October 10, 2010

Mercedes-Benz C111

A little history

If you’re from the same generation as I am, and were already fascinated by cars when you were a kid, then you do remember this impressive orange coupe sporting the famous three-pointed star that appeared in all magazines throughout the Seventies. That’s indeed what it was designed for: to be a showcase of Mercedes-Benz’ know-how. It fulfilled this role splendidly, along with that of test-bed for what were then high technologies.

The C111 was actually the name of more than a single car, but rather of a series of experimental vehicles. The very first model appeared in Frankfurt in September 1969, though it had been submitted to comprehensive tests since April. Its main goal was to experiment a Wankel rotor engine. A three-rotor type rated at 280 hp, this block was unable to demonstrate sufficient capacities, so a C111/II fitted with a centrally-mounted, 370 hp four-rotor engine followed during the spring of 1970, in Geneva. Performances were now astounding, as the car even recorded a reported 290 kph top speed, an impressive figure at the time. Could the car be produced? It was already fitted with such niceties as air conditioning and plush leather seats, while its gullwing doors were a hint at its prestigious ancestor, the 300 SL, so it is possible that Mercedes-Benz considered the possibilities, though it denied it. At any rate, world politics decided otherwise.

Many an automobile maker was then toying with the idea of fitting Wankel engines to their production cars. They were light, compact, simple thus reliable, and could develop high outputs. Their only problem was their huge appetite for gasoline, a flaw that was inherent to their design and thus that no tweaking of any kind could ever solve. But who cared when oil was so cheap and plentiful? The 1973 crisis suddenly broke out to prove otherwise. Oops. Wankel engines were promptly put away in the kind of storage reserved for “brilliant” ideas that had proved not so good after all, being promised to re-enter the limelight at a time that, in all likelihood, would never come. To be frank, we escaped the worse as Wankel engines were also polluting in proportions that today would make any conventionally-powered gas-guzzler of that carefree era appear eco-friendly. Only three manufacturers, then more advanced in their experiments, put Wankel-powered cars in production: NSU, Mazda and Citroën. This generally ended up with more tears than mirth.

The experimental fibreglass coupe from Mercedes-Benz didn’t disappear, though a completely different approach was needed. After a short eclipse, its Wankel engine was discarded, and replaced by the 3.0-litre five-cylinder diesel block that was in use in several production models, first of all the 240 D 3.0. Economy was the new talk of the town, but Mercedes-Benz wanted to demonstrate that it wasn’t incompatible with performance. Thanks to a turbocharger and an intercooler, the C111/IID could reach a remarkable 190-hp output. In June 1976, the car resurfaced in its newest form on the Nardo track, where it broke sixteen world records over two days and a half. During these tests, the C111/IID also lapped the circuit at 252 kph.

The C111/IID’s successes pushed Mercedes-Benz to develop yet another prototype, the C111/III. Gone were the production-like coupe approach of the previous models, the new car was designed from the ground up for records. In April 1978, the very sleek car was again sent to Nardo, where nine records were broken – no longer records for diesel-powered cars, but absolute ones. Average speeds of more than 300 kph were maintained, though fuel consumption didn’t exceed 16 litres per 100 kilometres. The only problem encountered was the explosion of a tyre at high speed, which damaged the car beyond repair – but fortunately a spare car had been brought, so the run was simply started anew.

A last record tempted Mercedes-Benz. It was unofficial, but highly prestigious. In 1975, a Can-Am car had set the fastest average speed on one circuit lap, at 355.854 kph. A new C111/IV was especially prepared to tackle this last challenge. The Mercedes-Benz team returned to Nardo in 1979. On May 5, project manager Dr. Hans Liebold lapped the track at an astounding 403.978 kph. Besides, the car broke a few more records. Then, time had come for all the C111 to head for the museum.

About the model

Model: Mercedes-Benz C111/II
Year: 1970
Maker: Minichamps
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Minichamps ref. 430-030060, limited edition - 1,440 pieces
Acquired: second hand with box, as a gift from a friend and fellow collector, in August 2010, in Manila, Philippines

That’s a splendid scale model of arguably the most famous of all C111s that Minichamps produces. Though I’m not fond of opening parts for 1/43 models, the German company perfectly adjusted the rear hatch, which discloses the unconventional Wankel engine. All details near perfection, while the model is finished in a superb orange paint, close to the weissherbst of the original. My rating is 17/20.

