Automobilia – Page 44 – Autoprova

The BMW M5 gets even sharper with the M5 Competition…

May 9, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Car News, Car presentations, Lifestyle, New ModelsLeave a comment

BMW M GmbH has sharpened the race-inspired character of its BMW M5 high-performance sedan with an even more powerful model: the BMW M5 Competition, creating a new product category. In future, BMW M GmbH will offer the most powerful variants of its high-performance cars as standalone models. This new status reflects the individual character of the BMW M5 Competition.

It also embodies the latest chapter in a history of success which began with the M Competition package (including power boost) configured specifically for the predecessor to the current BMW M5 – and which the exclusive new BMW M5 Competition builds on convincingly.

A 19 kW/25 hp hike in engine output over the standard version of the new BMW M5 (to 460 kW/625 hp), even more direct responses and bespoke chassis tuning combine to maximize dynamics, agility and precision.

Superb performance…

The 4.4-litre V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology has been modified specifically for this new application and develops peak torque of 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) across an even broader rev range – from 1,800 rpm to 5,800 rpm.

You can image that the performance is stellar: acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) goes in 3.3 seconds and 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 10.8 seconds.

Of course, there is also the sound. Indeed, the tune of the standard-fitted M Sport exhaust system can be adjusted at the touch of a button. The driver can also use the M Sound Control button to initiate an extremely discreet soundtrack.

Sharp drivetrain, chassis and suspension

Model-specific engine mounts with a higher spring rate provide a much firmer connection between the drive unit and vehicle structure in the new BMW M5 Competition. This has a noticeable effect on the car’s responses, the sharpness of its turn-in and the experience of the engine’s soundtrack inside the car.

The engine’s power is channeled to the road via an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic. Added to which, the new BMW M5 Competition is specified with the M xDrive M-specific all-wheel-drive system and the Active M Differential at the rear axle.

The centrally controlled interaction between the two systems optimizes traction, agility and directional stability.

The M xDrive system’s rear-wheel bias provides the ideal basis for a full blooded performance-driving experience. Added to which, the new BMW M5 Competition supplements M Dynamic Mode with three driving programs honed for use on the track: 4WD, 4WD Sport and 2WD, which switches to pure rear-wheel drive and deactivates the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC).

Features of the chassis include a seven-millimeter drop in ride height, special damper hydraulics and stiffer springs, an increased camber at the front axle and modified toe links and anti-roll bars at the rear.

Sportiness in style…

Eye-catching design cues emphasize the exclusivity of the new BMW M5 Competition. BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line trim is complemented by the use of high-gloss black for the kidney grille surround, decorative grating of the signature BMW M gills, rear spoiler and exterior mirror caps. “Competition” lettering is added to the likewise black “M5” badge on the boot lid. Standard specification for the new BMW M5 Competition also comprises exclusive 20-inch forged M light-alloy wheels with mixed-size tyres.

An impressive BMW, needless to say that we would love to lay our hands on one in a not too distant future…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Factory reproduction of 300 SL body parts: the three starred diva is now immortal…

May 9, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Car manufacturers strategy, Classic and Vintage Cars, Manufacturer's Classic Centers, Service & RepairLeave a comment

Ersatzteile für den Mercedes-Benz 300 SL „Gullwing“ (W 198, 1954 bis 1957): Zahlreiche wichtige Teile sind in originaler Werksqualität erhältlich. Foto der Präsentation auf der Techno Classica 2018. Replacement parts for the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” (W 198, 1954 to 1957): Numerous key parts are available in genuine factory quality. Photo of presentation at Techno Classica 2018. — Replacement parts for the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” (W 198, 1954 to 1957): Numerous key parts are available in genuine factory quality. Photo of presentation at Techno Classica 2018.

We were browsing for information about the participation of Mercedes in the next Mille Miglia, and we stumbled on other remarkable news, which shows how painstakingly professional Mercedes is caring about its products and notably its classic and historic cars.

Form now on, key body parts for the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” (W 198) are again available in factory quality. They can be ordered by their part number from any Mercedes-Benz sales partner, just like that!

