International Society for Vehicle Preservation

WHAT: 3rd Annual Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Collector Car Auction

WHEN: March 31 - April 3, 2005

WHERE: South Florida Expo Center 9067 Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach, Florida

SIGNIFICANCE:The Barrett-Jackson online media credential system has reopened and is accepting credential applications for the 3rd Annual Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Classic Car Auction.�Journalists that�logged in�previously �simply need to�reenter�their email address and check back in to apply for credentials.�The online�media credential �system �was a success for the 2005 Scottsdale auction�and some additional improvements have been made since to make it even easier�for media to apply. We will not be mailing any media credentials for the remaining auctions in 2005. �All credentials will be available at the media will call area (at the main entrance) at the South Florida Expo Center during the auction week, Wednesday, March 30th - Sunday, April 3rd 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. All credentials will be held in the individual media �representative�fs name. Each person will need to pick up their own credentials and show photo ID in order to receive their individual credential package. Thanks again for your interest. We look forward to hosting you at the auction!

INFO: ��More information can be located on the Barrett-Jackson website or by contacting the�Barrett-Jackson media department at (480) 421-6694

Friday, February 25, 2005

SAVE-THE-DATE

The Petersen Automotive Museum has announced it will hold the 2005 Cars and Stars Gala on Thursday, May 12th.� The main details for the events are below.�

Los Angeles, Calif., 2005-02-25 (WDB) . ...

WHAT: ���������� The Petersen Automotive Museum�fs 2005 Cars and Stars Gala, featuring the blockbuster exhibition Musclecars: Power to the People

WHEN: ���������� Thursday, May 12, 2005 - 6:00 PM-10:00 PM

WHO: ������������ Hollywood celebrities, automotive legends, enthusiasts and VIPs

WHERE: �������� 6060 Wilshire Blvd. (at Fairfax), Los Angeles, CA 90036

WHY: ������������ Petersen Automotive Museum, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) museum, is a pioneer in automotive education and one of the nation�fs largest and preeminent automotive museums. �Each year the proceeds from the Gala help support the Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation and its youth and education programs throughout the year.

TICKETS:������ $250-$500, contact: 323-964-6366

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

THAT’S ITALIAN!

2005 Pebble Beach Concours d�fElegance to Celebrate Alfa Romeo, Pininfarina

Pebble Beach, Calif., 2005-02-08 (WDB). ...The 55th annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance will have a distinctively Italian flair: Alfa Romeo and Pininfarina are being honored at the Aug. 21 event. “The 95-year history of the (Milan, Italybased) Alfa Romeo race cars and street cars is remarkable, and the vehicles are of utmost importance in the collector car world,” said Pebble Beach Concours Co-Chairman Glenn Mounger. “We’ve chosen to celebrate everything from the full array of pre-World War II classes to postwar custom coachwork, and we expect to be hosting the most significant Alfa Romeo collection anyone’s seen in quite a few years.”

Of special interest will be the display of Alfa Romeo B.A.T.s (Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica). “We’ll be hosting the complete collection of B.A.T.s, which are considered some of the most inspired designs of the last century,” Mounger said.

1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Viotti Coupe owned by Arturo and Deborah Keller.

Like Alfa Romeo, the name Pininfarina is synonymous with many of the world’s mostsignificant automobiles. Founded by Battista ‘Pinin’ Farina in 1930 (his name was officially changed to Pininfarina in 1961 by the president of Italy) “it became the most influential and successful design house in history and has revolutionized automotive styling,” said Mounger. Battista Pininfarina died in 1966 and was posthumously inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2004.

His inventive legacy is shared by his son Sergio, who joined the Pininfarina Group in 1950, becoming president in 1966. “Sergio is an incredibly talented, gracious man who’s one of the living legends of automotive design,” said Concours Co-Chairman Sandra Kasky. “We’re honored to celebrate the ingenious and alluring work of the Pininfarina family, and we’re proud to have Sergio participate in our awards ceremony at the 2005 Concours

elcome to our news release (No, 1 2005) designed to assist you with covering the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. We’re already deeply involved with planning our Aug. 21 event, which will once again showcase the finest in international automotive styling, performance and history ... all along the 18th hole of the famed Pebble Beach Golf Links. And in addition to honoring Alfa Romeo and Pininfarina at our 55th annual event, we expect to be making quite a few exciting announcements during the upcoming months, so please stay tuned.

As always, thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you in August.

* Pebble Beach Concours d�fElegance logo for editorial use only

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

RARE PROTOTYPES AND FUTURISTIC CONCEPT CAR ART TO BE DISPLAYED AT PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM

�gDriving Through Futures Past�h Exhibit Features Concept Cars and Collection of Styling Art Rarely Seen Outside Automotive Design Studios - April 16 to September 11, 2005

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LOS ANGELES, Calif., (February 7, 2005)(WDB). ... - The Petersen Automotive Museum, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) museum, dedicated to education and one of the nation�fs largest and preeminent automotive museums, will present Driving Through Futures Past. �The exhibit features 75 pieces of concept car art, conceptual models and futuristic automobiles, illustrating some of the most ingenious automotive designs of all time.� The exhibit, which runs from April 16 through September 11, 2005, will feature the visionary works of noted designers and illustrators from Harley Earl, Norman Bel Geddes and John Tjaarda to Bill Mitchell, Virgil Exner and Syd Mead.

�gThe scope and importance of this exhibit is truly amazing,�h says Dick Messer, Petersen Automotive Museum Director. �gMuch of the original artwork and most of the vehicles are rarely ever seen by the public.� This is a tremendous opportunity for Museum visitors to get a rare glimpse inside the minds of these designers and understand how the �ecars of tomorrow�f were conceptualized.�h

The exhibit is a comprehensive look at the hands-on process of automotive design before computers became an industry staple.� Often referred to as �gblue sky�h concepts, these futuristic designs were created in advanced styling studios with the intention of promoting revolutionary ideas that reached well beyond the technologies of their day.� Before computers became commonplace in automotive design, stylists created original sketches and renderings that often led to models of their designs and even full-sized automobiles such as:

� 1936 Stout Scarab - the little-known predecessor to modern minivans, created by world-renowned stylist William Stout.

� 1933 Chrysler Trifon prototype -built by Chrysler Corporation, this car was the precursor to the Chrysler Airflow, one of America�fs first streamlined automobiles.

� 1948 Tucker - Preston Tucker�fs ill-fated, rear-engine sedan that has become an icon of automotive technology and design.

� 1956 Pontiac Bonneville Special Motorama show car - designed by General Motors for its traveling Motorama show, it sports a Plexiglas top and gull-wing type panels for entry.

Leading the outstanding collection of conceptual artwork is a 1946 Tucker Torpedo styling model, never before seen in public.� At a quarter scale, designer and sculptor George S. Lawson�fs model is different in appearance than the production model on display. It is the first proposal submitted for the Tucker auto design that eventually evolved into the final “production” design.

�

The selection of artwork in the display includes:
� Sterkenberg Flying Car concept by pioneering �gstreamlining�h designer John Tjaarda who also helped pen the 1936 Lincoln Zephyr.

� 1933 Futuristic Car Model #9 by Norman Bel Geddes one of the world�fs most famous industrial designers.

� 1936 Motor Magazine artwork created by famed illustrator Arthur C. Radebaugh.

