For the last 2 years, at the RetroClassics event in Stuttgart, I have picked up a brochure describing a little-known German auto museum, called the Autosammlung Stein, located in a place called Schramberg. I dutifully took the leaflet home on each occasion and put on the pile of similar such material, vowing that one day I would go and visit, when I happened to be in the area. Last time I went to Stuttgart, I spotted that Schramberg was signposted from the E81 autobahn that goes from the Swiss border at Schaffhausen to Stuttgart, so realised that it was not going to be that hard to include this one in my itinerary. With a rather dismal weather forecast suggesting that an indoor day was called for this past weekend, I decided to pay a visit. Schramberg is 20 km to the east of junction 34 of the E81, and is a rather attractive Schwabian village nestling towards the lower reaches of a valley, and sure enough, well sign-posted, is the museum.The collection is displayed on 2 floors, and although the displays are simple, there is plenty of interest, and the cars can quite readily be grouped by type. Here is what I found:

“OLD TIMERS”

First car is a Brasier, apparently, judging by the badge on it. There was no information plaque to enlighten me further.

1908 de Dion Bouton BG8 – this early vehicle could manage a top speed of a heady 50 km/h from its 8 PS 964cc engine. Motoring in its infancy!1914 Simplex La France. Powered by a monster sized 9500cc engine, this early sports car had chain drive.1922 Mercer Series 5 Runabout – this American brand is better known for the Raceabout dating from 10 years earlier. It is estimated that fewer than 100 cars of the Mercer brand are still in existence today.1921 Wills StClaire A6 Roadster – an even less well known, with even fewer survivors. 80 is the best guess1923 Stutz Bearcat – these sporting cars were built over quite a long period, with varying bodystyles, some more overtly sporting than others1922 Marmon 34 Speedster – 75PS from a 5.6 litre engine, and an all aluminium body were quite advanced for a car of this periodAnother Marmom, with no details provided (I was going by the radiator grille badge)1931 American Austin – this dimunitive car had just 10PS from its 740cc engine, enough to power it to 70 km/h1929 Nash Model 431 Phaeton1926 Studebaker Little 61915 Saxon Four Roadster1925 Citroen B121931 Praga Piccolo – this Czech light car had a 900cc engine which put out 20 PS, and was quite advanced in its day.FIRE ENGINESA wonderful display of fire engines, most of which had seen lengthy periods of service in the local area.

1916 American La France – the 9500cc engine was apparently shared among just 4 cylinders!

1941 Kloeckner Humboldt-DeutzMercedes1957 Mercedes L311 TLF16 – this vehicle was in use until 1996Opel Blitz1962 Magirus Deutz – this one kept going til 2006!Further Mercedes-based fire vehiclesMAYBACH1932 Maybach DS8 Zeppelin – the very peak of the Maybach range. Fewer than 25 of these glorious V12, 8000cc vehicles are now left

1935 Maybach SW35  – a cheaper model, this one had a 3.5 litre engine which developed 140 PS. Only 5 of these are left worldwide now1938 Maybach SW38 cabrio – just 850 of these were madeUnrestored SW38 and a restored model to keep it company1939 Maybach SW42 CabrioThe latest Maybach model completed the displayMERCEDES

A comprehensive display of these cars – not surprisingly, since these are very much seen as Schwabian, and therefore local.W107 – 450SL

W114 – 280CEW109 – 300SEL 6.3, a veritable “Q” carW116 – 450 SEL6.9, another “Q” car, this one in American specW121 – 190SLW198 – 300SL GullwingW100 – 600 PullmanW186 – 300b from 1955 and 300d Cabrio (the plaque said from 1953, but as the “d” followed the “b”, I suspect this was incorrect)W120 – 180 “Ponton” from 1955W136 – 170 S Cabrio B, 170 V and 170 Cabrio A. The first two were post war cars (1952 and 1948 respectively) and the third was pre-war 1938W18 – 290 Roadster from 1933W23 – 130 from 1935. Mercedes’ not very successful attempt at producing a small carW836 – 15/70/100CADILLAC1980 Seville – the second generation of what was at the time seen as the “small” Cadillac

1976 Fleetwood1969 Fleetwood 751955 EldoradoFORD1907 Model “N” Runabout

1907 Model “S” Runabout1911 Model “T” Tourer1915 Model “T” Sportster1928 Model “A” Sports CoupeA Racing Special, based on a Model A from the late 1920s1933 V8 Roadster Type 401935 V8 Phaeton type 481964 Mustang – still one of my favourite American cars.1962 Taunus 12M – the German Focus of its day1965 Taunus 17M – the German Mondeo of its dayMISC

1959 Opel Kapitan PL1952 Opel Olympia1963 Porsche 356B Super 901949 Triumph Roadster1971 Opel GT1972 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow1963 Amphicar1951 DKW F89 MeisterklasseVW1955 Transporter

1956 VW 1200 Standard1958 VW 1200 Export1972 Karmann-Ghia Type 141980 VW Golf GLSBMWThis one is not actually a BMW, it is the very rare Glas 1700 GT Cabrio from 1965, of which just 122 were made, before BMW bought out Glas and killed the project

E3 – 3.0Si – one of my favourite large BMWs1963 – 700 Luxe – the car that saved BMW (a bit)…………. as they were still building…….The 1962 BMW 502 (“Baroque Angel”)1970 “Neue Klasse”, 20001971 2002tiE26 – the M1E24 – the 635 CSiE31 – 850CSiThe Z1My real favourite from this collection of Munich-mobiles, the Z8SPORTS CARSMG TFMGALancia Beta SpiderDeLoreanMICRO CARS1958 Messerschmitt KR200

BMW IsettaFiat 500FERRARI308 GTB

Dino 308 GT4

550 Barchetta – a real favourite – til you see the Heath Robinson-like roof. This is a car for sunny days only!And FINALLY

This car was at RetroClassics in Stuttgart this year. It is the 1937 le Mans competing Adler Super Trump Stromlinien limousine. Acquired by a US army man just after the war, it was taken to America and repainted blue. It stayed with the same ownership for nearly 50 years before eventually being recognised for the historical significance which it has, and being brought back to Germany.Completing the displays in the museum are numerous cabinets with die cast models, most of them recent. It’s an engaging place that will entertain for a couple of hours, and worth a detour off the E81 for those in the area.2009-11-02 08:54:53