Mercedes-Benz Original-Ersatzteile für den 300 SL „Gullwing“ (W 198, 1954 bis 1957). Nachfertigung von Karosserie-Blechteilen gemäß den hohen Werksstandards der Daimler AG. Das Foto zeigt einen Kotflügel im Presswerkzeug. Mercedes-Benz genuine replacement parts for the 300 SL “Gullwing” (W 198, 1954 to 1957). Reproduction of metal body parts in accordance with the high factory standards of Daimler AG. The photo shows a wing in the pressing tool. — Mercedes-Benz genuine replacement parts for the 300 SL “Gullwing” (W 198, 1954 to 1957). Reproduction of metal body parts in accordance with the high factory standards of Daimler AG. The photo shows a front wing in the pressing tool.

The metal parts are produced for Mercedes-Benz Classic by a certified supplier, whose expertise includes the highly complex construction of tools from optimised 3D data from original bodies. Metal parts produced on these tools are then worked into their final shape by hand using wooden mallets – another special process.

The precise 3D tool data also provide the basis for quality inspection by means of painstaking false colour comparison. The measuring tool receives the data as a reference and uses false colours to visualise the measured deviations between the desired state and the actual state, thus making it possible for the measurement results to be unambiguously and quickly interpreted.

The body parts meet the high standards of Daimler AG and can be ordered by their part number from any Mercedes-Benz sales partner. Their surfaces are electrophoretically painted, which assures the highest technical and visual standards. The prices include VAT.

Front panelling left (A198 620 03 09 40), 11,900 euros
Front panelling right (A198 620 04 09 40), 11,900 euros
Rear panelling left (A198 640 01 09 40), 14,875 euros
Rear panelling right (A198 640 02 09 40), 14,875 euros
Rear-end center section (A198 647 00 09 40), 2,975 euros
Rear-end floor (A198 640 00 61 40), 8,925 euros

We let you further have a look at the photos…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Mille Miglia 2018: the Alfa Romeo legend lives on more than ever…

May 8, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Classic and Vintage Cars, Manufacturer's Classic CentersLeave a comment

The 36th edition of the iconic race coincides with the 90th anniversary of the first of the 11 victories Alfa Romeo recorded from 1927 to 1957: a record which will now never be beaten.

This anniversary will be celebrated on 19 May, when the race will pay a visit to Milan and to the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo at Arese, where time trials will be held on the internal circuit. Held for the 36th time this year, the race will be run over the traditional Brescia-Rome-Brescia route and will star Alfa Romeo both as Automotive Sponsor and as “guest of honour”, as this year marks the 90th anniversary of its first victory in the legendary race, held from 1927 to 1957.

From 19 May to December 2018, the Museum will host the “11 volte campione” [11 times champion”] exhibition, which celebrates these sporting exploits, engraved in the memories of fans all over the world.

Inaugurated on 24 June 2015, the fascinating Museo Storico Alfa Romeo – known as “The Time Machine” – is the heart of a real “brand centre”, created by a major upgrading project by architect Benedetto Camerana, which brings together the brand’s past, present and future. As well as the area displaying the key models from the Alfa Romeo historic collection, the site is buzzing and vibrant, with the Archive, the internal circuit, the events spaces, the Alfa Romeo Café and the show-room with delivery area. More on this museum in a special report.

Competing in this year’s race will be several wonderful classic Alfa Romeo cars from the FCA Heritage collection: from the 6C 1500 SS to the 6C 1750 GS, and from the 1900 SS to the 1900 Sport Spider.

On 19 May, drivers Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc from the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team currently taking part in the 2018 Formula 1 championship will also be present. Their participation is a tangible sign of how indelibly the racing world is engraved in the Alfa Romeo DNA… we just let you look here at the photos, and tell you also soon more about other iconic brands participating at the Mille Miglia 2018…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The 1924 Alfa Romeo P2 Grand Prix Engine: Vittorio Jano’s brainchild…

May 5, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Automotive drawings and art, Pre-War ClassicsLeave a comment

Dear reader, we now take you back to the twenties. To the days where engines counted most in a racing car. Aerodynamics and chassis design, tyres and brakes where timidly starting to develop, the focus was on the engine. A true genius designed it for Alfa Romeo. His name was Vittorio Jano.

Actually, he was born as Viktor János in San Giorgio Canavese, in Piedmont, son of Hungarian immigrants, who settled there several years earlier. He began at the car and truck company Società Torinese Automobili Rapid owned by G.B. Ceirano. In 1911 he moved to Fiat under Luigi Bazzi. He went with Bazzi to Alfa Romeo in 1923 to replace Giuseppe Merosi as chief engineer.