� The original patent model for the 1938 Phantom Corsair prototype, designed by Rust Heinz, who was killed in an auto accident shortly after his prototype was completed.

� Artwork of 1940 Buick �gPontoon Car�h created by former Oldsmobile Chief Stylist Arthur Ross, who also worked on the famed 1948 dual-finned Cadillac.

� Painting of a proposed 1948 airplane/car by Richard Arbib, famous industrial designer best remembered for his iconic 1957 Hamilton Venture wristwatch, considered the most influential watch design of the 20th Century. He also designed the 1952 Packard Pan American show car.

� 1954 Firebird I gas turbine styling model that resided in GM designer Harley Earl�fs office until he retired.

� 1954 �gMaxima�h design model in 3/8th scale created by designer Alex Tremulis.

� 1957 Levitating Cars sketch by former Cadillac designer Jerry Brochstein, who also penned a number of renowned Cadillac concept cars including the Cadillac Voyage.

� 1960 Ford Gyron illustration by Syd Mead, one of the most influential auto designers from 1960 to the present, known for a series of books he created for U.S. Steel featuring futuristic concept cars utilizing steel products and his work on Sci-Fi movies including Blade Runner, Tron, Alien and Star Trek: The Movie.

�gThe mid-20th Century yielded some of the most forward-thinking automotive concepts created by talented designers who imagined a future in which technology would provide solutions to every design challenge.�h says Leslie Kendall, Petersen Automotive Museum Curator. �gFrom renderings of gyroscopic rocket cars and atomic-powered flying vehicles to full-size autos such as the radically streamlined 1936 Stout Scarab and 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Dream Car, these concepts embody technologies that remind us not only how far we have come, but also how far we have yet to go.�h

Sunday, February 06, 2005

Fully operational again: Mercedes-Benz G4 offroader

Fully operational again: Mercedes-Benz G4 offroader
Unique vehicle owned by the Spanish royal family: painstakingly restored at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center
Engineering in perfect condition again after three years of work
Unique patina retained, testifying to a service life of 66 years

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Stuttgart, Germany/Madrid, Spain 2005-02-04 (WDB). ...This car is an extremely rare one: a 1939 Mercedes-Benz G4 offroader in original condition, today owned by the Spanish royal family. The explicit restoration order placed with the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center was correspondingly unusual. The G4 was to be restored to a technically impeccable condition but was to retain its unique patina acquired in the course of its 66-year life.

A first quick glance may therefore be irritating: Is this the result of three years of painstaking restoration? It is indeed, because the restorers deliberately refrained from removing the traces of use in the interior and minor blemishes in the bodywork. These traces and blemishes do, after all, testify to the G4s history and authenticity.

The G4 owned by the Spanish royal family is one of just a few surviving units of this three-axle offroader Җ just three of the total of 57 units built in the 1930s are still being considered absolutely authentic. Additional units still exist yet without unambiguous proof of their originality. Before the G4 joined the royal fleet, it was used by General Franco who had been given this car as a present from Germany.

During the past decades, the offroader was serviced and maintained by the Royal Guard in Madrid. The latter hold the classics in the royal fleet in high esteem. When it was decided to have the G4 restored by the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center, together with an equally extraordinary car of its day and age, a Mercedes-Benz 770, the cars were given an almost ceremonial farewell in Madrid, and an armed escort accompanied the truck convoy to the French border. The cars arrived at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Fellbach near Stuttgart in September 2001

The large 770 limousine is still there, undergoing restoration. The work on the G4, completed in December 2004, is a present by Mercedes-Benz Espaa to the Spanish royal family.

The first inspection of the G4 in the workshop of the Classic Center revealed numerous traces of use over the years but otherwise an excellent substance overall. In a first step, the soft-top was removed and the bodywork was lifted off with utmost care to gain access to the chassis. In the course of the subsequent painstaking restoration, no component however small remained untouched.

All the mechanical components were disassembled, cleaned, repaired and put together again an attention to detail that was responsible for three years of restoration work. The experts reconstructed several functions of the elaborate engineering and made them operational again. The original substance was retained wherever this was possible ᖖ another brief for the restoration work. The extent of this is illustrated by the fact that every screw, every bolt and every sleeve was scrupulously inspected, re-machined and returned to its original position whenever possible.

Another example: the inner components of the exhaust system, which were still operational, were left in their original condition whereas the dilapidated exterior components underwent true-to-the-original restoration. Non-original components were replaced by components re-produced on the basis of the old blueprints.

The three axles of the offroader were completely dismantled and overhauled. The mechanical drive assemblies proved to be in an extremely good condition. And yet they are a good example for the scope of work invested. It took a 20-ton press in the Mercedes-Benz factory in Untertrkheim to loosen the rigid shafts on the rear axles. The numerous gearwheels were cleaned in a special process based on diesel fuel because the latters oily consistency ensured clean surfaces yet retained a protective grease film.

After the completion of the work, it was not possible to fill the customary lubricants into the axle housings because they would have had corrosive effects on the bronze components in the differentials. In addition, the oil had to have a high level of shear resistance. After a lengthy search, the experts decided in favor of a special lubricant based on castor oil.
Talking about searches: to be restored to a fully operational condition, the G4 needed new tires 쒖 eight of them, to be precise, including the spares. These tires were not easy to come by, given the required dimensions, the stability to match the high vehicle weight plus the offroad tread. Quite some time passed by before the experts eventually found the right tires in America.

The G4 has four forward gears, gears two through to four being synchronized. A countershaft transmission serves as a reduction gear, making four additional crawler gears available. For operation in difficult terrain, the differentials are self-locking, an engineering feature that was far from being state of the art for offroaders at the time the G4 was built and for quite some time to come.

The G4 is powered by an M24 II eight-cylinder in-line engine with a displacement of 5.4 liters ֖ very similar to the engine which was also used in the 540 K sports car, though without a supercharger to boost performance at high speeds. The designers of the G4 decided against a supercharger because the car, weighing some 3.7 tons, has a top speed of just 67 km/h the tires do not permit any higher speeds. It is this high weight that accounts for the G4֒s somewhat limited offroad capabilities.

The aim of restoration was an impeccable technical conditionӔ, and this also meant roadworthiness. Hence, the scope of work also included the repair of the brakes, a dual-circuit system testifying to the high technical standard of the overall design. Not only did the mechanical components have to be overhauled, new brake lines also had to be installed, which had to be specially manufactured: copper cables in the required dimensions and strength are not available off the shelf. The same applies to the fuel lines which were equally specially manufactured.

The clean, symmetrical layout of the cables in the chassis almost resembles a work of art. Incidentally, the driver is given clever assistance when braking in order to decelerate the mighty vehicle effectively. A piston operated by a vacuum cylinder additionally acts on the brake pedal via a cable mechanism. This technical feature, including a leather sleeve in the vacuum reservoir, was reconstructed. Where the fuel supply is concerned, the designers of the G4 played it safe: the car has two electric fuel pumps, plus a mechanical pump and, in case all three fail, the engine can still be supplied with gasoline from a spare gravity fuel tank.

After the restoration, the chassis with all its components very much looks as it did in the 1930s, i.e. rather austere as the paint coat of numerous parts had not been sprayed on but applied by means of a brush, resulting in corresponding surfaces. This method was therefore also used in restoration, maximum originality being the top priority at all times.
The G4 has numerous electric functions and therefore a highly complex circuitry.

