AutoCult Sauber-Mercedes W126 / W140 Rennwagen (1990) (Germany)

About the original

The compatibility of something incompatible

Admittedly, this odd mixture of two Mercedes never existed. The combination of a real sportscar àla an original DTM offshoot and a luxury Mercedes-Benz sedan, especially due to its interior, can only be attributed to the imagination of an advertising agency.

The result that the advertising graphic designers presented to their Swabian customer around 1990 was not a perfect graphic design, but a desirable combination of vehicle components that should induce viewers to dream. The idea on which the digital fiction based on was quite simple, but in no way “new”. It embodied the wish of driving a super-fast car that offers maximal comfort at the same time. Anyone who looks back in automotive history will find that this idea was already rudimentarily implemented in the late 1930s. Back then the bodywork of luxury cars was often skinned in sleek, aerodynamic bodywork to achieve higher speeds on the new highways. But this remained a unfulfilled automotive dream even after decades. Over the course of automobile development traits like the performance, safety and of course the driving ease have been improve significantly. Also in the premises of Mercedes-Benz this subject came up again and again and in 1990 the Swabian manufacturer together with its advertising agency created this odd mixture, which now sees the light of day in form of a miniature in scale 1/43 for the first time.

Although the idea and the computer animation originated already 28 years ago, it pours on a undeniable charm even today.

The 184 pages book "AutoCult" is a different kind of book - it is THE book for the automotive enthusiast who wants to learn more about the many stories of long forgotten automobiles, brands and other developments. Whether rare, fast or strange – many interesting stories in conjunction with precise historical accuracy, flanked by many historical photographs and illustrations of AutoCult models, make this book (as well as all future editions) a reading experience for those interested in automotive history.