There is also a truly wondrous story to tell about the designers of Fiat and their engineers in the period between the two world wars, and it will be subject of a later series where we will present drawn portraits of the men and women who marked our automotive history.

Here one sees the carburettor side of the engine, its architecture being an example for all Alfa engines to follow, right until this day… On both drawings, some watercolor was added.

His first design with Alfa Romeo was the 8-cylinder in-line mounted P2 Grand Prix car, which won Alfa Romeo the inaugural world championship for Grand Prix cars in 1925. But he was going to do much, much more for Alfa. In 1932, he produced the sensational P3 model which later was raced with great success by Enzo Ferrari when he began Scuderia Ferrari in 1933. We will also bring a special about this marvelous engine.

Jano also definitely established Alfa’s engine architecture, and indeed made Alfa technically what is Alfa all about. For the Alfa series production cars, Jano developed a series of small-to-medium-displacement 4-, 6-, and 8-cylinder inline power plants based on the P2 unit that established the classic architecture of Alfa engines, with light alloy construction, hemispherical combustion chambers, centrally located plugs, two rows of overhead valves per cylinder bank and dual overhead cams…

Indeed, this straight 8 engine is the architectural forerunner of what a classic Alfa engine is right until this day.

This 1,987 cc engine had Twin Roots Superchargers and 2 Memini carburettors, developed 140 bhp (104 kW) @ 5500 rpm in 1924, and 155 bhp (115 kW) a year later. As the P2 did only weigh 614 kg, it was fast enough to win 14 grand prix until 1930, and embodied together with the Bugatti 35 the most iconic grand prix cars in the twenties.

Its designer Vittorio Jano would in 1937 move to Lancia, and later to Ferrari, where he designed the V6 and V8 engines, which are still a technical basis for the Ferrari’s today…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The formidable V16 Auto Union Type C engine…

May 2, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Automotive drawings and art, Classic and Vintage Cars, Pre-War ClassicsLeave a comment

Without any doubt, the powerful rear engine Auto Unions were ahead of their time. Their sheer “Leistung” or power was absolutely legendary. Just tires couldn’t cope, and the sheer chassis dynamics and even more importantly aerodynamics were not fully understood at the time. So the cars had no downforce at racing speeds, and the narrow tires with their still softer construction and not so adhesive compounds did not help.

The V16 engine of this Type C was a Porsche design, and started off in the type A with a displacement of 4360 cc. But it was originally meant to be a 6 litre engine, and this it was in the Type C. The two cylinder banks were angled at 45 degrees, and one central camshaft operated all the 32 valves. That is why the engine has this typical look of 16 pushrods in their gleaming chromed shafts connected with the exhaust valves, while the intake valves were actuated by the camshaft through rocker arms. So we see three valve covers on this beautiful engine.

The engine was laid out to develop massive low end torque, and for a racing engine, it revved quite low, as the rev counter clearly tells.

All this torque, a hefty 853 Nm being available at 2500 rpm, was very difficult to handle for the narrow rear wheel tires, and a limited slip differential was badly needed to stop the inner wheel in narrow corners from spinning fiercely through under full throttle, even in the dry!

The impressive two-stage Roots compressor at the back of the engine, fed by a battery of two carburetors…

Maximum power ranged from 485 to 520 PS or 357-382 kW during the racing seasons, and whether the race was to be long or short. It was achieved at – at least for a racing engine –a very lowish 5000 rpm. A two stage roots compressor was used, with 0,95 bar pressure.

One last item, which one tends to forget when talking about the sheer performance of this engines, is that the 200 L tank did not contain ordinary fuel. A (secret) mixture using amongst others ethanol and methanol was used. This did allow higher combustion chamber pressures and temperatures, without problems of knocking or lack of cooling. One needs to flush the system after races because the mixture is corrosive.

In our next edition, we will go for the equally stunning Alfa Romeo P2 straight 8 compressor engine…

We just let you look here at our drawings!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

A new series on pen drawings of famous engines… The Jaguar D-type

April 28, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Automotive drawings and art, Classic and Vintage CarsLeave a comment

After having made a pencil drawing of the Jaguar XK engine, we got more and more carried away so to speak, and decided to start with a series of famous racing engines, which made automotive history. Of course, we continued first with the D-type theme, as we felt it deserved further attention.