However, a blueprint of this circuitry was no longer available. It was reconstructed with painstaking attention to detail and a new cable harness was manufactured, which proved to be a highly complex undertaking. For instance, the G4 features a central switch which shuts off all electricity consumers, with only the electric components required for engine operation still being supplied. Every single switch on the G4 was dismounted and repaired, at times with the most delicate tools which are reminiscent of a dentist rather than an automotive expert.

Even the pale blue illumination of the Virgin Mary badge attached to the cockpit is in working order again, thanks to specially modified miniature light bulbs. All gauges were overhauled, and the precision of the electric clock was monitored and adjusted over the course of many weeks. Today, it indicates the time almost as precisely as a modern quartz clock. The orange-colored plastic in the direction indicators was beyond repair and had to be replaced. After intensive treatment, the tubular radio plays again as it did before. And when required, attention is drawn to the car by four horns - two for city traffic and two louder ones for overland trips or a siren.

The bodywork remained largely untouched ֖ the brief had been to refrain from cosmetic restoration. The specialists cleaned the paint coat and polished the chrome parts, but that was largely the extent of it. Only the lower sections of the doors showed signs of rust which was removed as a matter of course. The bodyworks sheet metal is lined on the inside with stabilizing wooden elements, a customary construction for cars at the time. These wooden elements were in good condition and were therefore merely cleaned and impregnated with a special fluid to protect them from drying out.

The interior reveals traces of the carҒs age of more than 65 years but is otherwise in almost impeccable condition not least thanks to the care lavished on the car by the Royal Guard. Gentle restoration work will, if at all, be carried out in Spain where people have plenty of experience in the repair of valuable horse-drawn carriages, for instance ֖ an expertise from which the G4 will be able to benefit.

After the restoration of the royal G4s chassis, the car was taken to the test track on the premises of the Mercedes-Benz plant in UntertҼrkheim for trial driving to check on the perfect functioning of all components. After the tests, the finishing touches were added to the engineering and the last adjustments were made. Then came the great moment: the bodywork was mounted back to the chassis, repeating the act of weddingӔ, as this is known in automotive lingo, and the G4 came back into being, 66 years after its first completion in 1939.

And now, the fleet of the Spanish royal family includes a truly unique vehicle, the extremely rare Mercedes-Benz G4 offroader, fully operational with completely overhauled mechanical components but with all the deliberately retained traces of its venerable age. It is thus a very special witness to contemporary and engineering history.
General information: Mercedes-Benz G4 (W 31 series)

Heavy-duty offroad car, developed for the German army
Produced from 1934 until 1939
Number of units produced: 57

Today, three cars still exist which are considered absolutely authentic. Other units still exist but may include rebuilt cars and imitations, as is the case with other rare Mercedes-Benz classics.

The G4 owned by the Spanish royal family

Model year: 1939
Ordered by the German Reichs Chancellery in Berlin
Present for General Franco
Today part of the automobile collection of the Spanish royal family?Serviced and maintained by the Royal Guard at the royal El Pardo palace in Madrid
Restored at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center from September 2001 until December 2004
Order: repair of the technical components, no restoration work on bodywork, interior appointments and soft-top to retain the patina and originality of the car. Old and original components were retained whenever possible. Non-original components were replaced and reproduced on the basis of old blueprints.

Technical data: Mercedes-Benz G4, W 31 series, 1934 Җ 1939

General data:
Wheelbase: 3100 + 950 mm?Front/rear track width: 1620/1570/1570 mm?Dimensions (length x width x height): 5360-5720 x 1870 x 1900 mm (with soft-top)
Turning circle: 17 meters?Weight: approx. 3700 kg (in ready-to-drive condition)
Permissible gross weight: 4400 kg?Top speed permitted by the tires: 67 km/h ?Fuel consumption: 28 liters/100 km (urban), 38 liters/100 km (offroad)?Fuel tank capacity: 90 liters, on some units 140 liters

Engine?Daimler-Benz M24 or M24 II eight-cylinder in-line engine?Total displacement: initially 5018 cc, later 5401 cc?Bore x stroke: 86 x 108 mm / 88 x 111 mm
Output: 100 hp / 110 hp at 3400/min?Torque: 28.8 mkg at 1400/min
Compression ratio: 1:5.6 / 1:5.2?Mixture formation: one double carburetor
Valves: overhead, lateral camshaft, driven by spur gears?Cooling: pump, 26 liters of water
Lubrication: force-feed, ten liters of oil
Battery: 12 V 60 Ah / 12 V 105 Ah
Alternator: 130 kW?Starter motor: 1.5 hp / 1.8 hp

Transmission
Four driven rear wheels, two self-locking differentials
Clutch: single-plate dry clutch
Transmission: four-speed manual and countershaft transmission
Ratios: I/4.10, II/2.21, III/1.49, IV/1.00
Drive ratios of countershaft transmission: road/1.00, offroad/3.06

Chassis
Box-section frame
Front wheel suspension: rigid axle, semi-elliptic springs
Rear wheel suspension: two rigid axles, one semi-elliptic spring for two wheels on each side
Steering: helical spindle
Brakes: dual-circuit system, hydraulic with vacuum assistance, acting on front and rear wheels; mechanical hand-operated parking brake, acting on front wheels
Lubrication: central
Wheels: steel disc wheels with drop center rims, size L 4.00 F x 17; with self-sealing tires: size 6.00 F x 17?Tires: 7.5-17 with offroad tread (normal or self-sealing)

Monday, January 31, 2005

PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS d’ELEGANCE DONATES $10,000 TO THE NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM

Giving Back to ‘the Hobby’

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. Jan. 31, 2005 (WDB). ... - Honoring the past and looking toward the future, the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, recently donated $10,000 to the National Automobile Museum (The Harrah Collection) in Reno, Nev.

“We wanted to give something back to the hobby and felt the National Automobile Museum was the ideal place to do so,” said Sandra Kasky, co-chairman of the Pebble Beach Concours. “We annually give to many different national and international charitable organizations, but this donation was specifically earmarked for collecting and preserving historic and world-class automobiles.”

Kasky said the donation would be matched by Museum Chairman Ranson Webster and his wife Nora. Jackie Frady, the Museum’s executive director, said the Pebble Beach Concours’ generosity, “will enable the Museum to continue to offer valuable programs for our student visitors and captivating experiences for our daily visitors, as well as assist with collection preservation and infrastructure maintenance.”

The Pebble Beach Concours has donated more than $8 million to various local charities in recent years, including the United Way of Monterey County, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County and the Natividad Medical Research Foundation, as well as national charities, including the Wheelchair Foundation and Kinship Center, and a global charity, UNICEF.

First conducted in 1950, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is an international gathering of automotive enthusiasts for “a celebration of the automobile” at The Lodge at Pebble Beach* on the Monterey Peninsula.  The Concours combines a scenic location—the famed 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links along the Pacific Ocean—with the opportunity to view rarely seen examples of automotive style, performance and history.  The annual affair also includes a series of auxiliary activities, including the Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance around Pacific Grove and Carmel for Concours entries, and The Pebble Beach Auction conducted by Gooding & Company that showcases classic, vintage and antique cars.

