Posts Tagged ‘History’

January 17th, 2012  Posted at   Classic Cars
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The 170S (1949 – 1955)

Today in 2011 very few people have an idea what a Mercedes 170S is all about. Most of them have never even seen one. If asked they might consider it as part of the modern A-Class series and when confronted with the fact that a 1.7 l powered car with a top speed of 105 km/h (65 mph) was once regarded as the ultimate in German luxury engineering, they have understandable difficulties to believe that.

So, let us dive a bit into the history of Mercedes after the war and have a look at what made this strange car so special. In the late 1940s, when this car was launched in Germany, times were very different. And not only in Germany. It was a similar situation all over Europe. Human resources were available in abundance, but there was an acute shortage in raw materials, machinery tools and most of all money. So most automobile manufacturers in Europe tried to launch cars that were either already available before World War II or were mildly upgraded to make them look at least from the outside somewhat more modern. Technically they were all just copies of what was already available ten years earlier.

The first Mercedes after the war was no different. Launched in 1947 the first “new” Mercedes was called the 170V. It was a direct copy of what Daimler-Benz had introduced already in 1936. Towards the end of the 1940s people had grown a bit tired of prewar cars and wanted something different. But as money was still in short supply, Daimler-Benz used a body that was slightly bigger than the one of the 170V, but was also very similar to cars launched before the war.

The engine was upgraded from 38 hp to 52 hp and the car was launched as the 170S, “S” most probably standing for “super”. Prices started in 1949 at 10,100.- DM ($2,400.- at contemporary exchange rates). It meant that very few could afford the car. As a first in the history of Mercedes: a four-cylinder car for the rich and famous. In the US that kind of money bought you an eight-cylinder Packard. None of 170V or S cars would have found a buyer in North America. But if Daimler-Benz would have made an attempt to sell the 170S to potential American customers, there would have been no dealership yet to shoulder such a task. That came a few years later only. (more…)

December 25th, 2011  Posted at   Classic Cars
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Bentley Motors in Crewe, England has a lengthy history of both the manufacturing and the racing of luxury cars. The company was founded in 1919 by its Walter Bentley, known previously for his range of military aero-engines, in particular the engine for the Sopwith Camel.

It was from here Walter Bentley found that his use of aluminium in the construction of his aero-engines and components both gave better performance and durability, let alone many options for casting and machining. As at this period in history many manufacturers were still replying heavily on cast steel components, thus making them heavy, prone to overheating and less durable.

So with this new type of engine, Walter Bentley applied it to the first cars and in 1921 the first Bentley the BR1 came off the production line. A year later Bentley cars were seen at numerous races and hill-climbs around the UK and even entered into the American Indianapolis 500 endurance race. But it was two years later in 1924 when Bentley was finally put on the map with a coveted win at the Le Mans 24 Hour race in France. To top this Bentley cars went on to win no less than four consecutive race wins from 1927 to 1930.

After the 1929 Wall Street Crash in the USA, Bentley car sales severely slumped world-wide. The problem became so severe the company was sold to the Rolls Royce Corporation in 1931. Fast forwarding to the present-day, the Bentley marque which has been owned by the German car manufacturer Volkswagen AG since 1998 is proving to be now as popular as ever. Even with the current global uncertainty the Bentley brand is enjoying a re-surge in sales in many emerging markets around the world, like India, Qatar and China.

Bentley has gone through much transformation in the last 10 years with its new owners, the cars are still hand-made and hand-finished in the same factory in Crewe, plus they are still produced with such high standard and attention to detail. (more…)


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