top end of the price scale vehicles like Porsche Cayennes, Mecans, Escalades, convey status, although not on the level of a Ferrari, Maserati or Porsche 911.

I own a new Subaru Outback, and thus have joined the club. But I am not sold on these vehicles. As someone who was a child during the Golden Age of motor cars in the 1950s and 1960s, I still prefer lighter, smaller rides. With all the SUVs on the road I often have my field of vision blocked while driving my Porsche 911 by their ride height. Thus I can be frustrated. One can feel safer while driving SUVs, but that is often an illusion. They are prone to roll over, and an SUV driver can take additional risks because of the perception of being in a safer vehicle.

Will the SUV be here for the long run?  With electric vehicles on the horizon by 2030 as a significant market niche, I would say no, not in terms of current numbers. Once energy prices increase substantially, a correction will occur. Station wagons were once very popular items, and rarely do you see them on the road today. So were convertibles! 

The 1937 Packard 120 -- the Perfect Car for a Woman's Personal Use

"One Day a Week I'm a Lady"

"Our Chauffeur Wears Skirts"

"Love, Honor and ...Jitney"

"Three Reasons Women Leave Home"

"Four Problems of the Modern Woman"

Steve McQueen, 1977: I want my "Bullitt" Car Back

At the HVA "Driving History" Conference last week this letter was on display, accompanying the actual "Bullitt" car that we learned so much about.  Thanks to Ed Garten for providing me with this image.  The car has an interesting history, including family history. The story tells us much about the importance of the automobile in individuals' lives and connections between father and son.

A Rough and Rusty ABC Rally -- 1920s French Light Car

Fred Simeone is pictured with this car during a discussion as to whether this vehicle should be restored or left as is. As I recall, it was stated that it was a 1923 model.

The company was founded in 1921 by engineer  Eugène Affovard Asnière. His first product was a classic cyclecar equipped with a 989 cc Harley-Davidson V-twin engine. As is typical of most producers in this category, subsequent automobiles (beginning in 1922) used proprietary engines (usually of about 1.1 litres) and transmissions from producers like Chapuis-Dornier, CIME, Ruby, or S.C.A.P.^] The early Rallys were long, sleek, and light and seated two. On early cars the passenger seat was mounted slightly farther back than the driver's seat, although this was later changed so as to improve comfort.

1931 Salmson-engined Rally NC

At the 1926 Paris Salon the underslung Grand Sport was shown, with a supercharged 1,093 cc Chapuis-Dornier engine of 70 PS (51 kW). This enabled a top speed of circa 180 km/h (110 mph). 14 to 16 Grand Sports were built, beginning in 1927. Three still exist. In 1928 a Grand Sport cost FF 42.900. Mechanical drum brakes and a three-speed manual transmission was the norm for Rally's cars of the twenties.

1933 Rally NCP, one of the last built

In 1927 the Rally ABC, was available with three inline-four engine options of 1,093, 1,170, or 1,494 cc. Roots superchargers were also available for some of the engines. Wheelbases ranged between 2.3 and 2.5 m (91 and 98 in), while a 31 PS (23 kW) "1100" could reach about 135 km/h (84 mph). "ABC" signified abaissée, or lowered, reflecting its underslung chassis. The ABC series was retired in 1930. From 1931 the 1,300 cc (65 x 98 mm) twin-cam Salmson S4 unit was used in the new N-series, a slightly sturdier model which replaced the delicate ABC. The Salmson-engined cars also received a four-speed gearbox and often carried a "Salmson" as well as a "Rally" logo on the grille. Salmson had stopped their competition programme and were happy to allow Rally to advertise their wares. The N was also available in a more sporting short wheelbase model, the NC (for court) and also as the more powerful NCP (court puissée, or "short and powerful"). An R-series was also briefly offered with an all-new 1,480 cc straight-eight from S.C.A.P., but this may have remained a prototype. In 1932, for Rally's last appearance at the Paris Motor Show, the new RS model was shown - it received the new 1,466 cc S4C engine, although the smaller N series remained available.

Rally ABC's were also entered into the 1932 and 1933 Mille Miglia road races,^] and finished third and fourth at the San Sebastián Grand Prix. Another ABC finished third at the 1929 "Double Twelve" (a 24-hour race broken into two parts, as nighttime racing was not permitted there) at Brooklands.