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

100 years ago: Foundation of Sddeutsche Automobilfabrik forerunner of todays Gaggenau plant

by Georg Wiss

Specialization in commercial vehicles
Pioneering achievements with fire service vehicles
Cradle of diesel technology for Daimler-Benz AGs commercial vehicle branch

Stuttgart, Germany, 2005-01-18 (WDB). ... The Gaggenau plant is a symbol not only of numerous engineering specialties, but also of ongoing specialization. Around 1900, for instance, a complete range of motor vehicles from passenger cars through to trucks and buses - was manufactured in Gaggenau. Today, the plant is DaimlerChryslers center of competence for manual and automated transmissions. Similarly, Gaggenau was also the place of origin of the planetary axles for heavy-duty trucks famed for their robustness. For many years these were used in all heavy-duty Mercedes-Benz trucks, and although they are restricted to vehicles for the construction industry today, total unit production has long since passed the 1.5 million mark.

In 2005 the first significant step in specialization - concentration on commercial vehicles will celebrate its hundredth anniversary. For on February 8, 1905, Georg Wiss founded Sddeutsche Automobilfabrik G.m.b.H. (SAG) a company which rapidly made a name for itself with trucks, buses and even fire service vehicles. Sddeutsche Automobilfabrik, for example, became the first German plant to receive a major truck order from the Japanese government. Another vehicle produced by SAG in Gaggenau was the expedition truck with which a certain Paul Graetz set out in August 1907 on a 630-day expedition to cross Southern Africa. Many at the time considered the enterprise impossible, but the vehicle from Gaggenau endured the punishing 9,500 kilometer journey with barely a complaint.

From Liliputs to juggernauts

Admittedly Wi did not have to build up the business from scratch when he established SAG 100 years ago. Ten years earlier an industrialist by the name of Bergmann had set up in Gaggenau, building cars with evocative names such as the Orient Express or Liliput. With the diminutive Liliput available on the road for 2,500 Marks Bergmann aimed to launch a sort of peoples car”. The plant in Gaggenau also produced a range of household goods, dispensers and weapons, which meant, however, that Bergmanns energies were somewhat dissipated. The business eventually became mired in the need for continuous technical development of products and ongoing factory expansion, and Bergmann was brought to the verge of financial ruin. On occasions the workforce even accepted wage concessions in order to keep their patron in business.

Finally in 1905 his partner Georg Wi, the son-in-law of a Mannheim industrialist, stepped into the breach. With the financial backing of his wifes inherited wealth, he purchased sole ownership of the automotive company in February 1905. The company agreement of February 22, 1905 states the purpose of the company as being for the manufacture and sale of automobiles. The Liliput, however, failed to achieve the desired breakthrough as a vehicle affordable by all. Despite its simple construction, it remained too expensive. As a result, Wi sought salvation principally in the manufacture of commercial vehicles. His design engineer Franz Knecht was to set things right: he drew up a new production program in which trucks and buses were to play leading roles.

Influential customers from Berlin

There was no shortage of takers. The bus service from Gernsbach to Baden-Baden, for example, dates from 1905 a route promptly served by buses from the Gaggenau plant. And SAG buses also increasingly found customers outside the Baden region. That same year, 1905, the Baden company succeeded in landing an important order from Berlin: the city’s public services commissioned the Gaggenau plant to build the first large-capacity bus capable of accommodating 52 passengers. Furthermore, in 1906 the Imperial postal service also became a regular purchaser of SAG buses.

The Gaggenau workforce was just as busy with truck production. By 1907 they were already offering two so-called goods delivery vehicles in the light-duty segment with a choice of 800/1,000 kg and 1,500/2,000 kg payloads. In the heavy-duty segment SAG also offered two variants one with a payload capacity of two to three metric tons, the other with one of four to six. With these vehicles SAG enjoyed great success. The Royal Prussian War Ministry commissioned a heavy-duty five-tonner in 1908, and the test department of the Transport Corps in Berlin could not resist the purchase of a Double Phaeton motor car for the General Staff as well as a fully-motorized fire engine.

Worlds first gasoline-powered fire engine

And there was more to come. In the field of fire-fighting vehicles SAG also undertook pioneering work. The company’s ӓGrunewald model entered the history books as the worlds first gasoline-powered fire engine to see action with a German fire service. The volunteer fire service serving the well-to-do Berlin suburb of Grunewald took delivery of its Gaggenau-built gasoline fire engine on December 1, 1906. Thereafter the Gaggenau company happily launched a whole range of special fire service vehicles, including crew and backup vehicles.

SAG, it seems, began to acquire a taste for specializing, developing also purpose-built vehicles such as a freight truck destined for transporting long items of freight such as telegraph poles or rails for railway construction in German Southeast Africa. And Franz Knechts team of engineers was also soon busy drawing up plans for a special meat transporter for the garrison abattoir in Metz.

Soon at the end of the line

Just two years after establishing SAG, however, founder Georg Wiss found himself in much the same situation that Theodor Bergmann had faced two years previously when he was forced to sell his automotive business. Commercial success meant that capital increases were inevitable, but Wi was not in a position to meet these from his own pocket. By comparison with Benz and Daimler, moreover, SAG also lacked the necessary large volumes to keep pace in terms of quality and innovation.

Rheinische Kreditbank in Mannheim first brokered an agreement on the pooling of interests with Benz & Cie., and this later led to a merger with its great commercial rival. The two parties agreed to divide up the work as follows: Benz would relocate its entire commercial vehicle production from the Mannheim parent plant to Gaggenau, and the Gaggenau plant with its brand symbols S.A.F., S.A.G.Җ and Gaggenau would cease passenger car production by the end of 1908. In fact, the plant continued to manufacture passenger cars until 1911.

Under new management

Initially, Georg Wiss retained control of Sddeutsche Automobilfabrik. However, now corporate policy was decided by the men from Mannheim, who had taken over the capital valued at 350,000 Marks for new Benz shares at par. And it was only a matter of time before they also occupied management positions at Gaggenau. In a decision adopted by shareholders dated December 31, 1910, not only was the plant renamed Benz-Werke Gaggenau G.m.b.H., but there was also a change of management and the familiar brand symbols in the radiator grill were replaced with the BenzԬԔ badge. The founder Georg Wiss retired from the company and two years later the merger between parent and subsidiary was complete. Gaggenau would henceforth operate as a regional branch of Benz & Cie.

In the 1920s the Gaggenau plant enjoyed great success above all with supplies on a large scale to both German and foreign military authorities. It also continued its pioneering engineering work, however. In the valley of the river Murg, for example, the first Benz diesel truck set off on its first test run on September 10, 1923. As the engineers noted contentedly, the vehicle immediately returned ߟ25 percent better fuel consumption than gasoline engines.

Concentration of truck production at Gaggenau

After the merger between Benz & Cie. and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft in 1926, Gaggenau took over the absolutely key role of commercial vehicle production within the newly-created Daimler-Benz AG: From now on Gaggenau was to supply all trucks and all bus chassis. But no sooner had the company weathered the global economic crisis of 1929 and the deep slump that accompanied it, than Daimler-Benz AG found itself once again forced to divide up commercial vehicle production among several plants during the boom years from 1933 onwards. Smaller trucks with a payload of up to 3 metric tons relocated to Mannheim, Mannheim and Sindelfingen handled bus bodies, and commercial vehicle production was begun at Berlin-Marienfelde (purpose-built military vehicles).

