Revisionist History??

[mdsalemi]

Hello All,

Some food for thought regarding some "revisionist" history.

I've been informed by MB in Germany that design or styling of the W113 as well as the 600 should  not be attributed to Paul Bracq.   I think that Mr. Bracq will be the first to tell you that these designs, like many or most others, were collaborative efforts.   However I was a bit surprised to hear that design/styling of these two car lines was the work of one Friedrich Geiger, someone I'm perhaps ashamed to say I have not heard of!  Here are the exact words from MB in Germany:

...After having dug a bit deeper we have learned that Friedrich Geiger was responsible for the W113 (Pagoda) as well as the W100 (Mercedes 600), indeed.  Actually, he must generally be credited with the designs after WWII up to the W123 with the exception of the "Adenauer" right after the war...

MB went on further to say that this should not impact Mr. Bracq's nomination to the Automotive Hall of Fame, but perhaps the "focus" should changed from automobile designer to automobile painter.  There is no question of his painting ability but there seems to me a long history of styling as well--not only with MB but BMW as well.  The nomination is a done deal and has already been submitted, "with all errors".

Anybody care to comment?  After hearing this I went to my collection of books, and WHEN any design of the 113 or 600 receives credit--and not all books mention the design or designer(s)--they are generally attributed to Bracq.  I have not heard of Friedrich Geiger previously to this communication from MB in Germany.

Is it possible that there is yet another German/French debate going on?  Are there some political forces at work?  We've generally all heard of Karl Wilfert, Rudi Uhlenhaut, but I've not heard anything about Friedrich Geiger.  Is it possible that one of the world's great German industrial concerns has "issues" at this late date, with some of its most illustrious and noted designs being the work of a Frenchman?  Might we see the same thing some day with the "Italian" Bruno Sacco?

Anyone with comments, please let me know.


Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Cees Klumper]

There are two publications on the W 113 that I would assume correct unless proven incorrect. The first one is "Faszination SL W 113", the hardcover book published by DC a few years ago. In the chapter "The Pagoda and the Art of Styling" the following quotes:

 

• "... head of the new Passenger Car Styling department was Friedrich Geiger"
• "The Pagoda roof was actually the brainchild of three different people ... Bela Barenyi ... Karl Wilfert ... Paul Bracq ... As head of Advanced Design, the creative young Frenchman was the ideal complement to his boss, the strict Swabian designer Friedrich Geiger"
• "Paul Bracq had at this point (ck: when the roof design had to be decided on) already completed his design work on the 230 SL / all except putting the finishing touches to the roof."

Then the second publication (already from 1990!) is `Vom Barock zur Pagode` by Engelen. In the opening text on the W 113, Engelen writes that its design was done by ´the modest, and until today almost unknown´ Friedrich Geiger - there is a photo of a smiling Geiger on page 110, the text to the photo also credits him as the designer. Engelen also notes that the Pagoda roof was designed by Wilfert and Barenyi. No mention here of Bracq.

So the design of the car is attributed by Engelen to Geiger. Possibly Bracq, who worked for Geiger, did a lot of work on the car design itself as well, but credit for the main design ideas/work still goes to Geiger.

Engelen mentions Geiger as the designer already in 1990. But because the Engelen book is only printed in German, it may have been overlooked by English authors on subsequent books on the Pagoda. Maybe Mercedes was pointed to Engelen´s thorough research work after the publication of their "Faszination SL W 113", and have since come to the conclusion that Geiger should receive main credits.

BTW I don´t think there is any France vs Germany at play here.

Cees ("Case") Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[mbzse]

Michael and List,

This matter was presented in a message 4th of Jan_06 (see extract below).
http://sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=4620

I fully agree with what Cees writes. It would of course be interesting to have information on what was happening and being said in the corridors at Daimler-Benz at the time   :?:

The German Club Pagode have the best possibilities to find out more, directly from the (now elderly) people who in the 60's worked in the management of the factory. I'm sure Gunther Engelen is pretty well informed as well, having done much background research for his books. Let us hope more facts about the origins of our favourite W113 car emerge in the next few years!

/Hans in Sweden

quote:
"../...about Bracq's work tasks with the Pagoda. He was certainly involved but to what extent is not really clarified. He was a junior in the design department at the time. The Engelen book does not even mention his name in the chapter on (body) development, "Personen und Geschichte" and "Entwicklungsgeschichte". They mention primarely Karl Wilfert, Friedrich Geiger, Bela Barenyi and of course Fritz Nallinger, who BTW put down the framework for the W113 design in the autumn of 1958../.. /Hans S 4th Jan

.

