Thoughts on the Demise of the Hood Ornament

From Ed -- 

My late Aunt Ruby always owned Pontiacs and got a new one every year or two.  In 1954 she had a new green Pontiac like the one pictured here (I took this at a car show a few years back).  But her car had the optional light in the Chief Pontiac hood ornament.  Actually I think one paid only a couple of dollars more for this option.  When she would come to visit she would typically stay until near dark and I would always beg her to "turn the Indian's head on, Aunt Ruby."  She would start up her car and hit the switch that turned the amber colored light on, much to my delight.  I think these were made out of what was called Lucite or at least some hard resin-type plastic of the era. 

When Aunt Ruby gave up driving she owned an early 1970s Pontiac and one day drove it to my mother's house and said: "Here, the car is yours.  I'll sign over the title right here.  Take me back home.  I'm giving up driving."  My late mother reported that she also said:

"I hated that car, it didn't have an Indian on the hood."

Most young boys I knew were fascinated by hood ornaments and I've known quite a few people over the years who collected them, purchasing most at flea markets or removing them from cars in junkyards.  On ebay today, these Pontiac ones often go for a couple hundred dollars each.

Some of us miss hood ornaments on cars.  Every car company had a small team of real artists and sculptors. Why did this art form die out within the auto industry? Changing tastes in design?  A desire for more of a "clean look?"  Certainly today, federal regulations would have a problem with what might be viewed as a safety hazard --  being impaled by Chief Pontiac

Mercedes and the 1921 Targa Florio Race

 

Targa Florio (Sicily), 29 May 1921. Max Sailer with his co-driver Hans Rieger won in a Mercedes 28/95 hp Sport with four-wheel brakes in the class of the touring cars over 5 litres and took second place in the overall ranking. (Photo signature in the Mercedes-Benz Classic archives: 66971)

Max Sailer and co-driver Hans Rieger, at the reception at the Untertürkheim plant with the Mercedes 28/95 hp Sport with four-wheel brakes that was successful in the 1921 Targa Florio. (Photo signature in the Mercedes-Benz Classic archives: Z957)

What a strain this race was 100 years ago. On 29 May 1921, racing driver Max Sailer took just under seven and a half hours under the piercing Sicilian sun to reach the finishing line of the Targa Florio. This resulted in second place overall, a class win in the touring cars over 5 litres and the fastest lap time. Over no less than 432 kilometres, Sailer drove the Mercedes 28/95 hp Sport in a thrilling race against strong competition, mainly from Italian drivers. The race covered four laps of the 108-kilometre circuit in the north of this Italian island on unpaved mountain roads with around 1,500 bends and a change in altitude of 800 metres.

Under these extreme conditions, Sailer was able to rely on new technology: the Mercedes 28/95 hp Sport was the first vehicle from Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) to be equipped with four-wheel brakes. This system generated a noticeable improvement in braking power and, as a result, precision and driving safety. The brakes used were drum brakes. These were clearly visible behind the wire-spoked wheels.

Victory within reach

The race was accompanied by dust and high temperatures but also the risk of punctures due to the numerous hoof nails lying on the road. And it was this risk that cost Sailer overall victory in the twelfth run of the legendary road race organised by Italian industrialist Vincenzo Florio: “Sailer had to change tyres nine times, while the absolute winner of the Targa, who arrived just two minutes ahead of him in a special Fiat racing car, did not have a single flat tyre,” summed up Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft in a sales bulletin to the dealer network on 6 June 1921. The fact that this racing driver from Stuttgart concluded the Targa Florio in 7 hours, 27 minutes and 16.2 seconds at an average speed of 57.9 km/h despite these nine punctures was a masterly performance. Well-deserved, then, was the award of a trophy donated by Vincenzo Florio and presented by the Sicilian Automobile Club for the “first in the series class”, as it was phrased in a telegram sent directly after the race to DMG headquarters. This “coppa” (Italian for “trophy”) donated by Mr Florio is not to be confused with the race for the “Coppa Florio”, which was also sponsored by him. That race was held in September 1921 as part of the Grand Prix in Brescia.