Toward the end of the Second World War production at Gaggenau came almost to a standstill, although it took off again relatively quickly after the capitulation. By 1949 the scene was dominated by the standardized L4500 war model with its wooden-framed drivers cab. Unit numbers remained modest during this rather austere period, but things started to liven up again in 1949, when the L 4500 was replaced with the much better equipped L 5000 with its all-steel cab. As the first new design since the war, this classic truck was subsequently joined by the mighty L 6600, which quickly made a name for itself in the newly-flourishing long-distance haulage market.

The first cab-over-engine trucks appeared in 1954 in the form of the LP315, and the 8.5 ton L 326 built specifically for foreign markets from 1956 onward  was a considerable export hit. With the so-called Millipede, the LP 333 cab-over-engine truck, the Gaggenau plant went down a completely new route. Built from 1958, the LP 333 with two steered front axles was a tailor-made solution to the restrictive new Seebohm regulations on weights and measurements. But it was not yet time for the plant to wave goodbye to the conventional truck. Far from it. In 1959 Daimler-Benz introduced the new short-nose truck: the medium-duty models were produced in Mannheim and the heavy-duty versions (extremely successful as export models until the end of the 1980s) at the Gaggenau plant. And in 1951 Gaggenau also began production of the versatile Unimog, turning out 1,005 units during the first year of production alone.

Components given priority

Increasingly Gaggenau and Mannheim were reaching the limits of production capacity, and so in 1964 the decision was taken to concentrate future production of all medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks at the new plant in Wrth on the river Rhine. This facility was opened in 1965 and allowed Gaggenau to specialize in Unimog production, as well as axles and transmissions for trucks. After some 50 years of Unimog production, the Gaggenau plant finally handed over this branch of its work to Wrth in mid-2002 and successfully developed into the center of competence for manual and automated transmissions. In addition, the plant produces other major assemblies, notably all planetary axles and passenger-car torque converters. Last year, annual production of torque converters exceeded the one-million mark for the first time.

In addition, the Gaggenau plant also accommodates a department with expertise of a very particular kind. Here, at the point where the flat Rhine valley plains disappear into the steep hills of the Black Forest, this department finds the ideal environment for its work even though much of this is shrouded in secrecy. But that is in the nature of things. For this departments business is testing heavy-duty trucks with a view to optimally matching individual assemblies and components within the complete vehicle.

###

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

The LP 608 set a long-lasting benchmark in the light-duty class 40 years ago

Small but powerful: - Easy maneuverability - High payload capacity - A bestseller from the very beginning: LP608 Truck

Stuttgart. It appeared as if customers had been waiting for it: The LP608 was introduced in January 1965 and immediately conquered the segment of 6.5 ton trucks which could be driven with a non-hgv license. During the first two years, the new cab-over-engine vehicle was to achieve a 45 percent market share with more than 10,000 units produced.

1965: A first in more ways than one

Its first appearance from January 20 until 31 at the Brussels Motor Show was a three-fold premiere. For a start, the new plant in W6rth on the River Rhine had taken up production of the preproduction series of this vehicle. The LP 608 had the honor of being the first truck to leave the truck assembly hall in Wrth, officially opened on July 14, 1965.
Secondly, the appearance of the LP 608 meant that Daimler-Benz was now present in a segment that had been neglected up till this point, and in 1965 took an important step toward becoming a full-line manufacturer providing modern cab-over-engine trucks from the light-duty through to the heavy-duty class. Furthermore, with its new four-cylinder OM 314, the LP608 was one of the first Mercedes-Benz trucks to bid farewell to the pre-chamber combustion principle, opting for direct injection instead.

Advanced engine technology on a tried-and-tested basis

The basic features of this particularly lightweight 3.8 liter engine traced back to the legendary post-war six-cylinder OM 312, which the plant had converted from pre-chamber combustion to direct injection with an unaltered displacement (4.6 liters) in 1964. The OM栠312, of which a first turbocharged version (OM312 A) had been launched as early as 1954, became the OM352 through the changeover to modern and fuel-efficient direct injection.

Boasting the most favorable power-to-weight ratio in its day and age, this engine had already proved itself in the trucks of the economic miracle period for 15 years and rapidly acquired international acclaim. Large numbers of the six-cylinder had come off production lines in Argentina, Brazil and India for quite some time when the plant started parallel production of the new four-cylinder OM 314. It was the first Mercedes-Benz four-cylinder engine with direct injection and had the same bore and stroke as its big brother, the OM 352  97 x 128 millimeters in both cases.

Many different versions through to semitrailer tractors

Initially the four-cylinder with direct injection had an output of 80 hp, enabling this easily maneuverable cab-over-engine truck, which was designed for urban and short-radius distribution, to move nimbly through traffic. For the time being, this output was retained when a first 7.5 ton truck appeared in the form of the LP 808 in 1967. The LPS 608 made a name for itself with four different wheelbase lengths for pickups, dump trucks and even semitrailer tractors, conquering a 45 percent market share in its class.

The new LP 808 7.5 ton truck differed from the original LP 608 in terms of its payload: 4.5 as opposed to 3.5 tons. This was made possible by a reinforced chassis and suspension and adjusted tires. Output was increased to 85 hp from 1969. In 1970, two particularly powerful little fellows, named LP 811 and LP 913 and reverting to the six-cylinder OM 352, were introduced but otherwise were in keeping with the basic model.

Low entry, suited to short-radius distribution

In terms of their external appearance, they were modeled on the large cubic cab that Daimler-Benz had already introduced to the heavy-duty class in 1963. Yet they had a particularly low, convenient entry and thus were suited to short-radius distribution. The price the light LP models had to pay was admittedly a relatively voluminous engine tunnel in the cab.

A hatch on the engine tunnel allowed access to this so-called under-seat engine, through which the driver checked the oil level and also topped up the lubricant if need be. A tilt cab did not arrive in the light-duty class until 1984 with the introduction of the LN series, which replaced the extremely robust and reliable light-duty trucks with their cubic shape.

Nearly 20 years up to date

During its almost 20-year career, the Mercedes-Benz light-duty LP series experienced two major revamps. In 1977, it got off to a good start with a flatter front end as well as headlights relocated from the radiator grille to the bumper, lending it an attractive appearance. It also boasted a whole host of technical improvements for instance the option of air suspension on the rear axle of the pickup.

The model designation of the basic Mercedes-Benz model now also reflected the slightly improved output of the OM 314 and would now be LP 709. And the family grew larger: new ten- and eleven-ton trucks complemented the range of vehicles for short-radius distribution with low and therefore exceedingly convenient entry. On the medium-duty LP trucks, built in parallel from 1965, the cab was positioned much higher and required a two-step entry (instead of the single step on the light-duty trucks) as they were fitted with an underfloor engine.

Undisputed market domination

Finally in 1979, all the maintenance points on the light-duty LP trucks were relocated to the outside. They could thus continue to hold their own against competitor models despite the fact that tilt cabs were gradually gaining popularity. When the light-duty LP trucks finally resigned from service in 1984, they were able to look back on a most successful career. Not only had they achieved a market share of almost 50 percent after a mere two years in production but continued to conquer two thirds of their market segment in the course of their 20-year lifetime.

