Filed in archive
BMW
, German Cars
, Romantic Notions
by philip on January 11, 2010
Ah heck. Another image spoiled. Or should we say myth? For years I thought the BMW roundel logo was intended to represent a spinning propellor, acknowledging the firm's historic role in aviation. ...
Filed in archive
As We See Things
, Design
, German Cars
, Mercedes
by Philip Powell on November 13, 2009
Is this 300SL the real thing or is it the product of some very skillful computer imaging? If someone did actually cut and section such a valuable car for the purpose of adding a back seat we have to a...
Filed in archive
As We See Things
, German Cars
by Philip Powell on October 16, 2009
So far I've managed to avoid adding a "mystery car" category to this site, perhaps because of an earlier incident when I was Cars Guide for About.com. The lady who produced About's vintage car site in...
Filed in archive
German Cars
, Historic Transportation
, Rare Europeans
by Philip Powell on September 22, 2009
For France and for the world, 1889 was quite the year. Gustave Eiffel's wondrous wrought iron tower had opened to an awed public. Paris held its World Exposition. The electric light bulb was a new...
Filed in archive
German Cars
, Porsche
, Volkswagen
by Philip Powell on September 11, 2009
From time to time rumours circulate that Professor Porsche was not the actual designer of the Beetle. Even Hitler, when he approached him to develop a "People's Car," provided sketches t...
Filed in archive
Concours
, German Cars
by Philip Powell on August 21, 2009
Outside of the dedicated classic car fraternity I doubt you'll find one North American in a thousand who'd recognise the name of the 1937 Horch 853 Voll & Ruhrbeck Sport Cabriolet. Indeed,...
Filed in archive
As We See Things
, German Cars
, Porsche
by Philip Powell on July 31, 2009
Forgive me if I get carried away with enthusiasm for the Porsche 356B. This was the first Porsche I drove, the first owned, the first raced. The very icon of what a Porsche should be. Russo and Steele...
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As We See Things
, Canadian Cars
, Fun Events
, General Motors
, German Cars
, Porsche
by Philip Powell on July 20, 2009
This is a favorite photo from a long-time history as an automobile journalist. I'm including it here because many of my fellow old car enthusiasts share an appreciation of classic railway trains, ...
Filed in archive
Concours
, German Cars
, Mercedes
by Philip Powell on March 13, 2009
It certainly wasn't the prettiest car to appear at the 2009 Palm Springs Desert Classic but it may have been the most unusual, especially if you think (as I did) that Mercedes-Benz never built a r...
Filed in archive
Design
, German Cars
by Philip Powell on February 6, 2009
Here, in all its black-and-white glory, is one of my favorite classic sedans, the BMW 1800, also known in Europe as the Neue Klasse. It made a huge impression on me during my young years as a Canadian...
Filed in archive
German Cars
, Museums
, Porsche
by Philip Powell on January 28, 2009
A confessed automobile sentimentalist, I believe that every auto manufacturer with a recordable family tree should maintain a museum featuring the most significant cars of its legacy. Considering that...
Filed in archive
American Independents
, As We See Things
, Chrysler
, French Cars
, German Cars
by Philip Powell on December 29, 2008
The worldwide recession is, as everyone knows, leading to talk of auto manufacturer buyouts: GM buys Chrysler, Renault buys Chrysler, the Chinese buy GM, etc. You'd better hope it never happens as...
Filed in archive
German Cars
, Rare Europeans
by Philip Powell on November 3, 2008
Several cars in history have been labeled "the poor man's Porsche" but only one has the proper genes: the Volkswagen Karmann-Ghia Type 34. It's a rare day when you'll see one in ...
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Famous Drivers
, Ferrari
, German Cars
, Racers
by Philip Powell on June 6, 2008
My memories of actor/racer Steve McQueen are just two: the first came during a Sebring 12-hour race when a colleague pointed him out. I wasn't a movie fan in those years so his presence meant litt...
