A proud product of its time, this large motor vehicle left the Dürkopp factory in 1910 to set off on its journey in a world where roads were still largely unpaved.
A 2.6 litre, 4-cylinder engine, also designed and built by Dürkopp, meant that this model achieved a performance of 24 horsepower with a total of only 1,500 crankshaft revs per minute and a maximum speed of 75 kilometres per hour – unheard-of in that day and age. A brilliant feat of engineering in the automotive construction of the early 20th century.
No sooner had it left the factory gate with its roaring engine, however, than the vehicle's tracks vanished in the dust of the decades that followed. But this Dürkopp Phaeton resurfaces a good 50 years later in the summer of 1962 in Sonderhausen/Thuringen were it is found still in good shape. It wins the Veteran Rally in Dresden and, to top it all, is awarded the prize for the most beautiful motor car in this competition.
The Dürkopp Phaeton
» Name: PHAETON ("sun chariot“)
» Born: around 1910
» Chassis number: 5370
» Special features: robust, reliable and classical elegance
It set off on its journey home in the year 1969. After several stops on the way in eastern Westfalia, the Phaeton eventually falls into the hands of an old-timer enthusiast in Soltau where, as his oldest vehicle, it receives place of honour among the collector's proud collection of 1930 Daimler-Benz sedans. 10 years are to come and go before this Dürkopp motor car – no doubt one of the most beautiful models as well as one of the last witnesses of the great tradition of cars built under the Dürkopp name – finally sets out on its way back to Bielefeld.
The 29th March 1985 marks the long-awaited day. With a heavy heart the owner parts with this gem. A handshake seals the deal and the Dürkopp Phaeton returns to its birthplace as the property of the Dürkopp factory.
The 120th birthday of the motor vehicle will be celebrated in the year 2006. Dürkopp is proud to have played an active and leading role in writing automotive history for over three decades – from 1894 to 1927. It is not so much nostalgia that moves us, however, but more the challenge that emerges when looking back on the outstanding achievements of the past.