Monday, December 20, 2004

MERCEDES-BENZ SIGNS LEASE FOR CLASSIC CENTER IN CALIFORNIA

MONTVALE, N.J.  Mercedes-Benz USA will open a Classic Center - the first such enterprise to be established by an automotive manufacturer in the United States - in Irvine, CA in summer 2005.

Architectural plans to renovate the 27,626 square foot stand-alone building into a state-of-the-art facility for classic vehicle services were activated as soon as the lease at 9 Whatney (easily accessed from Freeway I-5) was signed in early November. Building alterations and installations of facility and workshop equipment are expected to take six months.

Southern California with its high concentration of classic Mercedes-Benz vehicles, unlimited driving season and great appreciation for classic cars as a lifestyle statement is the perfect environment to establish our specialized client support service for the growing number of Mercedes-Benz classic car owners, stated Peter Spieth, general manager, Classic Center. We’ve spent quite some time making plans to open this industry-leading facility here. We’re highly gratified to see it happening and look forward to opening our doors to the public.

Through its close partnership with the original Mercedes-Benz Classic Center established eleven years ago in Fellbach, Germany, the new Classic Center in Irvine will provide benchmark resources in restoration expertise and archival materials dating to the origins of the automobile.

The Classic Center will provide Mercedes-Benz classic owners and enthusiasts everything from books to vehicle restorations, said Classic Center Manager Mike Kunz. We are creating the perfect place for owners, collectors and enthusiasts to get in touch with the Mercedes brand. No other carmaker is doing this for its American customers.

Classic Center activities will include buying and selling classic automobiles and performing appraisal and repair services. In addition, the Irvine site will house a boutique featuring exclusive Mercedes-Benz Classic Collection accessories, automobilia and literature and will display a collection of vintage Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Currently operating out of Mercedes-Benz USA corporate headquarters in Montvale, NJ, the Classic Center provides spare parts information and technical assistance for vintage Mercedes-Benz vehicles to callers to its toll-free number 1-866-MB CLASSIC (622-5277) - as well as expediting sales of Classic Collection accessories.

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

American Mercedes to be 100 years - January 2005

Unveiled a hundred years ago: The American Mercedes, speed, power and silent running

Stuttgart/New York. Today the USA is a nation of cars. This was far from being the case 100 years ago: At that time, motorization was still very much in its infancy. Europe was ahead by quite some distance and led the way in terms of technology. Thus its no surprise that old-world automobiles were highly coveted in America but were expensive due to shipping costs and customs duties. The answer provided by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft was a car produced in New York, the American Mercedes,” which was basically a reproduction of the 45 hp Mercedes. It first appeared at the National Automobile Show in New York in January 1905. The first vehicle was delivered in 1906, at a price of 7,500 dollars. What reads so easily in retrospect has a long history behind it.

Gottlieb Daimler was a man of vision. Not only was he driven by his idea of motorization on land, on sea and in the air” with his invention of the internal combustion engine. He also knew that it stood a chance in all countries of the world and was looking far beyond the borders of the German Reich from very early on. The focus was on the USA. As early as 1876, the exceptionally gifted designer and Daimler confidant Wilhelm Maybach had got to know William Steinway whose New York-based company produced keyboard instruments in the tradition of his German ancestors. During a stay in Germany in 1888, Steinway also made the acquaintance of Gottlieb Daimler. Their conversations would always revolve around one thing: licensed production of Daimler engines in America. After Steinways return to America, the plans quickly materialized. On September 29, 1888, Daimler Motor Co. headquartered in Long Island, New York, was founded and initially produced gas and petroleum engines for stationary and marine applications. These early years were not easy but from 1895, orders began to arrive in ever-increasing numbers. The two entrepreneurs started considering production of automobiles in America at an early stage. Daimler was, after all, keen on developing new markets for his vehicles, and Steinway believed a bright future lay ahead for the automobile.

In a newspaper interview in 1895, William Steinway outlined his ideas of motorizing America: The cars which we intend to produce for the American market will be capable of carrying between two and four people and will be driven by engines with between 2.5 and 3.5 hp. Each car will have four different speed ranges: 3.5, 6, 9 and 14 miles per hour. The fuel Ӗ petroleum costs about one cent per hp and hour, making the automobile considerably less expensive than horse power.  We already had a horseless vehicle here in 1893 but it was too lightly built for the rough cobblestone streets we have in this country. We will therefore create a model that will be adapted to conditions in America. This sounded like a very concrete plan being in existence. But Steinway died in November 1896. His heirs were not as convinced as he was that they could make money by selling motor vehicles. They sold off their shares in Daimler Motor Co. to General Electric Company; from 1898 and after a restructuring, the production facility was called Daimler Manufacturing Company.

Gottlieb Daimler died on March 6, 1900. Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft stood proudly in his tradition the company was very keen on manufacture in America. And finally, the Mercedes brand, created in 1900, was able to establish itself in the American market with its ultra-modern and reliable designs. However, high shipping costs and customs duties of 45 percent were an obstacle for imports on a substantial scale it was clear that local production would give the vehicles a more competitive edge. And finally, in early January 1905, the American Mercedes, manufactured by Daimler Manufacturing Company, was presented at the National Automobile Show in New York. It had been derived from the 45 hp Mercedes and had a four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 6.8 liters, a four-speed transmission and a top speed of around 80 km/h. An early American advertising had this to say: ֓If you want the best, of course you want a foreign car. If you import, of course you import the Mercedes the finest car in the world. The American Mercedes is an exact duplicate of the 1905 Mercedes of 40-45 H.P. No detail is omitted.

In the same month of the cars launch, on January 25, 1905 and thus exactly 100 years ago, American H. L. Bowden established a world record over one mile with a flying start. Driving a Mercedes with two 60 hp engines in Daytona Beach, Florida/USA, he reached an average speed of 176.5 km/h. This signaled the breakthrough for the brand. American customers attention had finally been drawn to cars from Germany, and the more favorably priced local reproductions were very much welcomed.

In 1906, at last, the first American Mercedes was handed over to its buyer. Strangely enough, the standard color was red. A newspaper advertisement aroused the buyers interest: The American Mercedes is the car for speed, power and noiseless running. It is the acme of reliability. These values are to this day embodied by every Mercedes-Benz the world over.

The total number of cars produced is unknown. In mid-February 1907, fire ravaged the plant, destroying eight completed cars and 40 in the process of construction. Production was never resumed. 

Thursday, November 11, 2004

BMW TO DISPLAY RACING HERITAGE AT HILTON HEAD ISLAND CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE

05.11.2004, Heritage, Mobile Tradition

Woodcliff Lake, NJ - November 5, 2004… BMW of North America, LLC will bring a special collection of its own magnificent racing cars to this weekend’s Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance, including one of the BMW Team PTG M3s that swept the 2004 Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series GT class Manufacturer, Driver and Team Championships.

Friday, October 29, 2004

Rainforest…50% to be SOLD to HIGHEST BIDDER! please sign in NOW

Brazilian congress to destroy Amazon forest to 50% of what it is, Act now!

If you want more information write to:
Reply-To: fsaviolo@openlink.com.br

William Neely sent the following. 

This will take just 1 minute to read. Please do so. You don’t have to be an “environmental activist” to understand or care about the future of the world.