The success of the Mercedes 28/95 hp Sport equipped with four-wheel brakes was an example of how racing paves the way for a new vehicle technology: from June 1921, the 28/95 hp Sport was included in the range of standard models available. The successes at the Targa Florio and in other races were powerful marketing factors for the model. For example, the Viennese car dealer Mercedes Auto-Palast used the slogan “Seven races – seven victories!” in a full-page advertisement in the Austrian “Allgemeine Automobil-Zeitung” of 6 November 1921, and announced: “Six-cylinder model 28/95 hp, 1921, has arrived!”

From 1923, DMG also equipped the production version of its sporty top model, the 28/95 hp, with this “all-wheel brake system”. Over time, the four-wheel brake system became the standard in automotive engineering worldwide. The difference between that and the previously used brake that only acted on the rear axle, was striking: the cars equipped with four-wheel brakes decelerated so effectively that, in the mid-1920s, there was discussion in Germany about a corresponding warning sign at the rear to inform other road users in good time. The “Allgemeine Automobil-Zeitung” reported on the issue on 12 September 1925 under the headline “Caution, four-wheel brakes!”.

Sicilian adventure

The Targa Florio 1921 is considered to be the edition of this road race, held since 1906, in which professional works teams competed for the first time. DMG sent two of its 28/95 hp Sport cars to Sicily: Max Sailer, from 1934 technical director and deputy member of the Board of the then Daimler-Benz AG, drove the car bearing starting number 25, while Carlo Ferrario drove number 24. The vehicle had already proven its capabilities on 22 May 1921, when Otto Salzer achieved the best time of all classes at the Königsaal-Jilowischt hill climb near Prague and set a new course record. But participating in the Targa Florio was a completely different challenge. It all started with the journey to get there: Max Sailer drove his racing car to Sicily himself – that was more than 1,300 kilometres as the crow flies but around 2,000 kilometres on the road. At the time, however, this was the norm in motorsport.

At the Targa Florio, Mercedes and later Mercedes-Benz celebrated a number of successes even in later years: in 1922, Count Giulio Masetti won in an enhanced Mercedes 115 hp Grand Prix racing car from 1914, while Max Sailer won the class of touring cars with displacement over 4.5 litres in a Mercedes 28/95 hp – this time equipped with a supercharger. In 1924, Christian Werner won in a Mercedes 2-litre racing car with a compressor – the car was painted red as a kind of camouflage as this was the colour typically used for Italian competition cars. Finally, in 1955, Stirling Moss and Peter Collins clinched the World Sports Car Championship that year ahead of their teammates Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling, with a one-two finish in Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR racing sports cars (W 196 S) at the Targa Florio.

Close-to-production racing cars

The Mercedes 28/95 hp Sport was the evolution of a high-performance luxury vehicle that anticipated the tradition of the supercharged Mercedes-Benz cars of the “S” model series: Paul Daimler designed the Mercedes 28/95 hp before the First World War and presented it in 1914. It was powered by a 66 kW (90 hp) in-line six-cylinder engine with a displacement of 7,280 cc, overhead valves arranged at an angle and an overhead camshaft. By 1915, DMG had built around 25 of these cars. After the end of the war, production restarted in 1920.

For racing activities in 1921, the engineers modified the Mercedes 28/95 hp so extensively that it was now listed as a separate model with the “Sport” suffix. Among other things, engine output increased to 81 kW (110 hp), while the wheelbase was reduced by 325 millimetres to 3,065 millimetres to improve manoeuvrability. The cooler was now positioned lower and further back, and the driver’s seat was also lower. Finally, the competition vehicle was equipped with four-wheel brakes for the first time in a DMG vehicle. Further development of the Mercedes 28/95 hp Sport with a supercharged engine began in all probability in 1921 and that car was used in 1922 in the Targa Florio. With the mechanical supercharger switched on, the racing car produced 107 kW (145 hp) at 2,000 rpm.

The Mercedes 28/95 hp Sport was just one of the long tradition of near-production competition vehicles in the history of the Mercedes-Benz brand. Prominent examples include the S, SS, SSK and SSKL supercharged touring cars of the late 1920s and early 1930s. After the Second World War, the brand was successful on the racetrack and in rallies with the 300 SL Coupé (W 198) and with saloons from the luxury class (W 111 and W 112) and the upper-medium-size category (W 123) as well as the SLC Coupés (C 107), among others.