[mdsalemi]

Thank to Cees and Hans--and of course anyone else with anything to say I'd be interested to hear.

I took a conservative approach when preparing the nomination papers, conservative in that no one man was ever responsible for a single design.  In that respect, the words I used were things like "significant contributor" and "generally attributed" rather then the more definitive "was the designer of".  I am not sure how well these things translate; they are subtleties of language.

I can't read the Engelen book, as it is in German.  But as I mentioned, searches on the internet (often pointing to printed publications and other references) usually credit Bracq as the stylist.

I'll have to ask Mr. Bracq himself in the kindest possible way...

The "suggestion" that the German company doesn't like the idea of a Frenchman being credited with the design isn't my idea; it came from one of us here whose heritage is Swiss and thus has had the opportunity in his many years as a neutral party to observe Franco-Teutonic relations...

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Klaus]

See also:
http://sl113.com/forums/index.php?topic=2219
and
http://sl113.com/forums/index.php?topic=1137

Interestingly enough, the text for both books, "Barock zur Pagode" and "Faszination W113", was written by Engelen. In his first book he credits Geiger, in his second Bracq.

Geiger is famous for the design of the 300SL Roadster.
Of course - everything is team work, there is never a design attributed to a single person. Finally, the production design is approved by the complete Management Board. They say, the Management Board did not like the Pagoda roof, but it was too late for changes when they were shown the car with hardtop.

Klaus
1969 280 SL

[gwuisman]

This thread made me search on different search engines. The Polish site http://www.mercedesstory.pl/dziennik_pagody2.php
concerns the history of the W113 and is interestingly because of the nice pictures. In the text Karl Wilfert is mentioned as the responsable director for the design and Bel¹ Barenyi resposable for the technique. No Paul Bracq. On several places Profesor Fritz Nallinger is mentioned, but I cannot figure out exactly in which connection. I have the impression that he (a former head of the design department) had decisive powers on the choice of the model.

Gerard Wuisman
1970 280sl

[mbzse]

quote:Originally posted by gwuisman

The Polish site http://www.mercedesstory.pl/dziennik_pagody2.php
concerns the history of the W113 and is interestingly because of the nice pictures.

Well, this Polish web site is of course not the source of anything new. The pictures are all pinched (scanned/lifted) from Engelen's book, one by one   :evil:   The text I'm sure just a regurgitation as well.
So much for copyright...

.

/Hans in Sweden

[mbzse]

Michael, Cees, Klaus and List,
Some further food for thought regarding the "revisionist" history.

I took a peek in the next book written by Gunther Engelen, "M-B 280SL-500SLC" covering the W107 types. And in there were two more pictures of Friedrich Geiger, and various reference to him. Apparently he continued as head of the design department well up towards the 1970's (years after Bracq had left Daimler-Benz in 1967).

One picture on page 13: Geiger at the drawing board, and the other on page 57: Geiger and Karl Wilfert discussing details on the R107 hard top rear.

Geiger was a modest man Engelen writes, and his statement to motor journalists was always "Take photographs of the cars, they are important, not me".

/Hans in Sweden

[Longtooth]

Engleln's book gives credit for the design to "almost unknown" Friedrich Geiger... along with credit of the designs ("Aussehen")... their look... for the 300SL, 600, 190, 220- 220SEb, and the 108/109 and the S-Class of the 116 (page 110 with picture standing next to Dr. Ernst Fiala at the '58 Geneva show).  Bela Barenyis was responsible for the pagoda roofline (shape).... he was the conceiver of the inverted (concave) roofline which he thought (felt, believed, calculated) provided a stronger mechanical support than the conventional convex shape.  This wasn't however, the deciding factor, but it was the instigation.  The aerodynamic's was worse with the pagoa roof, for example, but there were many other factors taken into consideration before this design was finally decided upon.  One factor was the side-windows, and the sales chiefs of MB North America were overwhelmingly in favor of the pagoda roof. Seifert is quoted as writing that in the final analysis it was a styling effect, which allowed the higher roofline at the edge (sidewindows also larger) so that entry was easier while maintaining the sporty appearance with a low roofline (lower than it would have had to be if convex)... this is from my reading of Engelin's book (Vom B z P).

