Wirtschaftswunder gone wrong?

• 

We spotted this little toddler in what will have to be one of Germany’s smaller parking lots. A little damp inside and with sloppy white walls – but no doubt a tenderly cared for example of Glas GmbH’s merry Goggomobil. A vehicle that brought transportation to post war Germany, it now puts things into other perspectives. On the autobahn, next to big BMWs and obese Audis – all silver grey and with no badges – it will be a joke. We have no idea if this is the 250, 300 or 400cc version (20hp, in case of that latter and ultimate version – oh yes), but are quite confident that it may lack power in the eyes of the modern day German road user.

To think there were colourful Goggo coupes, cabriolets, roadsters and vans, too, makes you wonder why the Wirtschaftswunder did not stop somewhere half way the 1960s. Do we really need over a hundred horses to start with (BMW’s most basic car delivers 102hp these days)? Remarkably, Goggomobils were built under BMW’s umbrella for some time, once the Bavarians had taken over Hans Glas’ company in 1966, killing it soon after…

(Words and picture Jeroen Booij)

Kommentar abgeben...