Milestones in Mercedes-Benz brake technology

• 1921: Four-wheel brakes used for the first time in the Mercedes 28/95 hp Sport, which was also offered as part of the standard range from June 1921 onwards
• 1931: Hydraulic brake system fitted for the first time in the Mercedes-Benz 170 (W 15)
• 1961: Disc brakes fitted on the front wheels for the first time in the Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Coupé (W 111, February), Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (W 198, March) with disc brakes on front and rear wheels
• 1963: Dual-circuit brake system first fitted as standard in the Mercedes-Benz 230 SL “Pagoda” (W 113, March), from August 1963 fitted as standard in all Mercedes-Benz passenger cars
• 1970: Mercedes-Benz presented the first-generation anti-lock braking system (ABS) developed together with Teldix
• 1978: Mercedes-Benz presented the second-generation ABS system developed together with Bosch. Fitting of this world innovation as standard started in 1978 in the S-Class (model series 116)
• 1980: Anti-lock braking system ABS became available for all Mercedes-Benz passenger car models
• 1981: Anti-lock braking system ABS was launched for commercial vehicles
• 1995: Newly developed Mercedes-Benz Sprinter became the first van fitted with disc brakes on the front and rear wheels and ABS as standard
• 1996: Brake Assist System BAS was presented, initially as standard in the S-Class and SL
• 1996: New Mercedes-Benz Actros heavy-duty truck model series with Telligent braking system with electronic control and disc brakes all round
• 2000: Mercedes-Benz CL 55 AMG “F1” (C 215) was the first production vehicle worldwide with ceramic brakes
• 2005: ADAPTIVE BRAKE system fitted to the S-Class of model series 221
• 2009: PRE-SAFE brake can reduce the consequences of an unavoidable collision with automatic emergency braking

Wilt Chamberlin ands 1958 Oldsmobile!

From Ed --

Witness the keys to a 1958 Oldsmobile convertible being handed over -- at a Lansing, Michigan  dealership -- to none other than Wilt Chamberlain.  Note the disparity in height between the salesperson and Wilt.  Wonder how far the front seat traveled back in order for him to drive or whether the seat had to be retrofitted to allow for more backward travel?  If you've recently seated yourself behind most 1950s vehicles at a car show, you're immediately struck with the fact that even with the seat all the way back you're still relatively close to the steering wheel.

Bernd Mayländer, established driver of the official safety car for the FIA Formula One World Championship™ and Brand Ambassador of Mercedes-Benz. Photo with the Mercedes-AMG GT S safety car from 2015. (Photo signature in the Mercedes-Benz Classic archive: 15C170_001)

Bernd Mayländer is one of Germany’s best-known racing drivers, even if he has not been competing for victories and standings for some years now. Since 2000, as the driver of the official safety car in the FIA Formula One World Championship™, he has always been at the heart of the matter when safety is required on race tracks around the world. In this way, the racing driver from South Germany – together with the Mercedes-AMG GT R (C 190; fuel consumption combined 12.4 l/100 km, CO2 emissions combined 284 g/km) – and, from 2021 on, also with an Aston Martin – makes a decisive contribution to reducing risk in Grand Prix racing events. “If you add up all the many different aspects of my duties, I have actually found my dream job,” says racing driver Mayländer. But that is not all: Bernd Mayländer represents the company as a Brand Ambassador at many events, such as the 1000 Miglia in Italy, and, as part of the AMG Driving Academy, trains the owners of the brand’s more powerful vehicles how to drive safely at the limit.

The safety car: By the time his birthday arrives on 29 May 2021, Bernd Mayländer will have been at the wheel in the safety car in 390 Grands Prix. “In almost half the races I attended, I had to go out on the track,” he recalls. On race Sundays, he is also on standby for all eventualities in Formula Two, Formula Three and Porsche Supercup races. “I’m often in the car from 8.45 a.m. – with just a half-hour lunch break before the start of the Formula One race at 3 p.m.,” says Mayländer, who comes from Schorndorf, summing up his working day. The race weekend on the track starts on Thursday for Bernd Mayländer as he inspects the track on foot to assess safety-relevant features such as kerbs and crash barriers. Later in the day, the circuit is exclusively available to the safety car for one hour. “That gives me the opportunity to get up to speed on the track,” he says.