BTW, it's important to note that in any product the appearance, shape, are the responsibility of the head of the styling function.... the 'artist/engineer'.  There may be one person in the department that contributed one styling feature, another that contributed another, etc... but there's only one somebody that's ultimately responsible for which styling direction or evolution thereof is pursued... and who decides on what's included and what's discarded when the design is sent forward for further development (full size clay models) or evaluations.  In that sense, Geiger was the responsible entity for the overall styling direction and appearance.

As the French vs German thing... this all occurred at MB Sindlefingen in the late 50's and '60... less than 15 years since the end of WWII.  When I lived in Germany from '59 thru '64 as a teenager, there was no question as to the German's anymosity to the French and vice-versa, so that a Frenchman in Sifi at MB would have, imo, been a subtle form of the German showing their superiority over the French, while simulteneously demonstrating 'by-gones, will be by-gones', despite their loss of the war.  As demonstration of the effect of time, later, while living in Germany in the early '80's near Mainz, it was very clear that the younger generation (my generation) held no prejudices against the French nor the French (of our generation) against the Germans, and working exchanges going both ways were common in the early and mid '80's.  I also worked briefly in France during the time I lived in GErmany, and found it very interesting that there were about 25% - 30% German Engineer's working at the French facility...  fully integrated (speaking French, family's living there, etc).  All this is to say that I doubt there was any serious issue related to whether credit was deserved by Barcq vs Geiger.

If Barcq worked for and under Geiger, than I think it goes without saying that the styling credit goes to the manager of the department... since the manager or lead stylist has the ultimate say-so about what get's out to be seen by others.



   


Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
'02 SL500 Sport

[Longtooth]

Micheal... another question though...

What gives you the impression of a "revisionist" history? Where'ed the "revisionist" adjective come from?

I gather, from what I understand, that the apparent reason that you hadn't heard of Geiger was that you don't read German, thus didn't have or have any reference to Engelen's book... and that Engelen &/or his publisher's didn't and haven't seen fit to publish an English translation... as well as the fact that Geiger wasn't a publicity seeker.

Thus, since Engelen's book wasn't translated to English, then the English publications on the W113's history would probably also not be referencing it or any other German language publication that wasn't tranlsated or published in English, though I do find it surprising, never-the-less, that with Engelen's research and documented undertaking with those responsible at the time, and from the documents provided by MB, that other's writing about the history of the W113 wouldn't have used his work as reference material at the very least.  Had Engelen's published information not been accurate, there was more than ample opportunity at least within Germany and MB in particular to take exception to or publically correct his information, if not before it's being published, then certainly in the time since then.

What are your published references for Barcq's having been responsible for the W113 styling?  I'd be interested in reading other subject matter on the history of the W113's development and decisions.

Perhaps it might be wise to consult directly with Engelen on the matter... since he did the research he may have more information to offer on the subject of styling contributions & directions taken over time than he provided in his book. You can probably get in touch with him thru the copyright holder ... Motorbuch Verlag, Postfach 103743, 70032 Stuttgart.... if not from other more direct sources you may have.

Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
'02 SL500 Sport

[Klaus]

Longtooth wrote:
"What are your published references for Barcq's having been responsible for the W113 styling? I'd be interested in reading other subject matter on the history of the W113's development and decisions.

Perhaps it might be wise to consult directly with Engelen on the matter... since he did the research he may have more information to offer on the subject of styling contributions & directions taken over time than he provided in his book. You can probably get in touch with him thru the copyright holder ... Motorbuch Verlag, Postfach 103743, 70032 Stuttgart.... if not from other more direct sources you may have."

The reference would be "Faszination SL W113", published by DaimlerChrysler in 2003, with text by Guenter Engelen. This book is fully bilingual, German and English.
Besides mentioning the usual players, mainly regarding the hardtop, Engelen writes
"At this point the third 'father' of the pagoda roof now arrived on the stage: Paul Bracq. As head of Advanced Design, the creative young Frenchman was the ideal complement to his boss, the strict Swabian designer Friedrich Geiger. Paul Bracq had at this point already completed his design work on the 230 SL - all except putting the finishing touches on the roof."

When this issue was discussed in this forum in 2004, I sent an e-mail to Motorbuch Verlag to get in touch with Mr. Engelen. The Motorbuch Verlag never bothered to answer.

