by "Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
Published 06/13/2017 at 06:50
by "Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
Published 06/13/2017 at 06:50
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STARS: 11
Supposedly, this one-off was created for the car importer and distributor Max Hoffman, who you might know as the person who convinced Mercedes to make the 300SL, telling them that a road-going version of their race car would be a hit in America.
Although he’s best known for selling German cars, he actually commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to build a showroom in Manhattan for Jaguars. By the time it was finished, Jaguar had pulled out of the partnership and built their own showroom, so Hoffman devoted it to German cars.
The showroom was demolished in 2013 and turned into a bank, because everything is awful.
As part of his fee for the showroom, Wright received two Mercedes from Hoffman, a Type 300 and a 300SL.
"AuthiCooper1300" (rexrod)
06/13/2017 at 07:05, STARS: 2
Arguably
Maxie
Hoffman gave us some of the most interesting motoring icons of the last century.
And in all probability Porsche wouldn’t even have happened without Hoffman. They were quite content to sell just a handful of cars a year to Huschke’s blue-blooded/well-heeled chums.
[May I congratulate you on this excellent posting, sir, if only because of the pencil sketches.]
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
06/13/2017 at 07:09, STARS: 1
Thanks!
I was going to point out that Hoffman was instrumental in getting Porsche to make the Speedster, but I forgot.
"AuthiCooper1300" (rexrod)
06/13/2017 at 07:30, STARS: 2
You are welcome.
Always nice to see someone willing to show the intersection between “cars” and something else... and/or
people.
I love cars, but it is the stories of the individuals involved (even if only slightly) what I find truly fascinating.
Not only that - Hoffman and Ferry had a most peculiar conversation regarding the 356. Something along the lines of “well, do you think you might be able to supply us with ten (or fifteen or whatever) of those?” “yeah, we can manage (ten or fifteen or whatever) a year” “oh no, I meant ten (or fifteen or whatever) a month”.
I imagine the move back from Carinthia to Stuttgart was made so much easier by the deals with Hoffman.
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
06/13/2017 at 07:30, STARS: 1
that is a great looking Jag.
has it turned into rust or does it live in someones collection?
"Svend" (svend)
06/13/2017 at 07:40, STARS: 1
Looks like they took the front bumpers off a Lancia Aurelia b24 Spider America.
I’m not sure how I feel about the Pininfarina XK120.
From the A pillar back in looks fantastic (if not like most Italian cars of it’s period), the A pillar forwards just looks awful.
"Clemsie McKenzie" (thestirringcolumn)
06/13/2017 at 07:42, STARS: 1
Oooh that’s a very pretty thing!
"AuthiCooper1300" (rexrod)
06/13/2017 at 07:48, STARS: 1
One of the first hits on Google. I imagine you’ll be able to find more detailed information somewhere else:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic/see-the-restoration-of-a-unique-jaguar-xk120/
"OPPOsaurus WRX" (opposaurus)
06/13/2017 at 08:37, STARS: 2
how did I not know this?!? The only auto related thing I knew from him was this gas station.
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
06/13/2017 at 09:23, STARS: 2
Wright was actually a huge fan of cars. He owned over 80 cars during his life and coined the term (and invented) carport. Lots of his designs actually incorporated parking garages into his buildings. Wright absolutely hated cities and saw cars as a solution to cities, since it would allow people to commute into them and live elsewhere.
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
06/13/2017 at 09:24, STARS: 0
That’s great, I love that story.
"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats)
06/13/2017 at 09:27, STARS: 1
The XK120 is one of my favorite cars ever designed, but I like this one a lot. The headlights are a really iconic part of the 120, but I sort of like the choice to set them behind the wheel arches in the Pininfarina
"Svend" (svend)
06/13/2017 at 10:00, STARS: 0
From the diagonal, it looks okay but from the front with the recessed headlights it.
The front of the regular XK120 looks almost perfect.
"JR1" (type35bugatti)
06/13/2017 at 10:20, STARS: 0
They knocked down a Wright design? WTH.
Also that is one sexy xk120
"AuthiCooper1300" (rexrod)
06/13/2017 at 10:21, STARS: 2
Counterpoint: (allegedly) Peter Morgan, a couple of decades ago: “yes, the US market is very important for us. We sold a couple of cars there last year””
"torque" (torque01)
06/28/2017 at 22:36, STARS: 0
He also hated garages, basements & attics as he considered them wasted spaces for people’s junk. And he designed the furniture in many of the homes he created, many of which were not considered comfortable.
Wright is still probably the best known American architect ever. Very interesting guy. Brilliant architect, though his designs weren’t without their flaws.
For example, his architecture school Talisen (in Spring Green WI) insulation properties were so terrible that it cost something like $35K per winter to heat. His solution? Head south for the winter. The whole school is run out of AZ (at Talisen West - which of course he designed).
If you like architecture& you’re ever in Spring Green WI a tour of Talisen is worth it!