Close to the limit: When things come to a head, he goes all out. With the racing cars lined up behind him in a safety car phase like a string of pearls, Mayländer raises the pace to up to 98 per cent of his and the car’s capabilities. The main time differences between the 430 kW(585 hp) Mercedes-AMG GT R and the even more powerful Formula One racing cars are not so much in their top speeds, but in braking, acceleration and cornering speeds. On average taken across all race tracks, the GT sports car is seven to eight seconds slower every kilometre than a Formula One racing car. His most unusual job was also the longest Grand Prix in history. The race in Montreal, Canada, on 12 June 2011 lasted 4 hours, 39 minutes and 39.537 seconds due to numerous interruptions. “I led the field for 34 laps in five stints, which was 46.9 per cent of the laps run.” Mercedes-Benz has been providing the official Formula One safety car since 1996.

The early years: After gaining some experience at the wheel of various vehicles in the yard of his parents’ beverage shop in Schorndorf, Horst Mayländer and his son Bernd did countless laps of a go-kart track by Lake Maggiore. But they never participated in any races. The day before his 18th birthday in 1989 – and having already passed his driving test – his father let him use his own Porsche 911 for some first laps on the race track at a club sporting event in France. As early as 1990, Bernd Mayländer was given a C-licence for car racing and participated in Formula Ford in 1991. In 1992, he took part in his first season in the Porsche Carrera Cup, which he won in 1994 as the youngest driver ever at that time.

As a Mercedes-Benz driver in the DTM: In 1995, Bernd Mayländer took part in the DTM in a Mercedes-Benz C-Class for the Persson Motorsport team and collected his first points. The 1996 touring car season was held as the ITC (International Touring Car Championship). The young driver started the season with Persson but moved up to the AMG team after an elimination race against Formula One driver Gianni Morbidelli. Mayländer finished many of the races with good results, but the DTM/ITC was temporarily discontinued after that season. Norbert Haug, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport, and AMG boss Hans Werner Aufrecht entered the team in the new FIA GT Championship. In 1997, drivers Bernd Schneider, Klaus Ludwig and Bernd Mayländer won the four-hour Zeltweg race on the A1-Ring in the Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR. At the end of 1998, Mayländer left the team and won the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring in 2000 in a Porsche 911 together with partners Uwe Alzen, Michael Bartels and Altfrid Heger, among many other successes. In the same year, he was runner-up in the Porsche Supercup.

Return to the DTM: In the second year of the new DTM, in 2001, Bernd Mayländer was back as a Mercedes-Benz works driver. Although he had to take a break for a few weeks after a good start to the season owing to a complex fracture of the right heel, which he had sustained taking a footpath a little too athletically before the race in Oschersleben, he won the season finale on 7 October 2001 at the Hockenheimring. “The lap record for touring cars on the old circuit is mine for all time,” he enthused. The reason was quite simply that the reconstruction of the traditional race track in Baden started on the Monday after his win. At the end of 2004, Bernd Mayländer retired from the DTM to concentrate on his new role as safety car driver in Formula One and as a Brand Ambassador for Mercedes-Benz.

The Brand Ambassador: “It’s a multifaceted job. I really enjoy driving the historic Mercedes-Benz racing cars, for example, or taking part in the 1000 Miglia,” he explains. All his activities together in Formula One, as a Mercedes Brand Ambassador and as an instructor at the AMG Driving Academy take up a lot of time. “Since 1999, I’ve been away from home about 35 weekends a year,” Mayländer says. But in between, there are days and weeks with the family when he enjoys taking care of the twin boys born in 2018. He has one wish, even at 50: “I am sure that I will stay in motorsports for many further years. In whatever form. I still love the job as much as on the first day. ”

THE EVOLUTION OF VW DEALERSHIPS IN THE DAYTON, OH AREA, 1953-2018

WORK BY ED!!!! THANK YOU -- 

A couple of years ago I spent considerable time sorting out the history of Volkswagen marketing via franchises in the Greater Dayton area from 1953 to 2018.  Attached is a schematic of that evolution over a 65 year period.  The schematic would take a bit of verbal explaining but begins with the second VW dealership in Ohio (Motor Imports, Inc.) in 1953 and zigs-and-zags to today where there now is a VW dealership in the northern part of Dayton (Evans) and one in the south suburbs (White-Allen).   But for a brief couple of years, there existed four VW dealerships in this area at the same time.  Much of this research came from review of City Directories in Dayton and Xenia as well as interviews with a couple of folks who worked within several of these dealerships back in the day.