The Brazilian congress is now voting on a project that will reduce the Amazon forest to 50% of its size. PLEASE, put your name on the list and forward this on as instructed below.

First, some facts: The Amazon rainforest is responsible for the generation of 20% of the oxygen that we on this earth breathe, 30% of the world’s freshwater is contained within the Amazon basin, 60% of the cancer fighting drugs used today are derived from plants that can only be found within the Amazon rainforest.

The area to be deforested is 4 times the size of Portugal and would be mainly used for agriculture and pastures for livestock. All the wood is to be sold to international markets in the form of wood chips, by large multinational companies.

The truth is that the soil in the Amazon forest is useless without the forest itself. Its quality is very acidic and the region is prone to constant floods.

At this time more than 160,000 square kilometers deforested with the same purpose are abandoned and in the process of becoming deserts, meaning that this proposal is in the short-term interests of a few, & in the long term interests of none.

Please copy the text into a ‘new e-mail’ put your complete name in the list below, and send to everyone you know.

(DON’T JUST FORWARD IT - AS IT WILL THEN END UP WITH ROWS AND ROWS of ‘>‘s)

If you are the 400th person to sign please send a copy to:

fsaviolo@openlink.com.br

Thank you,

The list of some of the names from the USA

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

378 Erin Foti, USA

379 Cherry Vanilla, USA

380 Cherie Currie, USA

381 Robert Hays, USA

382 Bill Jongbloed, USA

383 Peter Brock, USA

384 Hal Crocker, USA

385 Bill Neely, USA

386 Paul A. Turco, USA

387 Walter R Haessner, USA

388 Elaine C Haessner, USA

389 Walter W Haessner, USA

Monday, August 16, 2004

2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Class Judging Results

Class A (Antique to 1915)

1st 1911 Simplex 50 Holbrook Toy Tonneau owned by Otis Chandler from Oxnard, California

2nd 1909 Locomobile Model I Demi Tonneau owned by Richard S. King from Redding, Connecticut

3rd 1912 Mitchell 5-6 Roadster owned by Ray Gibson from Turlock, California

Class B (Vintage 1916-1924)

1st 1916 Crane-Simplex Model 5 Holbrook Skiff owned by Jay Leno from Burbank, California

2nd 1921 Owen Magnetic Model 60 Touring owned by the The Nethercutt Collection located in Sylmar, California

3rd 1921 Daniels D Submarine Speedster owned by David Lichtfeld from Montello, Wisconsin

Class C-1 (American Classic 1925-1940 Open)

1st 1933 Stutz DV-32 Weymann Super Bearcat owned by Ray Scherr from Westlake Village, California

2nd 1937 Cord 812 Convertible Phaeton Sedan owned by Wallace Jones from Jacksonville, Florida

3rd 1933 Chrysler CL LeBaron Phaeton owned by Alan O. Melchior from Salt Lake City, Utah

Class C-2 (Packard 1925-1940 Open)

1st 1933 Packard 1005 Coupe-Roadster owned by Don Sears from Omaha, Nebraska

2nd 1937 Packard 1508 Convertible Sedan owned by Paul E. Rydning from Sun City, Arizona

3rd 1937 Packard 1507 Coupe-Roadster owned by Charles Morgan from Carmel, Indiana

Page 1 of 6

2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Class Judging Results

Class D (American Classic 1925-1941 Closed)

1st 1937 Lincoln K Derham Sport Sedan owned by Edmund K. Burchman from Los Alamitos, California

2nd 1933 Stutz DV-32 Weymann Monte Carlo owned by William B. Ruger, Jr. from Newport, New Hampshire

3rd 1939 Packard 1708 Brunn All Weather Cabriolet owned by Barry and Sharon Briskman from Scottsdale, Arizona

Class E (Hispano-Suiza)

1st 1926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Chapron Cabriolet owned by Frank and Milli Ricciardelli from Monmouth Beach, New Jersey

2nd 1919 Hispano-Suiza H6 Duvivier Torp�do owned by Jorge and Monica Fernandez from Sydney, Australia

3rd 1935 Hispano-Suiza J12 Van Vooren Cabriolet owned by Peter and Merle Mullin from Los Angeles, California

Class G (Duesenberg)

1st 1934 Duesenberg J Walker-LaGrande Convertible Coupe owned by John D. Groendyke from Enid, Oklahoma

2nd 1937 Duesenberg J Bohman & Schwartz Convertible Coupe owned by Harry Yeaggy from Cincinnati, Ohio

3rd 1929 Duesenberg J LeBaron Phaeton owned by Terence E. Adderley from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

Class H-1 (Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 1907-1915)

1st 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Labourdette London to Edinburgh Torp�do owned by Robert M. Lee from Reno, Nevada

2nd 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Penny Holmes Tourer owned by Michael D. Kadoorie from Central, Hong Kong

3rd 1912 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost A. Mulliner Tourer owned by Douglas R. Magee, Jr. from Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

Page 2 of 6

2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Class Judging Results

Class H-2 (Rolls-Royce Phantom I, II, & III)

1st 1939 Rolls-Royce Phantom III James Young Saloon Coupe owned by Fred Guyton from St. Louis, Missouri

2nd 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Brewster Phaeton owned by Irving F. Jensen, Jr. from Sioux City, Iowa

3rd 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Gurney Nutting Sedanca Coupe owned by John W. Rich from Pottsville, Pennsylvania

Class H-3 (Rolls-Royce Small Horsepower)

1st 1927 Rolls-Royce 20 hp Hooper Brougham owned by Tim Sharon from La Crescenta, California

2nd 1932 Rolls-Royce 20/25 hp Thrupp & Maberly Saloon owned by Edward and Star Herrmann from Salisbury, Connecticut

3rd 1936 Rolls-Royce 25/30 hp Park Ward Drophead Coupe owned by Neil Robinson from San Carlos, California

Class H-4 (Rolls-Royce Postwar Custom Coachwork)

1st 1948 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Franay Cabriolet owned by Frank and Milli Ricciardelli from Monmouth Beach, New Jersey

2nd 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I H.J. Mulliner Estate Car owned by Dick Thomas from Stuart, Florida

3rd 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I James Young Drophead Coupe owned by Stephen F. Brauer from Bridgeton, Missouri

Class I-1 (Mercedes-Benz Prewar)

1st 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Special Roadster owned by Lee and Joan Herrington from Bow, New Hampshire

2nd 1927 Mercedes-Benz S Sports Wagon owned by Henry and Gale Petronis from Easton, Maryland

3rd 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540 K Coupe owned by Fritz Gechter from Bothell, Washington

Page 3 of 6

2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Class Judging Results

Class I-2 (Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe 50th Anniversary)

1st 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe owned by Roberto Quiroz from The Woodlands, Texas

2nd 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe owned by Roger Willbanks from Denver, Colorado

3rd 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe owned by Kenneth Wickham from Austin, Texas

Class J-1 (European Classic 1925-1939 Closed)

1st 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Viotti Coupe owned by Arturo and Deborah Keller from Petaluma, California

2nd 1928 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8AS Castagna Landaulet owned by La Verne and Marlene Johnson from Grosse Point Park, Michigan

3rd 1937 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante owned by J. Peter Ministrelli from Troy, Michigan

Class J-2 (European Classic 1925-1939 Open)