Klaus
1969 280 SL

[mdsalemi]

Longtooth,

I chose the adjective "revisionist" to describe a new interpretation told directly to me quite recently in communication from one very high up at Mercedes in public relations.  Whereas before this, I always had the idea that Bracq had a good hand in the design of the 113, this new information suggested that it was basically all Geiger; in fact read the quote again: it takes away nearly all credit from everyone for everything up to the W123!  Further, the communication suggested that Bracq was/is more of a painter then a car designer.  BMW aficionados might disagree.

Go do a Google search yourself, use the usual keywords Bracq, Mercedes, Pagoda, W113 etc. and you'll find plenty of references on all kinds of sites all over--some referencing printed works, that will give you enough of an idea that "our car" and "Bracq" had something to do with one another.  True or not true?  Go to any book on the W113, or the SL's in general, or Mercedes history, and you'll often--not always--find a reference linking the W113 to Bracq if they link it to anyone.  Of course you'll also find Nallinger, Uhlenhaut, Wilfert, Beranyi, and some places, Geiger.  Read the articles by Reed Hitchcock (our own Hitch02) that were published in BIMMER and MERCEDES ENTHUSIAST.

The reason why I didn't know Geiger has nothing to do with my lack of command of German, but more my knowledge of Mercedes is more concentrated on this car, rather then broader MB history.  I've come to know he penned the Gullwing.

I have no issue with Guenter Engelen's book or any other; but to think that any book is flawless would be a mistake.  If Bracq had little or nothing to do with the design of the W113 as recently offered to me, how on earth could such a rumor be so widespread over 45 years?

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Longtooth]

Michael,
My history basis for the W113's is nearly exclusively based on the documented information in Engelen's book. I'll check out some google ref's as you suggest to see references to Bracq's involvement.  

I haven't had the opportunity to find & read "Faszination SL W113", but I'll find it.  Since Englelen's statements are made with reference to interviews with many of those directly involved with the history of development decisions regards the SL series thru W113, and MB executive meeting minutes (with quotes), and actual technical drawings, spec's and engine test results from development and during production, I would tend to use this info as a sound basis before "hand-me-down" verbal references.  

You recall the camp or party-time game where everybody sits in a circle & relays an original verbal message from the starting originator around the group, and back to the originator.  Verbal transmissions get very mis-wired after just a couple retellings, so actual documentation and direct 1:1 interviews generally trumps 45 years worth of rumors.  

I'm not saying Bracq had nothing to do with the design... but Engelen attributes the concept for the inverted roofline to Bela Barenyis based on his responsibility for safety / mechanics.... which he (Bela) argued was superior for rigidity, lower roofline without compromising increased glass area. It's possible that Bracq was the stylist that worked up the exact styling details for it though... but I personally wouldn't credit Bracq with the roof design considering Engelen's description of Bela's having been the author for it in the 1st place.  

I also keep seeing various reference to the fact that MB exec's were not keen on the pagoda roof line, but long before this was part of he final decision by the execs, MB of North America execs were hell bent for leather for it... and considering the object of MB sales was to make large increases North American sales, I don't find any credance to the statements that MB's exec's were disappointed by te design but it was 'too late to change it'.  

Having lived in Germany from '59 - '64, there was definitely a public debate among the German MB afficianado's / mag's / and competitors about that roofline... some hated it, some loved it... for the most part, the older set hated it, the younger set loved it... breaking with tradition is generally not something the older gent's in our world are partial to.  

I'd guess that the statements involving exec's not liking the roofline 'but it was too late to change it' are in my opinion more attributable to "unnamed sources at MB" for journalistic newspaper and magazine sales.  Stimulating a controversial design change is always a good way to stimule magazine and newspaper sales as long as the controversy can be maintained.  The actual fact is that both a convex and concave roof and designs in both clay 1:1 models and actual drivers were both being developed and experimented with thru 1961, and it wasn't until spring '62 that the final decision was made to go with the pagada roof. Engelen's book documents this with both executive minute and notes, as well as copius pictures of both designs and real cars with both tops (with the windshield frame that goes with each).

