Autostadt

Smile? Me? Yeah, right.. While I liked the Mercedes Museum and the old Volkswagen Museum, this automotive Disney Land wasn't for me.

I love Beetles and Buses and Ghias etc due to their styling, awkward mechanics like the air-cooled engine, Cal Look and Resto Cal etc. I'm not into modern cars no matter what the brand is (except perhaps Porsche) and Volkswagen or Audi today are like German Toyota, so not really interesting. As Volkswagen factory very rarely backed motor sport it lacks the same racing heritage Porsche and Mercedes may have (Auto-Union did but that was pre-war stuff and before the merger anyway). And the other brands the corporation had more recently acquired, I don't know.. I didn't simply find enough interesting stuff per acre (yeah, it's large) in AutoStadt.

Autostadt is a happy place, you can stay at nice Carlton-Ritz hotel, spend a nice day in the theme park (or at the old museum), have a nice meal or coffee and it hides the Wolfsburg City, which isn't attractive like many of the other German cities are. No need to go out to the City when all you need to your visit is nicely tucked in same area (bit like the Casinos in Las Vegas).

Nicest place to visit in Autostadt was the ZeitHaus displaying vintage cars and automotive milestones from various brands. Also some of the most presentable vintage Volkswagens had been moved there from the old museum.

Stiftung AutoMuseum Volkswagen

Actually my first time in Volkswagen Museum in Wolfsburg. No surprises here since the museum has been around for long time, featured in all magazines etc. Quite many of the cars have incorrect parts (eg. German law had required indicators instead of semaphores at some point) for that particular model year or aren't even restored, but still I liked the place a lot. It looked and felt like a Museum for Volkswagen should feel like.


Yeah to the left we go, not so keen on following the evolution of Golf.


Zwitter dash.






The Rometsch Taxi.


The Hebmuller Police car.


Inca Red '58 Cabriolet.


Split 'Vert is always a Split 'Vert.


The '38 Cabriolet.




Theo Decker engine.






The Stoll Coupe.


Lawrence Rometsch.


Utility vehicle built for 3rd world countries, looks awfully like Teijo but maybe then Kekkoslovakia in the 70's was still 3rd world? :)




The Kamei Split that I remember seeing in 1999 Bad Camberg.

Misc Shots: Stuttgart - Wolfsburg

Mahle buildings in Stuttgart.




Spotted also other Finnish Volkswagen guys on the way.


The 5 hour drive including stops wasn't the most relaxing ones I had. The open speed roads are quite tiresome to drive as you have be so alert and watch the rear-view mirror as much as windscreen due to the difference in speeds around you.


I spent some time in trying to duplicate the "history book" shot of the factory with the 4 smokestacks and the company logo. Didn't succeed but the train transporting modern fresh out of production line Volkswagens is bonus.


Never seen so many rabbits in my life as in every green patch in Wolfsburg.


Found this while browsing local newspaper at the hotel; little something for my Swedish speaking friends, little sip of J.P. Chenet can turn you into Super Knuller?

Porsche Museum

Some photos of the old and small Porsche Museum. I knew it was small but with the 904 and 356 America Roadster it was probably worth the visit.








First 904 I have seen "layed on Fuchs" :) Fuchs wheels being 4-5 years later than the actual car may be incorrect but look very cool. Wonder what it might look like with Gas Burners..




'50 Standard Split with some export and later model parts.




Just recently finished reading Giljs van Lennep's interview in 911&Porsche World. He mentions finishing fourth in this Targa Florio partnering with Hans Laine in AAW 908. According to the story Hans had losted one front wheel off the car but since on straights the car went on three wheels due to the wings and he was able to do corners with brakediscs he managed to get into pits. Got new tire/wheel and finished fourth among the legendary names of sportscar racing.


Damn, they look like plastic hubcaps non-detailed :)

Porscheplatz Dealership




Future Museum

The to-be Porsche Museum. Most likely worth the wait..

Mercedes Benz Museum

One of the cities in our way home is Stuttgart, home of two car manufacturers and museums I have wanted to visit for some time. I was really blown away by the Mercedes Museum, from the easy access (from parking hall) to it's sheer size and the quality of the displays.






First horizontally opposed engine in the world.

The most interesting era, 50's/60's. I guess the tipper truck was my biggest favourite. Having spent my childhood in 70's those trucks looked familiar, hell of a lot familiar than the cars in foreground for obvious reasons.


Unbelievable vehicles and colour combinations, especially the champagne/metallic blue on the Pagoda.




The Rennabteilung Truck was my biggest favourite for the day.






The same colour combinations work also in bigger Sonderbuses too..


The Museum is not fully dedicated to sportscars and high-end classics. Mercedes has produced cars on very large scale so the old taxis and "pikey wagons" are displayed too.




Mercedes version of 1952 Kastenwagen.








H�kkinen's overalls and shoes, Kimi's gloves, Coulthard's trophy and Lewis' helmet if I remember correctly.





8 stories full of classic cars, cool place for any car enthusiast whether you're into Mercedes or not.