So here it is…

Engine capacity of this XK engine in this racing version is still the original 3442 cc, with also the original bore and stroke dimensions of 83 x 106 mm.

With triple Weber carburetors and a 1:9 compression ratio it developed 253 PS or 186 kW at 6000 rpm. Torque was very impressive for a normally aspirated engine, being 328 Nm at 4000 rpm.

It had dry sump lubrication, as the superb roadholding of the D-type triggered G forces which would let the engine starve for oil had the original sump been retained. It also allowed a larger oil quantity, lowering oil temperature on the grueling long Mulsanne straight at Le Mans, where the D-type would run at speeds in excess of 170 mph, or 270 km/h. There was also another practical reason, which might have been even more important: the D-type is very low, so to reduce the engine height, a dry sump layout was chosen.

The D-type itself was structurally designed by Jaguar’s William Heynes Technical Director and Chief Engineer. It applied aeronautical technology. The cockpit section was of monocoque construction, mostly comprising sheets of aluminum alloy. It was about five years later that John Cooper started to use the same concept for his Formula 1 cars…

The aerodynamic bodywork was largely the work of Malcolm Sayer, who had joined Jaguar following a stint with the Bristol Aeroplane Company during the Second World War and later worked on the C-Type. The D-Type required a minimal frontal area. To further reduce the XK engine’s height, the engine was canted at 8½° from the vertical, which made the typical offset bonnet bulge necessary. It might also have been needed, according to Philip Porter, in his book Jaguar Sports Racing Cars, to provide extra space for the ram pipes feeding the three twin-choke Weber carburetors….

You can see clearly in the drawing the rampipes of the Webers, and the fact that the engine is canted…

Just enjoy the drawing. The next one will be the famous Auto Union V16 engine…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

DS X E-TENSE: a designer’s dream to drive in 2035…

April 27, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Autonomous driving, Car News, Car presentations, Concept Cars, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Future technologies, LifestyleLeave a comment

DS designers were asked what their dream car would look like within 17 years. New forms, new materials, new technologies. The team came up with a truly stunning result: The fruit of their collective fantasy and out of the box thinking is DS X E-TENSE, a car with stylish refinement and very bold solutions indeed…

Just look at the photos and read further, and be amazed…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Continue reading “DS X E-TENSE: a designer’s dream to drive in 2035…” →

BMW Group Classic and its new Centre…

April 25, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Classic and Vintage Cars, History in photos, Manufacturer's Classic Centers, MuseumsLeave a comment

Of course, BMW also has a magnificent museum, but here we focus first on their new Centre, which was opened in 2016. We present you here some factory photos; needless to say that we are keen to visit the centre, and bring you then an extensive report with own interviews and images, but in the meantime, we shouldn’t already keep this from you…

The company archive and the vehicle collection, the workshop and the customer centre together with the parts service for classic automobiles and motorcycles are now located together in an ensemble of buildings in the district of Milbertshofen in Munich.

The site at Moosacher Straße 66 measuring around 13,000 square meters includes one of the first production buildings of what was at that time still a fledgling company.

In this building, magnificent BMW motorcycles are also displayed, what to think of this iconic and timeless boxer?

It was preserved during the restoration work, as was the heritage gatehouse, which is today a listed building, and now forms the entrance to the history of the BMW Group.

The new location for BMW Group Classic also provides a touch point for owners and fans of classic vehicles of the brands BMW, MINI und Rolls-Royce with information and services relating to the preservation and care of their automobiles and motorcycles.

Vehicles and numerous other exhibits from the comprehensive collection of BMW Group Classic are presented in the historic production hall, like their fantastic aircraft engines. (see photo above). The facilities and event spaces created there can also be booked for events. Guided tours are offered to give participants an overview of the new venue and provide information about the history of the company.

Café “Mo 66” is open to visitors and gives them a vantage point looking directly into the glass covered vehicle workshop of the BMW Group Classic Centre.

At its new location, BMW Group Classic has now better facilities for staging activities relating to the history of the company and its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce. Questions about the history of the company, brands and products are answered by using the vast BMW Group Archives. The teams responsible for communication with the media and for marketing now also carry out their work in the new centre alongside the specialists involved in organizing events and exhibitions.