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October 07, 2010

Porsche 911 (997)

Just after adding this post I noted that we have a new follower, so welcome aboard lalax8!

A little history


The coming of each new generation of the famed 911 renews for Porsche the challenge of being up to the legend this car has become over the years. Its previous incarnation, also known as the 996, was only seven years old when the German manufacturer introduced its replacement, the 997, in 2005.

The new car wasn’t exempted from receiving critics. Sure, Porsche worked a lot to further improve its car’s performance and handling. Nonetheless it’s an automobile’s style one would notice first. And here, it seems that Porsche’s designers made a total waste of the allotted budget by conceiving a totally new car… that looked exactly like the old one, except for its round headlights – which I personally utterly dislike… Actually, the original 997 didn’t last until July 2008 before being slightly facelifted.

Most versions of the 996 were carried over in the new car’s range. Traditional badges as Carrera, Targa, Turbo, GT2 and GT3 were all worn by the 997. Base engine is a 3.6-litre flat six, rated at a respectable 325 hp. Those fearing that the car would be short on power had to wait until November 2007, when the new GT2 was made available. One could think that with 530 hp, the twin-turbo version of the flat six was well enough for any would-be Schumacher… However, we live in times when the very meaning of the word “enough” has been forgotten, so a limited-edition GT2 RS was introduced in May 2010. The newest car in the 911’s range offers 620 hp packed in a lightweight body. Acceleration is instant, top speed tremendous. Unfortunately, an anti-G suit is not provided as standard equipment.

About the model

Model: Porsche 911 Carrera S
Year: c.2005
Maker: Hongwell
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Cararama
Acquired: brand new, in July 2009, in Manila, Philippines

Once again I preferred to reserve my budget for classic cars rather than modern ones, so I turned to this new Cararama release. My verdict: today’s kids are so lucky to have such brilliant toys! Considering the rock-bottom price, the Chinese company did a superb job in reproducing this slightly beefed up Carrera S. My rating is 12/20.

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October 04, 2010

Renault 12

A little history

During the early Fifties, Renault produced no other passenger vehicle than the tiny 4CV and the large Frégate, with nothing in between. This didn’t matter much at the time, but a dozen years later, automobile manufacturers were trying to build more comprehensive ranges. By this time, Renault was offering the R4, a popular hatchback; the R8, a rear-engined saloon which succeeded the Dauphine, nonetheless kept in production; and the R16, a family saloon. We should also add to this list the Rambler-Renault, which was nothing more than a rebadged AMC built under licence in Renault’s Belgian production unit in Vilvoorde.

The R16 was too large to cater for more than the upper middle-class customers, leaving a gap in Renault’s range which the manufacturer was trying to fill up. The new R10, which was actually a dressed up R8, was only a stopgap. Renault was well aware of this and in 1965, started to work on the project that would lead to the R12.

The R4 and R16 had been relatively advanced automobiles at the time of their launches. This would contrast with the R12, which was intentionally designed as a very orthodox saloon. For example, though it adopted a front engine, front-wheel-drive layout as all new Renaults, it did away with an all-independent suspension and reverted to a solid rear axle. Style was pleasant, but once again extremely conventional: while Renault was appearing as building up a reputation as a hatchback manufacturer, the R12 was a standard 4-door saloon. Its engine was a 1.3-litre four developed from the tested block used by the R8. All in all, the R12 had been conceived as a sturdy, no-frill family car that would be spacious yet economical. The new Renault hit the market in September 1969 and, interestingly, was simultaneously introduced beyond the Iron Curtain as the Romanian-built Dacia 1300.

We have already seen how automobiles too much ahead of their times don’t sell. To all innovators’ dismay, in contrast the very plain R12 encountered a large success. After Renault presented an estate variant in October 1970, then added well-needed glamour to the range during the following year with the fast Gordini, the R12 grasped the country’s first rank in sales volumes in 1973.

The R12’s success extended well beyond the French borders. It became a popular car in most of Europe, and was widely produced abroad. Apart from its Romanian cousin, the Renault 12 was actually assembled on every continent, from Canada to Madagascar, from Argentina to Turkey, from Australia to Morocco, etc. In fact, some of these foreign plants produced the car well after it had retired in France, the very last of them being Dacia, which produced until 2006 a pickup version it had locally developed with either rear-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive transmissions.