Among the dealers over that 65 year period there were dealership mergers and relocations that spanned Dayton proper as well as Fairborn, Yellow Springs, Xenia, and Wilmington.

But as I've said earlier, to have long been known as a GM town, the presence of Volkswagen. in this area was substantial. This is not to say that VW didn't have its down periods which it did starting around 1974 but the "sweet spot" for VW in this area was likely the period between 1965 and 1968.  

Here's my "flow chart" of VW's evolution in this area:

Kettering, OH, Cruise-In, May 8, 2021: A 1939 Simca and Three Hot Rods

 A nice evening before rain and cold hit us on Mother's Day. The Simca is special -- you won't find many in the U.S. What did come over here were modified into dragsters.  This one, an open top car, is a very original and nice car. It may be underpowered, but it is a time machine that will take you back to the era right before WWII.

The hot rods were interesting to me.  The red one is a true class and wonderful.  The other two are great examples of rodding at its best, with owners doing things their way, right or wrong.

The Mercedes-Benz Radiator Emblem

An application was filed on 18 February 1925 with the Patent Office for registration as a trademark of the Mercedes star in a laurel wreath, a combination of the trademarks of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft and Benz & Cie. (Photo signature in the Mercedes-Benz Classic archive: 3524)

The radiator emblem

An eye-catcher: Positioned proudly for all to see as a brand emblem – or a small sculpture – at the very front of the vehicle – the figure atop the radiator. This emblem is both a distinguishing feature and an ornament.

Spotlight on: The first cars did not need a radiator emblem. That was only logical because, at that time, they did not have modern-style radiators with a closed water circuit. Those systems were introduced as engine power increased at the transition from the 19th to the 20th century. The outstanding protagonist of this development was the Mercedes 35 hp, which, in 1901, was the first car to sport an efficient honeycomb radiator. The radiator presented the face of the Mercedes and, from 1909, became the stage for the three-pointed Mercedes star, which initially adorned the radiator as a raised badge.

A powerful symbol: It was the sons of motoring pioneer Gottlieb Daimler, who died in 1900, who came up with the idea for the Mercedes star. The emblem with its three rays symbolised the vision of Gottlieb Daimler, who envisaged Daimler engines being used in land vehicles, in ships and in aviation. On 24 June 1909, Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) applied for a design patent for the three-pointed star. It was entered into the trademark register on 9 February 1911.

Perfect positioning: An application for registration of the three-pointed star as a radiator emblem was filed on 5 November 1921 and it was registered as a trademark on 2 August 1923. At the same time, it decorated the cooling water screw cap, which upgraded the cap to a pedestal. In this way, the radiator mascot combined aesthetics with practical purpose. The star was even available with an integrated cooling water thermometer. Benz & Cie. did not yet use a radiator mascot but continued to apply badges and lettering on the upper radiator surround.

Prestige: Many car manufacturers used the radiator mascot as a prominent identifying emblem. When Maybach also launched its premium cars on the market in the 1920s, the company chose the double‑M for “Maybach-Motorenbau” as a trademark. It was used as a radiator emblem as well.

Creativity: At this time, the radiator was not hidden under the bonnet and was designed and decorated accordingly. In the 1920s, radiator fittings became works of art. From that time on, figures of cross-eyed fauns, unclothed ladies and animals made of silver took up this position. One such radiator mascot is the exhibit among the “33 Extras” at the Mercedes-Benz Museum: a lady is seen in a perfectly balanced, flowing posture holding a round object. It may be an apple or a ball – it is not easy to tell exactly what it is. The most unusual radiator figures were designed in the 1920s by the French artist René Jules Lalique – and they were made of glass.

Personal choice: In rare cases, customers had the Mercedes star replaced with their own emblems. The Mercedes-Benz 770 “Grand Mercedes” Cabriolet F (W 07), built in 1932 for the exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II, sported the Hohenzollern coat of arms on the radiator grille. That particular car can be seen in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Collection Room 4: Gallery of Celebrities.

Change places: Aerodynamically enhanced bodies became increasingly popular after the Second World War. The front of the cars was designed accordingly – and the radiator as a functional item was moved to a position under the bonnet. The grille remained at the front to allow for the incoming cooling air. On Mercedes-Benz vehicles, this radiator grille still showed the same figure: the Mercedes star. In the 1990s, when the integrated radiator was introduced, the star moved from the chrome surround a little way to the rear onto the bonnet.