Rally was not strong enough to survive the economic depression of the early thirties, and the company was shuttered in 1933 (or 1934) after having spent perhaps a little too much on competition efforts. A significant proportion of the limited production of Rally cars have been carefully conserved and see use in classic events.

HISTORIC VEHICLE ASSN. "DRIVING HISTORY" CONFERENCE AND THE BULLITT MUSTANG

Sorry for the delay in getting this out.  last week I attended the 2nd annual "Driving History" Conference in Allentown at the NB Collection and the HVA Laboratory. In attendance was the original Bullitt Mustang and the owner, who gave a long story of the car and his family history.

The film set the bar for the many chase scene films that followed, including
"The French Connection," the original "Gone in Sixty Seconds" (1974), and many many more leading up to the "Bourne Identity" and "Fast and Furious" franchises.

Though Bond films are considered to be the true pioneers of the action film and chase scene, the film that truly set the stage for all future Hollywood chase sequences was the much celebrated scene from the film Bullitt. This chase featured all of the essential components that would become a necessity for all future chases: high speeds, fast turns, and of course, plenty of destruction. The cars involved in this classic were McQueen's 1967 Ford Mustang GT390 fastback (the Mustang was among the most popular of cars to be featured in films of this era, and this has probably contributed to the “icon” status that these original Mustangs carry) and a 1968 Dodge Charger 440. McQueen, playing the character of a San Francisco detective in a plot that is far from clear at times, senses that the Charger, carrying two bad guys, is following him. He quickly turns left while the Charger is caught in traffic, doubles back, and he closes in on the Charger from behind. Realizing this, the driver of the Charger tries to outrun Bullitt. What followed were two cars flying through the streets of San Francisco at speeds upwards of 110 mph, leaving hubcaps, wrecked cars, and an injured motorcyclist in their wake (the stuntman who drove the motorcycle in the scene was actually the same person who performed most of the driving of the Charger). The Mustang eventually caught the Charger, shotgun blasts follow, and finally McQueen rams the Charger off of the road, where it explodes spectacularly. McQueen, who had earlier received accolades for his motorcycle driving in The Great Escapeand did his own driving in the chase, set the standard for all similar scenes that followed. 

            The cinematography in Bullittwas unique, since it was the first film to use a new Arriflex camera design exclusively during production.⁴²Specific camera placement resulted in unprecedented realism. A Chevrolet camera car, named the “Bullittmobile,” took close-up shots of the actors and stunt men at high speeds. Additionally, a camera mounted on the Mustang resulted in the perception of high speeds without having to break away to a speedometer shot. Cameras were also placed on the sides of the cars, as well as on the street.

            McQueen’s love affair with automobiles went back to his childhood.⁴³At age 13, along with a friend, he built a dragster using a Ford flathead V-8 and a Model A frame. Once he became established as a leading actor, his interest in automobiles turned to sports car racing, and between 1959 and 1970 he participated in at least twenty races in all classes and on all types of tracks, including Sebring. Invited by Sports Illustrated in 1966 to test eight exotic sports cars, McQueen said of himself that “I’m not sure whether I’m an actor who races or a racer who acts.”⁴⁴His car collection included a 1961 Austin Mini Cooper S, a 1963 Ferrari Lusso Berlina and a 512, a Jaguar D-Type XKSS, and three Porsches – a 356 Speedster, a 917, and a 908. 

            McQueen followed Bullitt with the Le Mansin 1971, a remarkable film in its own right, but only popular with a small group of racing and Porsche devotees who appreciated the film’s attention to detail. Cast as Michael Delaney, an American driver who was severely injured in a racing accident at Le Mans the year before, McQueen is drawn to Lisa Belgetti (played by Elga Andersen), widow of a Ferrari driver, who was killed in the same accident. Delaney’s chief racing rival is Erich Stahler (Siegfried Rauch), who is driving a Ferrari. With spectacular cinematography and a sensitive portrayal of the French countryside and fans, Le Mans was undoubtedly the best film depiction of European racing of that era. For McQueen, it proved to be an obsession that never paid off. Essentially  a docudrama, Le Mans failed to resonate with American audiences since it had no dialogue during the first forty minutes, character development was poor, and the stilted dialogue deadening. But for McQueen, it was the ultimate racing film that he always wanted to make. 