For model year 1976, Renault gave its R12 a new lease of life thanks to a facelift. This allowed the car to pursue its career beyond the introduction of its replacement, the R18 presented during the summer of 1978, as a simplified R12 range carried on until the end of model year 1980. Despite its complete absence of boldness, two millions had been built.

Before closing this story, two other cars based on the Renault 12 have to be mentioned: the Renault 15/17 coupes, and the Brazilian-built Ford Corcel, which had a totally different body but was based on the R12’s underpinnings.

About the models

Model: Renault 12
Year: 1970
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.36 of its Nos Chères Voitures d'Antan press series
Acquired: brand new, in May 2006, in Souillac, France

Plain was the Renault 12, plain is its rendition by Ixo. Nothing’s really bad about this die-cast, yet nothing’s extraordinary either, just another standard model distributed in large volumes by Altaya. Separate parts are few, and rear lights are made in solid red plastic. Ixo decided to paint its model in blue, probably a wrong choice as it was predictable that, one day or another, Altaya would request a Gordini version of the car in the same colour. My rating is 11/20.

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Model: Renault 12
Year: 1971
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Atlas as no.12 of its Véhicules postaux d'hier et d'aujourd'hui press series
Acquired: new with neither box nor stand (probably a production overrun or quality control reject), in December 2006, in Hong Kong, S.A.R.

In all respects, Norev crafted this R12 from the French postal services much more carefully than Ixo did with the previous model. Details are pleasant and rather accurate. A good surprise considering it’s coming from yet another press series, and well worth 14/20.

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Model: Renault 12 Gordini
Year: 1971
Maker: Norev
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Norev, as part of a “Gordini” box set offered in the “Renault Gamme Sport” series.
Acquired: second-hand as part of the complete set, offered by a friend and fellow collector in December 2006, in Manila, Philippines.

A well-made model that is unfortunately betrayed by some of the most oddly-fitting wheels I’ve ever seen on a die-cast. Too bad: only 11/20.

As mentioned above, this model is part of a commemorative “Gordini” set presented in a specific box. Two other die-casts are included, a Dauphine and an R8. Note that these three cars do not represent the totality of the Gordini-badged cars that Renault ever produced, as an R17 Gordini has also been offered.

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Model: Renault 12 Gordini
Year: 1972
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.66 of its Nos Chères Voitures d'Antan press series
Acquired: brand new, in December 2006, in Souillac, France

Bingo! Two extra lights, an air scoop on the bonnet, specific wheels (couldn’t appear more plastic-like) and the traditional blue paintjob, and Altaya had an R12 Gordini for its long-running collection about classic French cars. To be frank, all these little details succeed in adding some zing to the model presented above, so I’ll push my rating to 12/20 here.

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October 02, 2010

A few difficulties...

The correlation between a wrong page shown by Blogger and a little moment of distraction on my part was the cause of the unsavoury disappearance of more than 80 percents of all comments posted on this blog. Though the event is quite annoying, I was actually very lucky: after weeks (months?) of postponing a backup of this blog, I had finally performed one just 10 to 15 minutes before this happened... All was fine, except that I had no experience in uploading this saved copy. Not willing to take any chance, I therefore registered a new blog and uploaded it there first. I repeated the operation several times and made a few experiments in order to know what was the best way to proceed, which thanks to an abysmal internet connection took me most of the day. All should be fine by now, except for a few details that I'll address in the course of the next days:

- Some links within the posts could lead to a "Page not found" error.
- As of now, the "LinkWithin" gadget is virtually useless.
- A lone comment in the "Volkswagen Typ 3" post could not be preserved; I therefore wrote it back under my own name. All my apologies to his author.

The first two problems are due to the fact that all replacement posts have been attributed new page addresses by Blogger, despite the fact that I erased beforehand all the posts that needed such a replacement. Apparently the only way to preserve the original addresses is to import the backup file to a brand new blog, but this would have caused even more trouble. I'll correct all links, and try to solve the LinkWithin problem by removing it for a while, then re-installing it, hoping that the pages will be indexed anew.

At least, the good side of this bad experience is that I'll think of backing up my blog more often, as I doubt being as lucky next time. And for those of you also writing your own blog, my advice is to do the same regularly. If you never had a try at it and have no idea how to proceed, from your dashboard go to "Settings", then choose "Basic" and click on "Export blog" and follow the instructions in order to download an .xml file containing the whole of your blog onto your hard disk. The whole operation only takes a few seconds.