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British Cars
, German Cars
, Movies
, Oddball Autos
by Philip Powell on June 2, 2008
With a new indiana jones movie just launched there is considerable interest in authentic memorabilia from the previous films. And what could be more authentic than the 1937 Mercedes 300 that was used ...
Filed in archive
BMW
, German Cars
, Museums
by Philip Powell on May 19, 2008
A couple of centuries ago (or so it feels) my then employer, Trans Global Films, sent me to Munich to unearth old film footage for a BMW infomercial. I spent many hours in the basement of BMW headquar...
Filed in archive
German Cars
by Philip Powell on February 11, 2008
This Audi quattro may not be the most famous ever made but it is certainly the most valuable. Mileage: zero. The last right-hand-drive Audi quattro, it is kept in a secret UK location and stored in a ...
Filed in archive
Auctions
, Auto Shows
, German Cars
by Philip Powell on February 4, 2008
To most North Americans, the name Rétromobile is all but unknown, yet for Europeans it is one of the most important collector car shows of an event-packed season. Held in Paris, Rétromobile proves onc...
Filed in archive
As We See Things
, German Cars
by Philip Powell on January 5, 2008
Who are these people? And what is that odd-looking VW window van doing in the background? The new year should be about the future but this being a classic cars site, let's take a brief glance back...
Filed in archive
German Cars
by Philip Powell on October 27, 2007
From my brother Alan, currently in his annual European tour, comes this postcard featuring a Mercedes-Benz Type 320 Cabriolet A. The car is in a private museum whose owner passed away in 2002. The gen...
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Famous Drivers
, Ferrari
, German Cars
, Vintage Racing
by Philip Powell on October 21, 2007
It was, in its day, the world's most grueling road race. Now Hemmings calls it "the world's most grueling amateur road rally." It's La Carrera Panamericana, formerly known (in En...
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European Specials
, German Cars
, Test Drives
by Philip Powell on October 14, 2007
Our ace contributor Nigel Matthews gets to drive some very exotic machinery but nothing could compare with his seat time in the Bugatti Veyron, the fastest and most expensive production-built car in t...
Filed in archive
German Cars
by Philip Powell on September 13, 2007
Ferry Porsche, son of the great Ferdinand, once honored me with an interview for a radio program that volkswagen was sponsoring. It was an odd situation inasmuch as I was employed by the company as a ...
Filed in archive
German Cars
by Philip Powell on July 22, 2007
My hat is off to any automaker that collects, restores, displays, and even loans out its historic models. Audi is just such a company, eager to remind us of its rich heritage. Located near corporate h...
Filed in archive
German Cars
by Philip Powell on June 3, 2007
During my daily speed walks, I sometimes imagine meeting a once-upon-a-time-girlfriend. I've been a lucky guy in that respect, having enjoyed the company of various spectacular ladies including s...
Filed in archive
German Cars
by Philip Powell on May 14, 2007
As predicted, the 2007 Michigan Vintage Volkswagen Festival at Ypsilanti turned out to be a great success. You can read the details in this Car Connection article but the photo that got my attention i...
Filed in archive
German Cars
by Philip Powell on May 9, 2007
Rumours abound in the auto industry so the latest - that Volkswagen is going to build a New Beetle that's really a Beetle under the skin - may be just so much talk. Still, I hope it's true, fo...
Filed in archive
German Cars
by Philip Powell on May 2, 2007
Here's a site I can hardly wait to play with although it will have to wait until I have enough time. This site allows one to customize a variety of classic German cars, including the Beetle, the V...
Filed in archive
German Cars
by Philip Powell on March 31, 2007
If there's a bit of a gap between yesterday's blog and today's, my apologies. I've just returned from a two-day break on the BC mainland, attending the "Pacific Auto Show" me...
Filed in archive
German Cars
by Philip Powell on March 21, 2007
I doubt whether there's a car enthusiast in the world, classic and contemporary fans included, that hasn't dreamt of driving flat-out on the Autobahn, lured by the lack of speed limits. If you...