My quibble was with your use of the term "revisionist" history... as if somebody was now changing the facts.  From where I sit, and what I know, the best facts I have available thus far come from Engelen's book Vom Barock zur Pagode.  I'll check out what I can find regards source information related to Bracq's involvment.  There's one reference in the book to Bracq... showing a rendering (illustration) by him of a fastback coupe version which was also one of the considerations during development ... even full size wind-tunnel models tested.  From what I've gleened in the last 3 hrs on the web, Bracq appears to be at that time (while at MB) a rendition artist... freehand paintings, sketeches, and renderings of various designs... and as an artist, he surely included his own creative touch & concepts to the designs. Geiger was the head of styling development... Wilfert the head of chassis development... and Wilfert was the primary champion and one who pushed Bela's roof concept thru (from Engelen's book).  Wilfert was hard-headed and no stranger to controversy... he loved it in fact. BTW, I've yet to find anything on the web about Bracq releated to MB designs that references anything about sources.... most are just repetitions of or extracts from earlier articles, and all of them (articles I can find) appear to be simply statements ... he's credited specifically with the sedan fin designs and their toning down a'la the moderate shapes which followed... but there's no information regards any source material from whence this information is obtained.... so it's apparently unsourced & undocumented information with no cooberation other than repetitious articles.... from what I've found thus far.      
Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
'02 SL500 Sport

[mdsalemi]

Longtooth,

I cannot tell you who designed what; I was not there 45 years ago.  But if one were to task someone (someone without prior knowledge) with finding out who designed the 113, these are the kinds of things you will see on the Internet:

…nor that Paul Bracq, our honored guest at the meet, designed not only the W113, but the 600 and 6.3 as well...

... the W113 series SL proved more comfortable than the former and faster than ... Penned by Paul Bracq , its wonderfully crisp styling clothed a monocoque ...

…This 1968 250SL is a great example of the classic Paul Bracq designed Pagoda SL . ... The W113 is no exception, with acceleration and braking that rivals...

... name: 1963–1966 W113* 1963–1966 230SL1965–1966 W110* 1965–1966 2301965–1968 ... The body styling was by Paul Bracq…

…Die Mercedes-Benz "Pagode" gilt als Meisterwerk von Paul Bracq, ...

…Blessed with the same effortlessly elegant Paul Bracq styling as its earlier...the W113...

You will find references tying Bracq and the Pagoda together on Wikipedia; on RitzSite as well.  You will find references to Bracq and the Pagoda in the "Faszination W113", an Engelen book written after the Vom Barock zur Pagode book.  You will find similar in books by LJK Setright and of course Meredith's book as well.  I never rely on a single source for information.

So, based on this plethora of information out there that connects Bracq on the design team somehow, including Bracq's own resume, to suddenly hear that he basically had nothing to do with this car, or any MB design is a bit peculiar.  You seem to think that this is not new information as it does not surprise you.  To also say that all styling up to the W123 is credited to Geiger alone is perhaps a bit of an affront to the team--and I do mean team--that styled the MB's of the 1960's...Bracq was Chief of Advanced Design!

Yet, that's exactly what I heard.  I would call that revisionist; true maybe (who knows for sure?), but revisionist nonetheless.  I guess we we have different definitions.

I pass no judgment on this other then the fact that I find it difficult to believe that this connection has persisted over all these years if incorrect.

My guess is the truth lies somewhere in between.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

[Longtooth]

Micheal,
I've seen the web references to Brocq's involvment... I've seen no source provided for any of these references however.  

There's also a possible confusion in the use of terms designer, stylist, etc.  As an engineer that has developed several devices, I've always worked with a 'designer' who put my designs to paper in pen/ink, color if necessary, to scale and in perspectives... I gave the designer the details I wanted shown, and those that I knew wer approximate at the time I started with the designer. The rest were still open or dependant on other factors for which I was dependant on others to define their requirements.  Some designers took artistic license, some didn't... those that were the most creative had suggestions on modifications or changes... some of which had merit, some were incongruent with other requirements.  

I'm not familiar with the methods employed by automobile company's to come up with a "style" or "features" of styles... but they aren't without constraints and dependancies on weight, size, space and space available requirements, not to mention cw (aeordynamic) demands and fuel economy, centers of gravity, etc.  

Who in the hierarchy determines the limits on designs and styles?  Should the crease in a body panel start here and end there, or should it go further or be deeper?... or less pronounced?... highlighted by rubber inserts or not?  Should the headlights be oval, round, oblong horizontal or vertical or at an angle?  Should the deck-lid have a sharper or more rounded curve to the tail... should the deck-lid wrap to near the bumper or stop near the end of the horizontal segment?  