At any rate, all my apologies for any (hopefully temporary) inconvenience this may cause.

October 01, 2010

Mercedes-Benz 500 to 580K (W29)

A little history

After the legendary Mercedes-Benz SSK and SSKL had retired in 1932, only the SS remained as the famous company’s sports car offer. Two years later, the SS was finally withdrawn when a new 500K topped the range.

The 500K represented a sharp turn for Mercedes-Benz. It indeed inherited powerful engines fitted with superchargers, optional short wheelbase variants and immeasurable reputation from its predecessors, but the new cars were more urbane, with luxury set as their ultimate goal rather than strict performance.

Though most 500Ks produced in Mercedes-Benz’ Sindelfingen’s plant were heavy saloons built on the longer chassis, that were the shorter, sportier versions which focussed the bulk of the attention. With the Reich superhighway system filling out into a dense network, the very design of automobiles was evolving in a particular way in Germany. Most manufacturers were offering streamlined cars able to sustain high cruising speeds. For such a high-performance vehicle as its own, Mercedes-Benz couldn’t discard such a version, which came in the form of an impressive “Autobahnkurier” special coupe that was a sign of things to come.

All 500Ks were powered by a 5.0-litre inline eight. This new engine was rated at a rather leisurely 100 bhp but, in line with the company’s tradition, was equipped with a supercharger offering extra power at the driver’s request, by a simple touch of a button on the car’s dashboard or with the gas pedal through a kick-down system. When in use, the supercharger would push the output up to 160 bhp, which actually was still short of the SS series, of which many versions had been rated at more or less 200 bhp. Other technical details of the car deserve to be mentioned, as they were extremely advanced for the times: the 500K received an all-independent suspension, hydraulic power-assisted brakes on all four wheels, and a five-speed synchromesh gearbox was available.

It was in October 1936 that Mercedes-Benz broke with its habit and chose Paris instead of Berlin to introduce the W29’s next version, the 540K. The new name reflected the engine’s growth to 5.4-litre, with outputs now at 115 / 180 bhp, without or with supercharger in use. Using knowledge acquired through their all-conquering Grand Prix racing team, the 540K was totally reworked and its weight greatly reduced. As the 500K before it, the 540K too had its halo model, the outstanding Spezial Roadster, which has since then become one of the few classics among all classics. Actually this version, penned by Hermann Ahrens, had been introduced with the latest 500Ks, but became Mercedes-Benz’ most effective image-builder following the 540K’s introduction. Nonetheless, once again most of the production concentrated on less striking saloons and limousines.

In 1939, Mercedes-Benz started to work on the 540K’s replacement, internally known as W129 but supposed to be introduced as the 580K. Engine was again enlarged to 5.8-litre, with outputs up to 130 / 200 bhp, without or with its supercharger on. Several prototypes were built and clothed in the exclusive Spezial Roadster body, or as equally extraordinary coupes. They were tested until 1940, when the necessities of the war brought the program to a halt. Interestingly, the very last units ever built in this series were armoured cars built on the 540K chassis on special request from the Third Reich authorities, the last vehicles being delivered in 1944.

About the models

Model: Mercedes-Benz 540K Spezial Roadster
Year: 1936
Maker: Ixo
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Altaya as no.3 of its Voitures Classiques press series
Acquired: brand new, in October 2005, in Souillac, France

A nice Ixo-built model of the famed Spezial Roadster has been proposed by Altaya. It is aptly painted in the traditional red paint these cars often sported, and is nicely fitted with many separate parts. The only drawback is the size of the headlights, which are much too large in diameter. My rating is 13/20.

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Model: Mercedes-Benz 540K
Year: 1936
Maker: Solido
Scale: 1/43
Distributed by: Solido, “Sixties” series
Acquired: brand new, in August 2003, in Brive, France

Solido offers this older model, curiously enough in its “Sixties” rather than “Âge d’Or” series. Despite its age this is still a pleasant die-cast in any collection, helped by the fact that rather than the omnipresent Spezial Roadster, Solido chose a plainer yet more original four-seat convertible. Just for the anecdote, a curious problem occurred with this model, as one day I found one of its headlights resting on the shelf next to the car, broken. The model never having been bumped beforehand this was rather odd, but fortunately was fixed without any problem. My rating is 12/20.

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