1st 1938 Horch 853A Erdmann & Rossi Sport Cabriolet owned by Joseph C. Cassini, III from West Orange, New Jersey

2nd 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Letourneur & Marchand Cabriolet owned by Robert W. Owens from Haverford, Pennsylvania

3rd 1938 Bentley 4 1/4 Litre Worblaufen Tourer owned by Barry G. Hon from Dana Point, California

Class K (European Sports and Racing Prewar)

1st 1935 Squire Vanden Plas Open Two Seater owned by Richard Procter from Stockport, United Kingdom

2nd 1937 SS 100 Jaguar Open Two Seater owned by Christian J. Jenny from Thalwil, Switzerland

3rd 1927 Bugatti Type 37 owned by Christina Allison from Santa Barbara, California

Page 4 of 6

2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Class Judging Results

Class L (Prewar Preservation)

1st 1933 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Brewster Henley owned by Robert and Sandra Bahre from Alton, New Hampshire

2nd 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Barker Landaulette owned by Richard L. Scott from Sidney, Ohio

3rd 1916 Crane-Simplex Model 5 Farnham & Nelson Phaeton owned by Otis Chandler from Oxnard, California

Class M-1 (Ferrari Open)

1st 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Scaglietti Spyder California owned by Larry Carter from Los Gatos, California

2nd 1960 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Scaglietti Spyder California owned by Jeffrey D. Mamorsky from Greenwich, Connecticut

3rd 1947 Ferrari 166 Spyder Corsa owned by Jim Clark from Vancouver, Washington

Class M-2 (Ferrari Speciale Closed)

1st 1955 Ferrari 375MM Pinin Farina Berlinetta Speciale owned by Manny Del Arroz from Diablo, California

2nd 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Bertone Coupe Speciale owned by the Caballeriza Collection located in Redondo Beach, California

3rd 1957 Ferrari 250 GT Zagato Coupe Speciale owned by Lee and Joan Herrington from Bow, New Hampshire

Class M-3 (Ferrari Competition)

1st 1953 Ferrari 340/375MM Pinin Farina Berlinetta owned by Jon Shirley from Medina, Washington

2nd 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Pininfarina Berlinetta Prototype owned by Bruce and Jolene McCaw from Bellevue, Washington

3rd 1955 Ferrari 121 LM Scaglietti Spyder owned by Peter G. Sachs from Stamford, Connecticut

Page 5 of 6

2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Class Judging Results

Class M-4 (Ferrari Major Race Winners)

1st 1959 Ferrari TR59 Fantuzzi Spyder owned by John and Gwenn McCaw from Seattle, Washington

2nd 1967 Ferrari 330 P4 Drogo Spyder owned by Lawrence Stroll from London, United Kingdom

3rd 1956 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Scaglietti Berlinetta owned by the Caballeriza Collection located in Redondo Beach, California

Class O (European Sports Postwar)

1st 1947 Cisitalia 202 Pinin Farina Coupe owned by the Petersen Automotive Museum located in Los Angeles, California

2nd 1948 Talbot-Lago T-26 Cabriolet owned by William B. Ruger, Jr. from Newport, New Hampshire

3rd 1953 Siata 208S Bertone Spyder owned by Michael H. Schwartz from New York, New York

Class P (Grand Touring Postwar)

1st 1946 Delahaye 145 Chapron Coup� owned by Peter and Merle Mullin from Los Angeles, California

2nd 1948 Delahaye 175S Chapron Cabriolet owned by Paul Emple from Rancho Santa Fe, California

3rd 1954 DeSoto Ghia Adventurer II owned by Chuck and Carol Swimmer from San Diego, California

Class R (Georges Paulin and Peugeot Design)

1st 1938 Peugeot Darl’mat 402 Pourtout Roadster owned by Edward Fallon from Phoenix, Arizona

2nd 1938 Delage D8-120 Pourtout Coup� owned by Roland D’Ieteren from Brussels, Belgium

3rd 1938 Peugeot Darl’mat 402 Pourtout Coup� owned by James A. Patterson from Louisville, Kentucky

Sunday, August 15, 2004

54th PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS d�ELEGANCE NAMES BEST OF SHOW�

More than 200 Entries from 14 Countries �Dazzle the Classic Car Elite

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (Aug. 15, 2004) �g The 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links hosted 210 historic vehicles and thousands of spectators Sunday at the 54th Pebble Beach Concours d�Elegance.� The Concours competition, which included judging in 27 classes, culminated when a 1938 Horch 853A Erdmann & Rossi Sport Cabriolet, owned by Judge Joseph C. Cassini III from West Orange, N.J., was named Best of Show.

The 1938 Horch 853A, designed by Fritz Fiedler, who later created the BMW 315 and 328, was the most expensive car from Auto Union (a German automaker that eventually became Audi).� With coachwork by Erdmann and Rossi of Berlin, the Horch 853A featured a 120 horsepower, 5.0-liter straight-eight engine and such modern features as power steering and overdrive in all four gears.

Competitors from 30 states and 14 countries, from as far as Japan, Australia and Argentina, were among the participants who brought their prized automotive possessions to the Monterey Peninsula.� Among the participants were Tonight Show host Jay Leno (1916 Crane-Simplex Model 5 Holbrook Skiff), who won his class (vintage 1916 �g 1924) and The Matrix, Lethal Weapon movie producer Joel Silver (1940 Lincoln Continental Town Car and 1941 Continental Coupe).

The people who participate in the Pebble Beach Concours are passionate about their exotic, historic cars, and each year they help us produce an event that doubles as an automotive time capsule, says Concours Co-Chairman Glenn Mounger.� Once again we were able to display the finest craftsmanship from more than 100 years of the automobile.

The 2004 event featured the centennial celebration of Rolls-Royce, with Pebble Beach serving as the culmination for nine participants in the 3,700-mile cross-country Rolls Royce Silver Ghost Train.� Another focus was the 100th birthday of Hispano-Suiza, the French-built luxury vehicle once driven by the likes of Edsel Ford, the Rothschild family and King Alfonso XIII of Spain.� The Concours also honored Ferrari by showcasing, the finest collection of Ferraris ever assembled, according to Concours Co-Chairman Sandra Kasky.

In addition to this year�s incredible international collection of cars, we were able to raise $523,000 for charity, added Kasky.� And our Sunday evening auction, conducted for the first time by Gooding & Company, was a huge success.� Now it�s on to planning for the 55th Pebble Beach Concours.

The next Pebble Beach Concours d�Elegance is slated for Aug. 21, 2005 and will spotlight Alfa Romeo, the 100th anniversary of Delage and 75 years of Pininfarina.� For a complete list of 2004 Concours winners from 27 classes, go to http://www.pebblebeachconcours.net.�

First conducted in 1950, the Pebble Beach Concours d�Elegance is an international gathering of automotive enthusiasts for a celebration of the automobile at The Lodge at Pebble Beach on the Monterey Peninsula.� The Concours combines a scenic location�hthe famed 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links along the Pacific Ocean�hwith the opportunity to view rarely seen examples of automotive style, performance and history.� The annual affair also includes a series of auxiliary activities: including the Pebble Beach Tour d�Elegance around Pacific Grove and Carmel for Concours entries, and the Pebble Beach Auction conducted by Gooding & Company that showcases classic, vintage and antique cars.

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