I understand your basis, but I can't help but notice that nothing I've yet to find on Brocq's contribution is given a source for the basis of the statements made.... it sounds therefore like a lot of  unsubstantiated statements... whether these are all pass-me downs from incorrect interpretations of language or inferences from some originating article way back when or whether substantiated by some research and 1:1 information exchange I can't say.  I've no doubt Brocq made a name for himself, but he didn't stay at MB all that long before going back to France to work on the Bullet Train "style?"... then on to BMW... etc.    

I am definitely interested in the distinction Engelen made in two different texts... the former gives credit to Geiger,  was written by Engelen,  far earlier and was an indepth history, the other apparently gives credit to Brocq (though I haven't seen the original text), was written by MB, with "text" by Engelen.... published only  3 years ago (2003).  If I were reading these two Engelen referred works in sequence and order they were published, I'd have to say that the 2nd text that gives Brocq credit was 'revisionist'... no?  


Longtooth
67 250SL US #113-043-10-002163
'02 SL500 Sport

[Benz Dr.]

As the guys on the Myth Busters say,

''I reject your reality and substitue it with my own.''

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[mdsalemi]

quote:Originally posted by Benz Dr.

As the guys on the Myth Busters say,

''I reject your reality and substitue it with my own.''

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

Well said, Doc.  I give up.

I've thrown out every book I own on the SL except Engelen's--that is the one and only source that is worth anything, didn't you read?  Heck we all know that Lawrence Meredith's book isn't worth much anyway because it is full of errors, and except for that 568 Signal Red beauty on the front dust jacket, it's just unreferenced fluff.  I've disposed of all the stuff that Bracq sent me regarding his car designs, including all those unreferenced magazine articles and photos; I can't read Estonian, so the Teknika article is useless anyway.  Our group here needs to question Reed Hitchcock's "membership" (Hitch02) since he might have perpetuated some of this rot with the unreferenced magazine articles he authored for Bimmer and Mercedes Enthusiast, and his interviews with Bracq.  I've written a strongly worded letter to the organizers of the Bordeaux auto show, since they celebrated Bracq in 1995.  What for?  What right does he have to put himself next to a 230SL anyway?  With his WIFE no less, has the man no sense of honor?  I've contacted BMW for surely they too have been "had"--someone else must have done that 2002 Turbo and the 1600Ti; I can't seem to find verifiable references and Engelen makes no mention of them.  My life's mission is now to eliminate 45 years worth of association between the name "Bracq" and car designs, specifically Mercedes.  I'll call Karl Middlehauve today and tell him that Bracq had nothing to do with the 600 either.  I'll write a letter to the French Government, for Bracq's Legion of Merit award is probably undeserved since there is so much misinformation about him--dating back to the early 1960's.  Since he didn't design any cars (this is what I've been told), I'll cease my quest for the book Mercedes: The Bracq Years which is out of print and thus hard to get.  Heck, it's in French anyway.  I'll contact what's left of the 1972 Munich Olympic Committee (they are probably still paying bills!) and tell them that that BMW Turbo done for "their show" must have been designed by someone else, so they should search for the true designer; while on that subject, I'll contact Automobile Revue Suisse and ask them to revoke the award for that car in 1973--unless they can provide some reference for it.  While I'm at it, since Bracq didn't really design anything, (most everything I see is unreferenced) what right did he have to actually judge cars at Pebble Beach and Bagatelle?  Shouldn't those awards be reviewed, since the judge might very well be unqualified?  I'll march right down to the Automotive Hall of Fame, and in the Bela Barenyi display, (how much of his work is referenced?) I'll ensure they remove the photo of him standing next to Paul Bracq at the 1963 Geneva Auto Show, where the 230SL was introduced.  And to think I actually had this photo taken of me next to those gentlemen at our Holiday Party last week!

Download Attachment: SalemiBracqBeranyi.jpg
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The SHAME of it all!  Salemi looking at BRACQ (on left) and BARENYI at the Geneva Auto Show, March 1963.  Bracq must be thinking, "Gee, why didn't I think of that?" as he looks at that 230SL. (Photo by Adam Lumsden)

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My goodness, can you believe this photo?  There's Bracq and his wife having the audacity to stand next to a 230SL at a 1995 Bordeaux show featuring Bracq's works!  The man is shameless!

...NOT!

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored