VW Beetle: German High Culture?

"It's nice to see a great British institution giving a great German institution the credit it deserves. It may not be the most spectacular, efficient, cool, sexy or beautiful car that German industry has produced – but it's certainly the most "

Influx Top Ten German Cars of All Time

Cars

Written by Michael Fordham

10 Ruf CTR Yellowbird

Mercedes-Benz 560SEL 6.9 The most outrageous S-class borrowed the 6.9-litre engine from the vast Pullman limo. James Hunt had one, and stored it on bricks when he couldn’t afford the tax — The most outrageous S-class borrowed the 6.9-litre engine from the vast Pullman limo. James Hunt had one, and stored it on bricks when he couldn’t afford the tax

8 Auto Union V16

Auto Union V16 Legendary, terrifying, Hitler-sponsored racers with over 500bhp: it took decades for post-war Formula 1 cars to get close — Legendary, terrifying, Hitler-sponsored racers with over 500bhp: it took decades for post-war Formula 1 cars to get close

7 BMW 507

BMW 507 Albrecht Goertz’s iconic design was early proof that the reborn German car industry could do gorgeous as well as good — Albrecht Goertz’s iconic design was early proof that the reborn German car industry could do gorgeous as well as good

6 Volkswagen Golf GTi

Volkswagen Golf GTi Groundbreaking hot hatch, and still sensational to drive. We’ll have ours in Mars red, please — Groundbreaking hot hatch, and still sensational to drive. We’ll have ours in Mars red, please

5 BMW E39 530d

BMW E39 530d Arguably - pound-for-pound - the best car Germany has ever made because it so comprehensively eclipsed its rivals — Arguably – pound-for-pound – the best car Germany has ever made because it so comprehensively eclipsed its rivals

4 Volkswagen Beetle

Volkswagen Beetle Where it all re-started for the German car industry after the war; the original stayed in production in Mexico until 2003 — Where it all re-started for the German car industry after the war; the original stayed in production in Mexico until 2003

3 Benz Patent Motorwagen

Innovative wagon from the early years of internal combustion. Look out for the AMG version!

2 Porsche 911

Porsche 911 Of course it has to be in this list, but which do you pick? An early seventies, 2.4-litre 911S is arguably the sweetest of the lot — Of course it has to be in this list, but which do you pick? An early seventies, 2.4-litre 911S is arguably the sweetest of the lot

1 Porsche 917

Like Wagner on four wheels. Count Rossi’s road-registered version is possibly the coolest thing ever to wear number plates

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Mechanicity: A German Romance

Cars

"Remember how the original Mercedes-Benz A-class famously fell over in the ‘elk test’? Or how all the original Audi TTs had to be dragged back to the factory in Ingolstadt to cure their high-speed handling ‘idiosyncrasies’? Or Daimler’s disastrous "

Karmann Chameleons: The Ghia-Styled Volkswagen

"The original Volkswagen Beetle’s silhouette is as distinctive as it is ubiquitous. Curvy yes, sporty, no. But then that wasn’t part of the Beetle’s brief. Designed in 1938 to get the German masses moving, it took until 1945 for "

More (German) Cutaway Love.

" In our current bout of obsession with all things vannish and practical we stumbled this morning across yet more beautiful graphic goodness focussed on the split screen microbus. Nothing really to say about this apart from how gobsmackingly stylish these "

Cars. Bikes. People. Culture. This was Influx 2018.

"In 2018 Influx brought you more cars, bikes, people and culture than ever before. What was your highlight? We featured everything from home-built bikes in our VC London film, and completely bespoke cars like Charles dos Santos' V8-powered Nissan drift "

Mk 2 Volkswagen Scirocco – an Elegant Performer

"Re-invented for the digital age in 2008, few third-generation Volkswagen Scirocco drivers may realise the last time their beloved coupé appeared was in the more analogue 1990s. It was 1992 to be precise, which means 2017 marks a whole 25 years since the second "

Jaguar: Coventry Keeping Pace

"It may be the most important Jaguar drop not made in Coventry. But a century of engineering chops has saturated this all-electric superstar, designed by Ian Callum. Freezing dawn in the West Midlands. Jaguar’s plant is iced up in "

Blood Harmony: an afternoon with the Brinkworths

" There is honesty and openness to Adam Brinkworth. Marnie, his daughter, shares that essential straightforwardness. It’s a lovely thing to witness. Adam Brinkworth and the Bosozoku style 1976 Pangea Speed Harley An important part of the connective tissue that binds "

Northern Ireland: Three generations of motorsport enthusiasts

"The motorsport community has always been a core foundation for enthusiasts, participants and spectators alike. It’s a shared passion that brings people together, ignites fierce competition and sparks lifelong friendships. But for some people it runs even deeper than "

How Does it Feel to Drive?

"Queen B: Normalisation. Becky Evans is at the forefront of a new digitally inspired generation of women redefining what it means to love driving. The Influencers The Women's motorcycle exhibition Gallery Images: Mike Fordham It's a rare break "

Influx Top Ten German Cars of All Time

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