Freedom of movement: By this time, the star had long since been integrated into the brand’s safety philosophy. It was mounted on a universal joint to protect pedestrians in the event of a collision – and had been that way since the early 1950s. It was already a sought-after collector’s item and was often stolen. That made it the most frequently required Mercedes-Benz spare part.

Alternative: Customer tastes changed over the years. In the 204 model series C-Class, Mercedes-Benz offered a choice of two vehicle fronts for the first time – either with a large central star in the radiator grille or with the classic, free-standing star on the bonnet. In one respect, however, it did not change: it remained one of the best known trademarks in the world.

A different dimension: Anyone who wants to get a close-up look at a Mercedes star with a diameter of five metres is welcome to come to the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Until 2025, the Mercedes star from the Stuttgart railway station tower will be on show in front of the museum building. After that construction has been renovated and modernised, the two-tonne sign will be returned there and will, once again, rotate, illuminated at night, as a landmark above the city.

The Mercedes-Benz W 124 Series -- a Thirty Year History

124 model series Mercedes-Benz Cabriolets are sought-after modern classics. They perfectly combine the passion for elegant, open-top cruising with the Stuttgart-based brand’s high technical standard in the luxury mid-range series. The vehicles premiered 30 years ago at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt/Main between 12 and 22 September 1991 – seven years after the presentation of 124 model series Saloons.

With this convertible four-seater, Mercedes-Benz successfully bridged a 20-year gap to a sporty and luxurious tradition, as legendary W 111/W 112 Cabriolets were produced until 1971. 124 model series Cabriolets, which were renamed Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet in 1993 as part of the change in nomenclature, were succeeded by the following convertible four-seaters with a soft top: CLK Cabriolets A 208 (1998 to 2003) and A 209 (2003 to 2010) as well as E-Class Cabriolets A 207 (2010 to 2017) and A 238 (since 2017). In 2015, four-seater Cabriolets also celebrated their premiere in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (A 217) and in the Mercedes-Benz C-Class (A 205) in 2016.

Flagship project for the luxury mid-range series

The Cabriolet of what would later become the E-Class was based on the 124 model series Coupé. After the 500 E high-performance Saloon was introduced in autumn 1990, the convertible four-seater represented a further flagship project for the 124 model series. Engineers went to great lengths to make the project a reality: they modified around 1,000 parts or designed them from scratch to comply with stringent demands in terms of passive safety and driving comfort despite the omitted roof structure. Compared with the Coupés, Mercedes-Benz consequently produced numerous load-bearing Cabriolet parts from thicker or stronger sheet metal. Following complex, computer-based simulation calculations, areas subject to high levels of stress were also equipped with additional reinforcements by doubling up sheets or installing gussets and struts. Elements including the sheet metal thickness at A- and B-pillars as well as on the lateral frame side members were reinforced, the soft top compartment was installed as a cross brace and a die-cast member was screwed to the floor assembly tunnel and the instrument panel’s cross member. Diagonal struts at the front (between the front-axle bracket and the two outer frame side members) and rear (between the spare wheel well and the outer frame side members) boost torsional rigidity. In these areas engineers applied their experience from the development of the R 129 model series Mercedes-Benz SL.

Vibration dampers were additionally employed to optimise driving comfort. Developers had already used such elements in the W 100 model series Mercedes-Benz 600 Landaulet, which was introduced in 1965. A total of four of these spring-mass systems altogether weighing a total of 26 kilograms were installed in critical areas of the Cabriolet: on the front left suspension strut dome, in the roof frame and in the rear boot wells. A comparative test conducted by “auto motor und sport” specialist magazine (Issue 19/1994) consequently came to the following conclusion: “No other four-seater convertible is more rigid than the Mercedes.” US-American “Road & Track” magazine recognised the qualities of the E 320 Cabriolet as part of a comparative test in Issue 7/1994: “A good portion of the price difference is to be found in the structure of the car. It is noticeably quieter than the other two with the top down. Road surface irregularities are noted by the suspension and announced to the driver in a subtle way without upsetting anyone’s aplomb. On the highway, the E 320 is almost as quiet as its coupe and sedan siblings, thanks to remarkably solid body structure and the excellent fit of the convertible top.”

