Skoda to showcase three rare cars at Schloss Bensberg Classics

ŠKODA will be presenting three exclusive automotive gems at this year’s ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’ (18 to 20 July). The streamlined ŠKODA Rapid OHV, ŠKODA Popular Sport Coupé ‘Little Entente’, and ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlo Coupé will be taking part at the annual meeting for collectors and fans of top-class vintage automobiles. The ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’ in Bergisch Gladbach near the city of Cologne will be held for the sixth time this coming weekend.

​ŠKODA has been a part of this outstanding classic car event since the first year. Three ŠKODA classic cars will be presented this year. “Our selection of vehicles is in keeping with the motto of the ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’: ‘Very important cars only’. We will be presenting absolute highlights from our collection,” says Dr. Frank Welsch, ŠKODA Board Member for Technical Development. All three ŠKODA vintage cars will be taking part in the ‘Rallye Historique’, the ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlo will additionally be scrutinised by the distinguished jury of the ‘Concours d'Elegance'. 

The ŠKODA Rapid OHV is an extremely rarely seen streamliner dating back to 1940. The Rapid OHV presented at the ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’ was painstakingly restored over 30 years by its owner Miroslav Strouhal, and is currently on loan to the  ŠKODA collection in Mladá Boleslav. Only 110 of the Rapid OHV were ever built between 1938 and 1941. The vehicle is powered by a 46 hp four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 1558 cc. OHV stands for the ‘overhead valves’ in the engine. 

The ŠKODA Popular Sport Coupé ‘Little Entente’ is also a real rarity. Its other name ‘Little Entente’ refers to the specific purpose of the rally car dating back to 1937. In that year, the vehicle took part in a rally through the countries of Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and Romania, which at that time were members of the ‘Little Entente’ alliance. After the race, the car went into private ownership and changed hands a number of times. The coupé has been the property of the ŠKODA Museum since 1968. Under the bonnet there is an inline four-cylinder with a displacement of 995 cc OHV and an output of 27 hp.

ŠKODA’s appearance at Schloss Bensberg is rounded off with a professionally restored ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlo Coupé from 1937. Only 72 ŠKODA Popular Monte Carlos – as convertibles and coupés – were built between 1936 and 1938. This is a special edition of the ŠKODA Popular. The reason for the special production was ŠKODA’s success at the Monte Carlo Rally in 1936. The vehicle is powered by a four-cylinder, four-stroke engine with 1386 cc displacement and 30 hp, and reaches a top speed of 110km/h. In addition to the ‘Rallye Historique’ the elegant coupe will also be participating in the ‘Concours d'Elegance’.

2014 marks the sixth year that the ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’ will be taking place. Schloss Bensberg and the picturesque Bergische Land near Cologne provide the magnificent setting for one of the most prestigious events for classic cars, where the focus is on exclusivity and high quality. Unusual and exceptionally rare vehicles are presented under the motto of ‘very important cars only’. The main program points include the star-studded ‘Rallye Historique’ and a FIVA-A ‘Concours d'Elegance’ with some of the most beautiful and rare classic automobiles in the world. The ‘Schloss Bensberg Classics’ is included in the circle of the ‘Louis Vuitton Classic Concours Award’ and is thus on par with renowned competitions such as the Pebble Beach/California and Villa d’Este/Italy.