Is the newly found 'oldest car in the world' real or a good pub story?

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"The oldest car in the world" has been found in Germany. You may have read something about it recently. Many of you contacted us about this news item and queried why we hadn`t written about it on the website. This news really intrigued us, make no mistake. Like everyone else, we love barn finds and old cars but we also love good stories at the bar. And we wondered what to make of this recently found old car; is it really the oldest car in the world or just another good story based on hope and enthusiasm?

First, the story as we heard it for those who do not read German newspapers. Last year, a German collector bought a three-wheeler that had been sitting in a house in Leipzig, Germany, for many years. He bought it for a few hundred euros from the widow of the previous owner and when he and his friends took a closer look at the car, they noticed that it had a wooden chassis that had been built using early construction techniques. According to their initial interpretation, the car was most likely to have been built before 1890 and could even be one of the first prototypes of the Lutzmann system. This conclusion was based on the type of chassis (wood) and the paint colours. The car also came with a plate from a rally held in the 1950s. Would this car have taken part in this? And if so, what did the registration form say?

Reportedly, a team of scientists is currently examining the materials used to determine whether this vehicle was really made in 1890. But, as you may have already deduced, we find this hard to believe. We spoke to several experts on early cars and most of them believe that it is a later-built car, made from pieces that were lying around by a fanatical hobbyist. The engine, for example, seems far too modern for 1890. Anyway, it's a fantastic story and makes us all dream about the find of a lifetime.

Maybe one of our readers can give us more information about the history of the car, the construction method, the engine or even the rally. And we hope that we are wrong and that it turns out to be the real deal.

Source and photos: mdr.de

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