A Volvo 850 like Kaye's at the Nürburgring

The Hardest Car Spotter Quiz You Will Ever Take! Identify the Cars in 50 Vintage Photos of People Posing With Their Family Cars

I found this today while looking at Youtube while eating my lunch. Can you name some of the cars?

I am more focused on the people in the photos.  Truly both the people and the cars are ghosts from the past!

The Career of German GP Driver Hermann Lang (1909 - 1987)

French Grand Prix, July 3, 1938: Triple victory for the Mercedes-Benz W 154 racing cars (Manfred von Brauchitsch – Rudolf Caracciola – Hermann Lang).

Tripoli Grand Prix, May 7, 1939. The winner was Hermann Lang in a Mercedes-Benz 1.5 liter W 165 racing car.

1952, Hermann Lang, winner at the Nurburg Ring

The racing team in the Carrera Panamericana Mexico, 1952. (From left): Hermann Lang, Erwin Grupp, Hans Klenk and Karl Kling standing next to the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL coupe (W 194) and John Fitch and Eugen Geiger alongside the 300 SL roadster (W 194).

Hermann Lang was born on 6 April 1909 in Cannstatt near Stuttgart. In the 1930s, he is one of the great racing drivers of the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows. After the Second World War in 1952, he celebrated a keenly awaited comeback on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing coupé. In 1954, he abandoned professional motor racing, but remained with Mercedes-Benz until retirement as a customer service inspector.

Hermann Lang began his racing career on two wheels and rode an old Norton motorcycle to victory on the Solitude circuit in Stuttgart in 1927 when still an apprentice mechanic. Lang developed into a sidecar specialist as a works rider for motorcycle manufacturer Standard, notching up a series of notable victories during the course of 1931 on his way to the German Hill Climb Championship title for sidecars. In 1933 he was taken on by Daimler-Benz AG as a mechanic in the racing and testing department. Lang was occasionally asked to warm up the brakes for the 750-kilogram-formula cars, which gave him the opportunity to show off his driving talents and secured him a place in a junior drivers’ trial. In 1935 Lang made his first start as a Mercedes-Benz racing driver in the International Eifel Race, going on to finish fifth.

Among his subsequent triumphs were victories in the two fastest races on the global calendar in 1937 – the Tripoli Grand Prix and the Avus race in Berlin. The following season saw Lang further consolidate his position as a leading driver in the
Mercedes-Benz racing team, repeating his success in Tripoli and also taking victory in the Coppa Ciano. Lang, Manfred von Brauchitsch and Rudolf Caracciola formed a trio of Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows drivers who struck fear into the hearts of their rivals at the time. 1939 saw him reel off successive wins in the Pau and Tripoli Grands Prix, the International Eifel Race and the Höhenstrassenrennen race outside Vienna, setting new track records on each occasion. This outstanding run was backed up by further wins in the Belgian Grand Prix, the German Hill Climb Grand Prix and the Grand Prix of Switzerland, allowing him to secure both the European Championship and Hill Climb Championship that year.

The Second World War failed to stop Lang in his tracks, the German driver picking up where he had left off to fend off all-comers in the first major race of the post-war era – the Ruhestein hill climb in the Black Forest– in his BMW 328 Mille Miglia. He then rejoined the Daimler-Benz AG team following its return to motor racing in 1951 after an absence of twelve years, taking one second and one third place in two races held in Argentina that spring. Lang celebrated a keenly awaited comeback in the 300 SL
(W 194) in 1952, taking second place behind Karl Kling in Bern and teaming up with Fritz Riess to claim overall victory in the Le Mans 24-hour race. Lang called time on his racing career after the Grand Prix of Europe in August 1954, but remained with Mercedes-Benz until retirement as a customer service inspector. He died on
October 19, 1987 in his home district of Bad Cannstatt in Stuttgart.

Sirens of Chrome and Steel: The 1962 Detroit Auto Show

I was struck not by the cars but by the beautiful women -- the sirens of chrome and steel, that were all around the floor of the Detroit Auto Show in 1962 -- and still a feature of car shows today. They are at the heart of a fantasy, a connection between cars and sexuality that was featured then and now. However, the world is changing, as car culture is now undermined by autonomous vehicles and transportation mobility in a broader scope of what is personal and linked to status and being.