Linear roll-over bar

The levels of passive safety were also exemplary: in the event of a frontal, rear or side impact, the Cabriolets met the high standards of the Saloon, Estate and Coupé. A-pillars had been welded to internally installed profiled sheets to form a sturdy unit, also offering occupants adequate safety in the event of the vehicle rolling over. A newly developed and patented linearly operating roll bar was installed behind the rear seats featuring the shape of two individual head restraints at the top. The bar would extend upwards on a slightly elliptical trajectory within 0.3 seconds once the vehicle’s sensors detected an impending rollover. It could optionally also be manually extended and retracted to act as a head restraint for occupants in the rear.

The fully retractable soft top also met stringent demands in terms of driving comfort. The highly accurate design weighing 43 kilograms consisted of 27 linkage parts and 34 joints. When folded up it had a volume of a mere 80 litres. The soft top was insulated by a 20-millimetre-thick layer of fibre fleece between the outer liner and the inner soft-top headliner. The outer skin was also permanently connected to the front and central frames to prevent the soft top from puffing out, a characteristic otherwise fairly common in cabriolets. As a result, the 124 model series Cabriolet felt almost like the Coupé when it was moving along with the soft top closed. The large, heated rear window was made of safety glass. Thanks to a double frame it was flush with the outer skin to thus provide an undistorted view towards the rear. An electrohydraulic soft-top mechanism was available as convenient optional equipment, which became part of the standard equipment scope following the facelift in 1993.

Design-based partnership

The Mercedes-Benz Cabriolet was developed in cooperation with Porsche. Work on the convertible four-seater initially began at Karmann in Osnabrück in 1988. In January 1989 Porsche then took over the development order. The company had been working on a potential Cabriolet for the upcoming model series 202 C-Class up to this point. Porsche had previously already been awarded an order to carry out development activities relating to a potential Cabriolet variant for the 201 model series Mercedes-Benz compact class. The two Stuttgart-based automotive companies had already cooperated within the context of the development and production of the Mercedes-Benz 500 E high-performance vehicle. Work on the A 124 was carried out by Porsche at the Weissach site. The Cabriolet was tested for reliability and fatigue strength at Mercedes-Benz and Porsche as part of various endurance tests.

From solitary variant to type family

The 300 CE-24 Cabriolet with a 3-litre in-line six-cylinder engine generating 162 kW (220 hp) premiered in 1991. Its series production launched at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen in March 1992. The model initially remained an elegant and sporty solitary variant within the brand’s model range. The convertible four-seater had already undergone a facelift by the 1993 model year, which was externally identifiable by elements including the “integrated radiator” that was based on the 140 model series S-Class, front signal lamps with transparent lenses and bumper protection strips in the same colour as the vehicle’s detachable parts. Driver’s airbag and electrically adjustable outside mirrors on the left and right had by now become part of the standard equipment, while a central locking system and five-speed transmission had already formed part of the convertible four-seaters’ previous standard scope. From that point onwards the vehicle was known as Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet.

The model range now included a total of four variants with two four- and six-cylinder engines each. The E 200 Cabriolet (100 kW/136 hp) was initially and up until 1994 produced exclusively for export to Greece, Italy and Portugal. Hence, the actual entry-level model in 1993 was the E 220 Cabriolet (110 kW/150 hp). The 300 CE-24 Cabriolet was succeeded by the E 320 Cabriolet (162 kW/220 hp), and the E 36 AMG Cabriolet (200 kW/272 hp) became the new top-of-the-range model. A total of exactly 33,952 124 model series Cabriolets were produced until July 1997. In this process, most customers (18,572) opted for a six-cylinder engine variant.

Kettering Towne Center Cruise-In, May 1, 2021

 It was packed this evening. Pent-up energy is now being released, and the crowd was the largest I have ever seen at this event. Two cars proved most interesting to me -- a 1957 Rolls-Royce and a 1958 DeSoto,

You can buy the Rolls-Royce, but to get it in shape will take couple the initial outlay if one pays the asking price -- $26,5000. The DeSoto was a rare Sportsman Coupe, and from where I was standing it looked really good. Two survivors from another era.

