German Car Zone

It was Mercedes Benz that went closest to acquiring Porsche AG.

Edzard Reuter and Werner Niefer (Chairman of Daimler Benz and CEO of Mercedes Benz respectively) offered Dr Porsche (Butzi I think) DM1 billion for Porsche in 1992 (I think). Porsche went very close to being sold to Mercedes Benz as Porsche was in deep financial trouble at the time. They were kept alive thanks to Mercedes Benz. Prof. Niefer farmed out the design and production of the mighty E500 to Porsche to help them through the tough times. But some suggested it was part of Niefer's gambit to takeover Porsche.

At the end, a deal could not be reached because of some of the Piech/Porsche family members. Also, the management of Porsche feared Mercedes just wanted to get their hands onto the Weissach engineering centre and reduce Porsche to a small "marketing" subsidiary of Mercedes Benz.

The economic recession at the time forced Mercedes to scrap their plan to takeover Porsche.

A Rolls-Royce based on a W140 chassis....gulp!

Fascinating stuff.

M

The W140 was a fine platform compared to the competition. Peter Ward and the Rolls Royce contingent were very impressed with how little engineering work was required to make a RR/Bentley from it. A RR and a Bentley derivative could have been built very quickly.

Furthermore, the Mercedes M119 V8 and the M120 V12 engines were much much more suitable engines for RR/Bentley. The BMW engines were not up to the task.

Oh I agree, just trying to picture what such a car must have looked like when it was shown to the higher-ups.


M

I also wonder..................................

If I had to turn a S Class into a Rolls Royce or a Bentley, I'd pick the W140 chassis. The W140 and RR/Bentley had very similar DNA.

I guess that is why it works so well under the Maybach.

M

Back to the BMW CS Concept

I am glad to hear it is not dead. But I also have my doubts. I hope the production version of the CS will not be diluted with more parts (especailly the visible tangible items) from the mainstream models so it can meet budget. That's what usually happens and the end result is quite terrible.

So, thank God they didn't, otherwise we would have had another Maybach; a Mercedes with a RR badge this time.

To keep the dreams of BMW fans up..




Some say its the 8er---

I say its neither.. just a wierd 7er

I agree. Nothing to get too excited about yet. How many times are people going to fall for what Scott says?