Intriguing 8-litre motor, fit for a Princess

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Perhaps not the clearest in quality, but what an interesting photograph this is! The wasp-waisted lady has to be of regal upbringing hasn’t she? She certainly is. We stumbled upon the picture while on the look for more information about ‘Princess Victoria – the smallest lady in the world’ recently (more info still very welcome). This, however, is believed to be a real princess Victoria: Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg, later known as Grand Duchess Victoria Feodorovna of Russia.

She was born in 1876 and died in 1936. She lived in numerous places around Europe, changing her native Great Britain for Malta and southern Germany later on and then went to France, Russia and Finland and back to Germany and France again, marrying twice and leaving behind several daughters.

But let’s not get carried away by the complications of 19th century European royalty - it’s the car that intrigues us most here, let there be no misunderstanding about that. This is believed to be an 8-Litre NAG (Neue Automobil-Gesellschaft) Type B2 made in Berlin in around 1908 and it certainly has some interesting features. First of all the front wings and running boards seem extremely low, probably to make getting in and out something that can be done gracefully and comfortably. Or could these footboards hide storage facilities? And, speaking of storage that’s some package on the roof. Just for a picnic or more than that? The folded roof at the very back is also intriguing and not something we recall having seen before. Could that be metal?

(Words Jeroen Booij, picture Pinterest)

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