Rudolf Caracciola (1901-1959)

Swiss Grand Prix, Bremgarten, August 26, 1934. Rudolf Caracciola and his Mercedes-Benz formula racing car W 25 during the starting preparations.

Rudolf Caracciola was born on 30 January 1901 in Remagen. As a boy he was fascinated by cars, gathered first experience at the wheel of an “elderly 16/45 Mercedes” during the First World War and made up his mind to become a racing driver. When still a trainee at the Fafnir-Automobilwerke in Aachen, he started in the 1922 Avus race in Berlin (fourth in class) and the Opelbahn race in Rüsselsheim (winner). After a scuffle with an officer of the Belgian occupying forces, Caracciola left Aachen and became a Fafnir representative in Dresden. In 1923, he won the Berlin ADAC (the principal German automobile club) race driving an Ego.

In 1923, Caracciola joined Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft as a car salesman at its Dresden sales outlet. He was allowed to enter races with the current Mercedes 6/25/40 hp racing car. The successes he notched up included victory in the touring car class of the 1923 ADAC Reichsfahrt (German Reich) rally. In 1924, he was winner in his class on several occasions and secured overall victory in the Teutoburger Wald (Teutoburg Forest) race. That was the year he also met his future wife, Charlotte, nicknamed Charly.

In 1925, Caracciola won eight races at the wheel of the Mercedes 24/100/140 hp. In 1926, he won the German Grand Prix in a Mercedes eight-cylinder racing car. It was in this race that he first drew attention to his brilliant driving skills in adverse weather conditions; the victory was a textbook lesson in fingertip control by the “Rainmaster”, as he later came to be known. The prize money gave Caracciola economic security. He married Charly and in January 1927 opened up a Mercedes-Benz agency in Berlin, although he continued to compete in races.

In 1927, Caracciola won the race in which the new 26/170/225 hp Mercedes-Benz S model racing touring car premiered at the Nürburgring race track. That year he also went on to chalk up eleven overall and class wins. In 1928, Caracciola won five races in the successor model, the Mercedes-Benz SS, and he continued his winning form in the new racing tourer, the 27/180/250 hp SSK model. With the SSK he also opened the 1929 race season for Mercedes-Benz in the Monaco Grand Prix (third place). Caracciola won the International Tourist Trophy in Ireland in a Mercedes-Benz SSK in pouring rain at an average speed of 117.2 km/h.

Winner in Italy

Caracciola finished the 1930 Mille Miglia first in his class. The following year he won the race, the first foreign starter ever to do so, in a 27/240/300 hp Mercedes-Benz SSKL racing sports car. After a 16-hour drive from Brescia to Rome and back he and co-driver Wilhelm Sebastian finally crossed the finish line on 13 April 1931 as winners, posting an average speed of 101.1 km/h. In 1931, Caracciola also won the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring – another rain-affected race – and again captured the title of European Sports Car Hillclimb Champion.

When Mercedes-Benz withdrew from racing, Caracciola went to Alfa Romeo. In the 2.6-litre monoposto he won the German and Monza Grand Prix and the 1932 Eifel race. He became European Racing Car Hillclimb Champion and International Alpine Champion. Then in 1933 Caracciola and Louis Chiron set up the independent “Scuderia C.C.”, but he suffered a serious accident during practice for the Grand Prix of Monaco. This forced him to pull out of his racing appearances for the entire year. That winter his wife was killed in an avalanche.

Daimler-Benz signed Caracciola again for the 1934 season. For the new 750-kilogram formula the Stuttgart company launched the W 25 racing car, the first Silver Arrow. At the Italian Grand Prix on 9 April, Caracciola was still troubled by the effects of the injuries sustained in his accident; in first place after 59 laps, he let Luigi Fagioli replace him at the wheel, and Fagioli brought the victory safely home. At the Spanish Grand Prix on 23 September, Caracciola managed a second-place finish. New competition for Mercedes-Benz arrived in the form of Auto Union. These two racing departments would dominate the championship in the coming years.

In 1935, after a long race in sweltering heat, Caracciola won the Grand Prix of Tripoli. This was followed by victories in the Eifel race (16 June) and at the Grand Prix of France (23 June), Belgium (14 July), Switzerland (25 August) and Spain (22 September). A second-place finish in the Grand Prix of Barcelona (30 June) and third place in the German Grand Prix (28 July) rounded off the year. In 1935, he was European and German racing car champion. Mercedes-Benz won 9 out of 14 grand prix events that season, with Caracciola accounting for 6 of them.

His string of successes came to an end in 1936. Although Caracciola opened the season with a victory in Monaco (13 April) – in poor weather he once again demonstrated that his reputation as “Rainmaster” was entirely justified – the redesigned W 25 with short wheelbase increasingly caused problems. “ Caratsch” posted his best results subsequent to Monaco at the Grand Prix of Tunis (17 May, winner), Barcelona (7 June, second) and Tripoli (10 May, fourth). At the German Grand Prix, Caracciola and co-pilot Luigi Fagioli could manage only fifth. The star of that season was Bernd Rosemeyer, who won the European championship for Auto Union.

In 1937, Caracciola returned to the pinnacle of European motorsport. The 750-kg formula was extended for another year, and Daimler-Benz developed the new W 125 racing car specifically for this season. In the monoposto Caracciola secured his second European Championship title. His racing successes that season included victories at the German (25 July), Swiss (22 August) and Italian (12 September) Grand Prix and the Masaryk Grand Prix of Brno (26 September). In addition, Caracciola notched up successes in the international Eifel race (13 June, second place), the German Hillclimb Grand Prix (1 August, third place), in Monaco (8 August, second place) and the Donington Grand Prix (2 October, second place). He was European Champion and also secured the title of German Road Racing Champion.

In the open-formula Avus race in Berlin on 30 May, Mercedes-Benz competed with different vehicle concepts, including three W 25 fitted with aerodynamic fairings. Caracciola won the first race of the competition driving one of these streamlined cars. He married Alice Hoffmann that year.

Record-breaking runs into new dimensions of speed

In January 1938, record-breaking attempts were back on the agenda. Over past years, Caracciola had set several records on autobahns (motorways) and oval circuits. This time on the Frankfurt–Darmstadt autobahn he attained a speed of 432.7 km/h. To this day it is the highest speed ever attained on a public road. It was a record marred by tragedy, however, since his friend and rival Bernd Rosemeyer would die in an attempt to break Caracciola’s record in an Auto Union car.

A new formula was drawn up for the 1938 races that limited displacement to 4.5 litres without supercharger and 3 litres with supercharger. Daimler-Benz designed the new W 154 racing car for this “3-litre formula”; it developed a maximum output of 453 hp from its V12 engine. In 1938, Caracciola won the Coppa Acerbo (14 August) as well as the Swiss Grand Prix (21 August). He placed second or third in the Grand Prix of Pau (10 April, with Hermann Lang, second), Tripoli (15 May, third), the French Grand Prix (3 July, second), the German (24 July, with Hermann Lang, second) and Italian Grand Prix (11 September, with Manfred von Brauchitsch, third). Now 37, Caracciola won the title of European Champion for the third time and consolidated his reputation as the most successful racing driver of the era.

In the Grand Prix of Tripoli, for which Daimler-Benz specially developed the 1.5-litre voiturette W 165, Caracciola took second place behind Hermann Lang – a double victory for the Silver Arrows. But the premier racing car of the season was the redesigned W 154, with which Caracciola won the German Grand Prix on 23 July. In 1939, he was German road racing champion; however, the European title that year was captured by the promising young talent, Hermann Lang.

Alice and Rudolf Caracciola lived through the Second World War in their adoptive country Switzerland. Caracciola was intent on racing in America after the war ended. However, in 1946 his car crashed during practice for the Indianapolis 500. In 1952, he actively resumed racing and finished the Mille Miglia in fourth position in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. But a serious accident during the Grand Prix of Berne in 1952 put an end to his career for good. Caracciola was dependent on a wheelchair and crutches for a long time afterwards.

In 1956, he was given responsibility for the sale of Daimler-Benz cars to Americans and Britons stationed in continental Europe. Aged just 58, Rudolf Caracciola died in Kassel on 28 September 1959. A monument was unveiled in Remagen to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth in 2001, and the banked curve at the Nürburgring was named after him.

Rudolf Caracciola – a racing career for

Mercedes-Benz

1901

• 30 January: born in Remagen (Rhineland-Palatinate), Germany

1922

• June: Avus race, Berlin, in 6 hp Fafnir (4th and winner in class)
• July: Opelbahn race, Rüsselsheim, in 6 hp Fafnir (1st place)

1923

• 3 April: Berlin Stadium race in 4 hp Ego (1st place)
• 11 June: Job with Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) as salesman at Dresden office
• 4 July: Baden-Baden Automobile Tournament in a 6/25/40 hp Mercedes (2nd place)
• 5 July: ADAC Reichsfahrt (German Reich) rally in a 6/25/40 hp Mercedes (1st place)

1924

• 25 May: Teutoburgerwald (Teutoburg Forest) race in a supercharged Mercedes 1.5 litre (1st place)
• 10-19 August: ADAC Reichsfahrt in a supercharged Mercedes 1.5 litre (1st place)

1925

• 24 July: Kniebis (Black Forest) hillclimb in a 24/100/140 hp Mercedes (1st place)
• 15-16 August: Freiburg hillclimb and flat race in a 24/100/140 hp Mercedes (1st place, touring cars)

1926

• 16 March: Teutoburgerwald race in a 24/100/140 hp Mercedes (1st place, factory drivers)
• 30 May: Herkules hillclimb in a 24/100/140 hp Mercedes (1st place, sports cars)
• 9-13 June: Baden-Baden Automobile Tournament in a 24/100/140 hp Mercedes (winner in sports car and touring car categories)
• 19-28 June: South German Rally in a 24/100/140 hp Mercedes (1st place, sports cars)
• 11 July: German Grand Prix in a Mercedes 8-cylinder racing car (1st place)
• 22 July: Grand Prix of Europe and Grand Prix of Guipúzcoa (North Spain) in a 24/100/140 hp Mercedes (2nd place)
• 7-8 August: International Klausen Pass race in a Mercedes K (1st place, sports cars)

1927

• January: Opens Mercedes-Benz dealership in Berlin
• 19 June: Inaugural race at the Nürburgring in a Mercedes-Benz S (1st place)
• 23-30 June: Kartellfahrt (cartel race) of the AvD automobile club in a 8/38 hp Mercedes-Benz (without penalty points)
• 5-9 July: Baden-Baden Automobile Tournament in a Mercedes-Benz S (winner in sports car category)
• 6-7 August: International Freiburg Speed Record Festival in a Mercedes-Benz S (3rd and 1st place)
• 13-14 August: Klausen Pass race in a Mercedes-Benz S (winner in sports car and touring car categories)
• 25 September: Teutoburgerwald race in a Mercedes-Benz S (1st place, sports cars)

1928

• 15 July: German Grand Prix at Nürburgring in a Mercedes-Benz SS (1st place, with Christian Werner)
• 29 July: Gabelbach race in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (1st place)
• 5 August: ADAC race at Schauinsland in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (1st place/racing cars)
• 26 August: Chamonix hillclimb in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (1st place)
• 10 September: Salzberg race (1st place, racing cars)
• 16 September: Semmering hillclimb (1st place, racing cars)

1929

• 16 April: Monaco Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (3rd place)
• 19-23 June: Baden-Baden Automobile Tournament in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (winner in racing car category)
• 7-12 August: International Alpine Rally in a Mercedes-Benz Nürburg (1st place)
• 17 August: International Tourist Trophy in Belfast in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (1st place)

1930

• 12-13 April: Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (winner in class)
• 12 July: Shelsley–Walsh hillclimb in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (1st place, sports cars)
• 18-19 July: Irish Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (1st place)
• 9-10 August: Klausen Pass race in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (1st place, sports cars)
• 24. August: Mont Ventoux hillclimb (France) in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (1st place)
• 8 September: Grand Prix of Monza in a Mercedes-Benz SSK (2nd place, sports cars)
• European Hillclimb Champion 1930

1931

• 12-13 April: Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL (1st place)
• 17 May: Hillclimb near Rabassada/Spain in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL (1st place)
• 31 May: Königsaal–Jilowischt hillclimb (near Prague) in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL (1st place)
• 7 June: Eifel race in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL (1st place)
• 19 July: German Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL (1st place)
• 2 August: Avus race in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL (1st place)
• 16 August: Tatra hillclimb race (Slovakia) in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL (1st place)
• 30 August: Mont Ventoux hillclimb in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL (1st place)
• 20 September: Drei Hotter hillclimb (Hungary) in a Mercedes-Benz SSKL (1st place)
• European Hillclimb Champion 1931

1932

• 17 April: Monaco Grand Prix in an Alfa Romeo (2nd place)
• 22 May: Avus race in an Alfa Romeo (2nd place)
• 30 May: Eifel race in an Alfa Romeo (1st place)
• 16 July: German Grand Prix in an Alfa Romeo (1st place)
• 7 August: Klausen Pass race in an Alfa Romeo (1st place)
• 4 September: Mont Ventoux hillclimb in an Alfa Romeo (1st place)
• 11. September: Grand Prix of Monza in an Alfa Romeo (1st place)
• European Hillclimb Champion in racing car category 1932
• International Alpine Championship 1932

1934

• 5 August: International Klausen Pass race in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (1st place)
• 19 August: German Hillclimb Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (2nd place)
• 9 September: Italian Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (1st place)
• 23 September: Spanish Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (2nd place)
• 28-30 October: Speed marks set in Hungary in a Mercedes-Benz record-breaking car
• 10 December: Speed marks set on Avus course in a Mercedes-Benz record-breaking car

1935

• 12 May: Grand Prix of Tripoli in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (1st place)
• 16 June: Eifel race in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (1st place)
• 23 June: French Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (1st place)
• 30 June: Grand Prix of Barcelona in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (2nd place)
• 14 July: Belgian Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (1st place)
• 28 July: German Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (3rd place)
• 25 August: Swiss Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (1st place)
• 22 September: Spanish Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (1st place)
• European Champion 1935
• German Champion 1935

1936

• 13 April: Monaco Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (1st place)
• 10 May: Grand Prix of Tripoli in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (4th place)
• 17 May: Grand Prix of Tunis in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (1st place)
• 7 June: Grand Prix of Barcelona in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (2nd place)
• 26 July: German Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 25 (5th place)
• 26 October: Record runs on Reichsautobahn Frankfurt am Main–Heidelberg
• 11 November: Record runs on Reichsautobahn Frankfurt am Main–Darmstadt

1937

• 9 May: Grand Prix of Tripoli in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 (6th place)
• 30 May: International Avus race in a streamlined Mercedes-Benz (1st in first run)
• 13 June: International Eifel race in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 (2nd place)
• 25 July: German Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 (1st place)
• 1 August: German Mountain Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 (3rd place)
• 8 August: Monaco Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 (2nd place)
• 22 August: Swiss Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 (1st place)
• 12 September: Italian Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 (1st place)
• 26 September: Masaryk Grand Prix of Brno (Czechoslovakia) in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 (1st place)
• 2 October: Donington Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 125 (2nd place)
• European Champion 1937
• German Champion 1937

1938

• 28 January: Record-breaking runs on Reichsautobahn Frankfurt am Main–Darmstadt
• 10 April: Grand Prix of Pau in a Mercedes-Benz W 154 (2nd behind Hermann Lang)
• 15 May: Grand Prix of Tripoli in a Mercedes-Benz W 154 (3rd place)
• 3 July: French Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 154 (2nd place)
• 24 July: German Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 154 (2nd place, with Hermann Lang)
• 14 August: Coppa Acerbo in a Mercedes-Benz W 154 (1st place)
• 21 August: Swiss Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 154 (1st place)
• 11 September: Italian Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 154 (3rd place)
• European Champion 1938

1939

• 8-14 February: Record-breaking runs on Reichsautobahn at Dessau
• 7 May: Grand Prix of Tripoli in a Mercedes-Benz W 165 (2nd place)
• 21 May: International Eifel race in a Mercedes-Benz W 154 (3rd place)
• 23 July: German Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 154 (1st place)
• 20. August: Swiss Grand Prix in a Mercedes-Benz W 154 (2nd place)
• Pan-German Champion 1939

1952

• 3-4 May: Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL/W 194 (4th place)
• 18 May: Grand Prix of Berne in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL/W 194 (retired due to accident)

1956

• Caracciola takes over sales of Mercedes-Benz cars to British and American soldiers stationed in Germany

1959

• 28 September: died in Kassel (Hesse), Germany