The staff of the BMW Group Classic Centre have a long track record of experience, expertise and passion. They work on the preservation and restoration of historic automobiles and motorcycles, and offer support for purchasing or selling a classic vehicle. We are keen to meet them and present you then an in depth report about their work. The offering of BMW Group Classic also includes the loan of classic vehicles and the parts shop. The range of parts offered comprises more than 55 000 items and it is continuously growing. Of course, the happy owners of collectables on four wheels and two will benefit from this supply of original spare parts…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

A new series on Car Museums and Classic Heritage Centers…

April 23, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Classic and Vintage Cars, History in photos, Pre-War ClassicsLeave a comment

Soon we will start here with a new series on the heritage activities of car manufacturers, as the interest in preserving their heritage in historic sites, buildings and cars is ever growing. The same can be said for the increasing love and interest for vintage and classic cars by the greater public, and therefore a comprehensive series on the subject is long overdue.

Besides the plethora of museums, there are also the services which manufacturers with a keen interest in their mobile heritage are offering to their customers, in the form of Classic Cars Service Centers.

We will first start off with two main German pioneers in the latter concept, Daimler and BMW. But of course there is more to come, just think of Porsche, and not to forget the British museums and heritage centers

and their activities like the Land Rover Series I Reborn programme executed in their Classic Works.Indeed, there is Jaguar Land Rover Classic… And a lot more.

Just stay posted!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

The star and the four rings: a marriage which happened 60 years ago…and led to the post-war renaissance of Audi

April 21, 2018Posted in Automobilia, Car manufacturers strategy, Concept Cars, History in photos, prototypesLeave a comment

Prototyp eines kompakten Mercedes-Benz Personenwagens (W 119), 1962. Exterieur, Sicht von rechts vorne. Zu einer Serienfertigung kommt es nicht. 955 Mille Miglia: Mercedes-Benz senior engineer Ludwig Kraus (far left) with Rudolf Uhlenhaut, Denis Jenkinson, Stirling Moss and Dr. Hans Scherenberg (left to right). — Prototype of a compact Mercedes-Benz Passenger car(W 119), 1962. It will not make it into series production.

In the spring of 1958, decisive motor history was written: In april of that year, the then Daimler-Benz AG acquired a majority in Auto Union GmbH. All the remaining shares followed on 31 December 1959.

By 1960, Auto Union was therefore a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler-Benz. This meant that all the brands of Auto Union, which included Audi, now could be revived.

And so Daimler did, to let the public forget the two stroke image of Auto Union and DKW. Of course, they had one small car adventure with the two stroke engined DKW Junior, wich actually proved quite popular.

But Mercedes rather more loved the four cylinder engines and the nobler Audi image, which would fit perfectly. So they made efforts – which we will explain here further – to bring a revolutionary four srtoke engine into the existing Auto Union/DKW F103, and started work on the development of an all new Audi.

Daimer strategy changed however, and so they sold on 1 January 1965 the majority of the shares of Auto Union to Volkswagen, and offered them Audi on a plate…in the form of a already extensively developed Audi four dour model, and they even sold the engineer who developed this car with it!

Das Mercedes-Benz Werk Düsseldorf ist das größte Transporterwerk der Daimler AG. Rund 6.600 Mitarbeiter produzieren dort heute den Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Historisches Foto der Montage des Transporters T1 aus den 1980er-Jahren. The Mercedes-Benz plant in Düsseldorf is the largest van plant of Daimler AG. Around 6,600 employees produce the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter at the plant. Historical photo of T1 van assembly in the 1980s. — The Mercedes-Benz plant in Düsseldorf is the largest van plant of Daimler AG. Around 6,600 employees produce the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter at the plant. Historical photo of T1 van assembly in the 1980s.

In the meantime, from 1961 onwards, the major Mercedes-Benz plant in Düsseldorf was constructed on a site previously operated by Auto Union. With a workforce of some 6600 and an annual output of around 150,000 vans, Düsseldorf is now Daimler AG’s main factory for vans. All the closed variants of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter – i.e. panel vans and crewbuses – roll off the production line there. Just read further…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Continue reading “The star and the four rings: a marriage which happened 60 years ago…and led to the post-war renaissance of Audi” →