Stirling Moss and the 300 SLR (W 196S)

Mille Miglia (Brescia/Italy), 1 May 1955. Preparing for the start in Brescia. Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson, later to be overall winners, in the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR racing sports car (W 196 S) with start number 722. (Photo signature in the Mercedes-Benz Classic archive: R7453)

Mille Miglia (Brescia/Italy), 1 May 1955. Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson, later to be overall winners, in the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR racing sports car (W 196 S) with start number 722, on the starting ramp. (Photo signature in the Mercedes-Benz Classic archive: R314)

 Sir Stirling Moss is unforgotten. In his honour, Mercedes-Benz Classic will present the 300 SLR (W 196 S) at exclusive appearances in England in the summer of 2021. This is the most famous racing car used by Englishman Stirling Moss: with starting number 722, the Stirling Moss/Denis Jenkinson team won the legendary Mille Miglia in 1955 with a record set up for eternity. It took them just 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds to cover the 1,000 miles from Brescia in northern Italy to Rome and back. Their average speed of 157.65 km/h was never surpassed in this classic road race, which was held until 1957. Stirling Moss was born in London on 17 September 1929 and was knighted in 2000 for his services to British motorsport. He passed away in London on 12 April 2020 at the age of 90.

“As a tribute to a great man and racing driver, Sir Stirling Moss, Mercedes-Benz Classic will take the original 300 SLR ‘722’ to the UK again this year,” says Christian Boucke, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic. The 300 SLR is initially scheduled to be on display at the Goodwood Festival of Speed from 8 to 11 July. At the Goodwood Revival from 17 to 19 September, the two-seater racing sports car with its unmistakable sound will also be doing some fast laps. The 300 SLR is powered by an enhanced Grand Prix engine with eight cylinders, three litres of displacement and 228 kW (310 hp). Its top speed is over 300 km/h.

The Mille Miglia winner will be accompanied at both Goodwood events by a Mercedes-Benz W 196 R with exposed wheels. Juan Manuel Fangio won the Formula One World Championship in 1954 and 1955 in racing cars of this model, and Stirling Moss was runner-up in 1955. The legendary high-speed racing car transporter, also known as the “Blue Wonder” by its fans, rounds off the two racing cars’ visit to the UK this summer. Further events in memory of Sir Stirling Moss with the 300 SLR in the UK are being planned. All measures are subject to changes according to the current situation.

In 1955, Stirling Moss participated in both the World Sports Car Championship and Formula One World Championship as a Mercedes-Benz works driver in the 300 SLR and the W 196 R. In the six races making up the World Sports Car Championship, Moss not only won the Mille Miglia, but also, together with John Fitch, the RAC Tourist Trophy in Northern Ireland and, with Peter Collins, the Targa Florio in Sicily. It was as a result of these victories that Moss was able to make a decisive contribution to Mercedes-Benz securing the championship just ahead of Ferrari. In the Formula One World Championship, local man Moss celebrated his first of a total of 16 Grand Prix victories in the British Grand Prix at Aintree on 16 July 1955 and finished second in both the Belgian and Dutch Grand Prix.

Even if he was never crowned Formula One world champion, Moss was an outstanding and successful racing driver. In 1955, 1956, 1957 and 1958 he was runner-up in Grand Prix racing and in each of the years 1959 to 1961 he finished third. His career came to an end on 30 April 1962 as a result of an accident in a Lotus at the “100 Miles of Goodwood”. He recovered to a large extent from the severe head injuries he had sustained, but his reaction time was not what it had been before the accident. This was why, at the age of 32, Moss decided to end his career as an active racing driver. He became a Brand Ambassador for Mercedes-Benz and continued to drive “his” cars from the Mercedes-Benz Classic collection at many historic motorsport events right up to an advanced age. A comment he was often heard saying: “I’ve always been proud to be part of the Mercedes-Benz family.”

Greene County Cruise-In, April 30, at the Vineyard

 I got there quite late. It was a bit chilly, but very bright with a very tough sun to drive into if you were leaving after 7:30. Frankly, I was not impressed with most of the cars there, although there was a diversity of makes, models and years. I made just a few photos -- a 1936 Chevy pickup stood out, along with a nice Riviera with an intriguing young woman sitting in the passenger seat. It is just the beginning of the 2021 season!

Note the 1955 modified VW Beetle in the background. One of the more interesting cars there in terms of patina and historical significance.