The Veritas RS was a Veritas sports car based on the BMW 328, which also competed in Formula One. It participated in five World Championship Grands Prix: the 1952 Swiss Grand Prix, the 1952 Belgian Grand Prix, the 1952 German Grand Prix, the 1953 Belgian Grand Prix, and the 1953 German Grand Prix. Its best result in Formula One racing was a 7th-place finish at the 1952 German Grand Prix, driven by Fritz Riess. [1] [2]
In 1949, work was completed on the racing sports car based on the BMW 328, with the engine output increased to 125 hp (93 kW) (with some models reaching up to 135 hp (101 kW)). However, 1949 also saw the launch of the Veritas Komet coupé, a road version of the RS. Additionally, in the same year, Veritas relocated to Muggensturm, where it abandoned the 2-litre BMW engine of the 328 in favour of a 2 L (120 cu in) engine (specifically, 1998 cm³) manufactured by Heinkel. Despite receiving 200 orders for motorised Veritas models, poor financial management led to the end of series production in 1950. [3]
Cosworth is a British automotive engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in high-performance internal combustion engines, powertrain, and electronics for automobile racing (motorsport) and mainstream automotive industries. Cosworth is based in Northampton, England, with facilities in Cottenham, England, Silverstone, England, and Indianapolis, IN, US.
The Porsche 718 is a series of one- or two-seat sports-racing cars built by Porsche from 1957 to 1962. An open-wheel single-seat model was developed for Formula racing.
Formula Two is a type of open-wheel formula racing category first codified in 1948. It was replaced in 1985 by Formula 3000, but revived by the FIA from 2009–2012 in the form of the FIA Formula Two Championship. The name returned again in 2017 when the former GP2 Series became known as the FIA Formula 2 Championship.
The Porsche 804 is a single-seat, open-wheeled racing car produced by Porsche to compete in Formula One (F1). It raced for a single season in 1962 in the 1½ litre formula.
NSU Motorenwerke AG, or NSU, was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motorcycles and pedal cycles, founded in 1873. Acquired by Volkswagen Group in 1969, VW merged NSU with Auto Union, creating Audi NSU Auto Union AG, ultimately Audi. The name NSU originated as an abbreviation of "Neckarsulm", the city where NSU was located.
The Alta Car and Engineering Company was a British sports and racing car manufacturer, commonly known simply as Alta. Their cars contested five FIA World Championship races between 1950 and 1952, as well as Grand Prix events prior to this. They also supplied engines to a small number of other constructors, most notably the Connaught and HWM teams.
Talbot-Lago was a French automobile manufacturer based in Suresnes, Hauts de Seine, outside Paris. The company was owned and managed by Antonio Lago, an Italian engineer that acquired rights to the Talbot brand name after the demise of Darracq London's subsidiary Automobiles Talbot France in 1936.
Adolf Brudes von Breslau was a Formula One driver from Germany and a member of German nobility. He started racing motorcycles in 1919. As an owner of a BMW and Auto Union dealership in Breslau, he had the opportunities to go racing, which he did from 1928 onwards, initially in hillclimbs. After World War II wiped out his business, he moved to Berlin and for a while became a mechanic, wherever he could find jobs. However he soon was back racing, and he continued until 1968, in hillclimbs – an amazing career of 49 years! He participated in one World Championship Grand Prix, the 1952 Großer Preis von Deutschland, but scored no championship points. He also participated in several non-Championship Formula One races.
Ernst Loof was an automotive engineer and racing driver from Germany. He contributed to the design of the BMW 328 sports car in the late 1930s.
Alex von Falkenhausen Motorenbau (AFM) (but some sources claim the M stood for Munich) was a German racing car constructor. The team was started by Alexander von Falkenhausen, who was in the 1930s an important engineer in the development of BMW's model 328, along with Alfred Boning, Ernst Loof and Fritz Fiedler. The 328 was a dominant sports car in late 1930s Europe and winner of the 1940 Mille Miglia race in Brescia, Italy.
Oswald Karch was a racing driver from Germany. He participated in one World Championship Formula One Grand Prix, the 1953 German Grand Prix. Despite not setting a time during qualifying, he was allowed to start the race in 34th position. He retired from the race with engine failure on lap 11 while running 22nd.
The Klenk-Meteor was a racing car which competed in the 1954 German Grand Prix. The car was based on the established German marque of Veritas which was active between 1948 and 1953. Veritas is chiefly remembered as a manufacturer of sports cars and successful Formula Two racing cars. The company closed when its founder, Ernst Loof, became ill. He subsequently died in 1956. The Klenk-Meteor entered for the 1954 German Grand Prix was essentially a Veritas Formula Two car from the previous year. The car was owned and prepared by the noted German racing driver Hans Klenk who intended to race it himself in the Grand Prix. However, Klenk's career as a racing driver came to an end when he suffered injuries in an accident while working as a test driver for Mercedes-Benz. The car was driven in the Grand Prix by another German, Theo Helfrich. He retired on lap 8 with engine failure.
Anton "Toni" Ulmen was a German motorcycle and racing driver from Düsseldorf, Germany. His racing career started in 1925 on a 250 cc Velocette. In 1927 he won the opening race of the Nürburgring on a 350 cc Velocette. In 1929 he won the 350 cc class on the Eilenriede, a non-permanent race course near Hannover. From 1949 to 1952, he was four times German sports car and Formula 2 champion.
Throughout its history, BMW cars and motorcycles have been successful in a range of motorsport activities. Apart from the factory efforts, many privateer teams enter BMW road cars in touring car racing. BMW also entered cars or provided engines in Formula One, Formula Two and sportscar racing. BMW is currently active in IMSA, the Isle of Man TT, the North West 200, the Superbike World Championship and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.
Melkus was an East German marque of single seat racing cars and sport cars founded by the race driver Heinz Melkus in Dresden in East Germany.
Veritas was a West German post World War II sports and race car company, located in the village of Hausen am Andelsbach, near Sigmaringen, Baden-Württemberg. It later moved to Meßkirch and Muggensturm and finally to the Nürburgring.
The Cooper Mark IV was a Formula Three, Formula Two and Formula One racing car designed and built by the Cooper Car Company at Surbiton, Surrey, England, in 1950.
The OSCA MT4, also spelled the O.S.C.A. MT4 or Osca MT4, is an Italian sports car prototype, designed, developed, and made by Officine Specializzata Costruzioni Automobili, between 1948 and 1956, but was raced and used in active competition until 1966.
The Veritas Meteor was a Formula One and Formula 2 race car that raced for Veritas and private stables from 1951 until 1954.
The AWE racing cars were a series of racing cars that were constructed between 1953 and 1955 in the Eisenach automobile plant by the EMW/AWE racing collective based there and used in national and international races from 1954 to 1956.