The turnover of this model car is subject to differential taxation according to § 25a USTG: This means 0% VAT.

Ahead of its time

From around 1906, the Berlin-based company “Erdmann & Rossi” dedicated itself to the production of bodies for automobiles. Even before the First World War, the German nobility was one of the clients and even in the 1920s the factory relied on a financially strong clientele and provided chassis of the luxury brands Rolls Royce, Horch, or Bentley with neat bodies.

Erdmann & Rossi attracted attention at the IAMA in Berlin in February 1933 with a very aerodynamically shaped car based on a Mercedes-Benz 170. The car, painted in the color old gold, certainly caused heated discussions, some saw a short-term spleen in it, others a real option. The management of Mercedes-Benz was also among the skeptics, because on the first day of the fair, the Swabians issued the decree that the star should not be mounted as a logo on the vehicle.

The Mercedes-Benz no longer indicated its standard model due to its appearance characterized by extreme curves and teardrop shape. While the front wheels were not covered to allow the steering lock, the rear wheels were fully covered. In retrospect, the Erdmann & Rossi Mercedes-Benz was several years ahead of its time. Presumably, this was precisely its fate that it found no supporters and quickly disappeared into oblivion.

As Speed did not matter!

Imagine that a car would drive almost 35 km/h faster than the original vehicle just due to changes in its car body design. In our time, this would be a sure selling point, but in 1923 it was apparently not worth mentioning.

This is documented when Audi presented its mid-size passenger car, the Type K – correctly referred to as the Audi 14/50 hp Type K to the public for the first time at the 1921 Berlin Motor Show. Visually, the car was kept in keeping with the times. This meant that straight lines dominated the design. The mighty radiator grille with its two large headlights on both sides resisted the wind just as much as the rectangular windscreen.

In 1923, the pioneer of aerodynamics in vehicle construction, Paul Jaray, took hands on the Audi K and shaped a new car body according to his studies. In the zeitgeist of the early 1920s, the body of the Jaray-Audi showed no resemblance at all to its commercially available counterpart. From this point of view, there is still understanding today when Audi’s management reacted very cautiously to the streamlined, futuristic car. The managers must have been sure that such a revolutionary look could not be sold in large-scale production. Even the increase in the top speed from the standard 95 km/h to a remarkable 130 km/h would probably not have convinced any buyer- speed was not a real selling point at that time!

With inspiration by Ferrari, a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 V-12 engine was used by GM design chief Bill Mitchell. 

The turnover of this model car is subject to differential taxation according to § 25a USTG: This means 0% VAT.

The turnover of this model car is subject to differential taxation according to § 25a USTG: This means 0% VAT.

The turnover of this model car is subject to differential taxation according to § 25a USTG: This means 0% VAT.

The turnover of this model car is subject to differential taxation according to § 25a USTG: This means 0% VAT.