AutoCult Mercedes 170 Streamline (W15) Erdmann & Rossi (1933) (Germany)

About the Original

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.