Craigslist Insanity: "Carrosserie Caruna" 500SEL Edition

"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
07/05/2017 at 14:35 • Filed to: None

Yep, that’s exactly what you think it is. An eighties S Class with the top hacked off by an obscure Swiss coachbuilder. Per the seller: “This car is a great investment can’t be used for mover studios or weddings or photo shoots.is a one of a kind. Has lots of class.” In 2009, Jalopnik ran a story about the Dutch royal family restoring one of these, which is pretty much the only thing that comes up when you Google this car.

The listing’s description is questionable and the photos of the car are too, but the seller did include a variety of vintage ads, and even an old shot of the Caruna shop. Fascinating stuff:

I tried looking into Caruna to see what else they came up with, and found these three oddities:

This is a “Caruna Spyder” which was built on a 914 chassis. The front end is unbelievably shocking. Look at those lights, and the extreme angle of the nose! The rear though? It just looks like a piece of rooftop HVAC equipment.

If you thought that was sacrilege, this is even more offensive: it’s the 911 based “Staccato.” I don’t think these were ever put into production. Modern photos were nonexistent.

And now, a curveball! This Peugeot 504 targa is pretty cool. There are plenty of photos of these on the internet so presumably they were one of Caruna’s most successful endeavors.

Surprisingly, the company was in business until 2010 according to its German Wikipedia page. At that point in time, they had been reduced to a manufacturer of sliding door motors (Schiebetürantriebe) and electric sidesteps (Cassettentrittbretter) for vans. This is definitely the strangest automotive rabbit hole I’ve fallen down in a very long time, and also the most useful my German degree has been since I graduated over 3 years ago. Thanks Craigslist!

Here’s the link to the listing:

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

and the Jalopnik article:

http://jalopnik.com/5292814/dutch-royal-family-restores-1985-mercedes-380-sel-caruna

DISCUSSION (14)

fintail > Noah - Now with more boost.
07/05/2017 at 14:42

Looks even more awkward with the top up than I imagined. Why they had to raise the rear beltline area.

Still, an odd piece of history, too bad there’s no price. It appears this car was a grey market import back in the day. Needs to lose the chrome wheelarch trim and 8 hole wheels.

Noah - Now with more boost. > fintail
07/05/2017 at 14:45

Yep the rear beltline is really unfortunate, as are the chrome wheelarch trim pieces which must have been a dealer option back in the day because they’re everywhere

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > fintail
07/05/2017 at 15:02

I think the raising beltline was done to be able to fully lower the windows into the doors, as I’ve read somewhere once that that was one of the cars ‘features’, doesn’t really help its looks though.

fintail > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
07/05/2017 at 16:01

That would explain it, especially with the rear quarter/triangle windows.

fintail > Noah - Now with more boost.
07/05/2017 at 16:02

I think they could be ordered, and a variety of aftermarket sources offered them, and still offer them. They make me cringe, the perfect rust nest.

Noah - Now with more boost. > fintail
07/05/2017 at 16:14

Yes exactly, and at the very least even if there is no rust the paint will be a different color. No matter how nice the car is, it’s been ruined...

Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > Noah - Now with more boost.
07/05/2017 at 16:41

I think the Spyder/Staccato may have coincided with Stevie Wonder ’ s little known foray into automotive design in the 80s. Mein Gott, das auto ist hasslich

Noah - Now with more boost. > Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom
07/05/2017 at 16:43

Ja sicher, unglaublich! Und daher auch sehr lustig!

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Noah - Now with more boost.
07/06/2017 at 04:34

Other than that 504, the answer is no, no, no, no, NO.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing.
07/07/2017 at 12:53

Yeah the 504 was surprisingly tasteful (because they barely touched it)

Nauraushaun > Noah - Now with more boost.
04/15/2018 at 01:56

I wonder how well it seals

and if it seals at all

Noah - Now with more boost. > Nauraushaun
04/15/2018 at 11:28

I bet you *really* wouldn’t want to get caught in the rain lol.

Voli > Noah - Now with more boost.
07/16/2018 at 16:08

Hello everybody

I am the owner of the unique Peugeot 504 and also of the strange white spider. Both cars are one-off. Here you have more information and pics. Unfortunately in German.

www.caruna.ch

Noah - Now with more boost. > Voli
07/16/2018 at 17:10

danke mein freund!