Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/07/18

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Subject: For your amusement only
From: Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 1997 17:43:26 -0700

More from the 1982 #2 issue of the Barnack & Berek Magazine!!!
_________________________________________________________

NEW THINGS FROM LEITZ

by HEINZ RICHTER

Dated April 1, 1982, the following information reached us:

Leitz is going to enter the automobile market with a design of their own.
An entirely new division has been created in Wetzlar, and it is hoped that
the automobile will find acceptance among buyers of high quality
automobiles.  As one spokesman revealed to us, it is hoped that with the
Leitz car, the Leica does not have to be referred to any longer as the
Rolls Royce or the Mercedes of cameras.

Unfortunately, information is still a bit scarce at this time, but we have
been able to determine that the new automobile from Leitz will be named in
the tradition of their camera equipment, and will bear the name LEICAR. It
is thought that two versions will be available, different only by manual
and automatic transmissions. The two models will be called Leicar-M and
Leicar-A. The Leicar-M model is targeted primarily towards the sports sedan
market, and will be competing with similar models from BMW, Maserati,
Mercedes, etc., while the Leicar-A model is more of the luxury variety,
competing with the likes of Mercedes, Jaguar, BMW etc.

For the technically minded, a few details have been released.  The engine
will be a water cooled, three liter inline six with dual overhead cams,
Garret turbocharger, and Kugelfischer mechanical fuel injection, developing
250 bhp. Transmission is a five-speed ZF or a four speed automatic, which
will be built for Leitz by Mercedes. Layout will be with the engine in
front and four wheel drive.  For better weight distribution the
transmission will be in the rear, giving a perfect 50/50 weight
distribution.  Front suspension is via upper and lower unequal A arms and
coil springs with Koni shock absorbers and anti-roll bar.  Rear suspension
is independant (of course), via lower A arms and Chapman struts, and rear
anti-roll bar.  Brakes are disks on all four wheels with dual brake circuitry.

New techniques have been developed for the body design, which consists of a
reinforced fiberglass bottom pan and a conventional steel body with
aluminum hoods and door panels to save weight. All metal body panels are
made of galvanized steel.  The car's bottom is perfectly smooth, and the
floor panel is shaped to give a venturi effect, resulting in outstanding
stability during cornering or high speed cruising.  With such a design a
front spoiler is totally unnecessary. Extensive windtunnel testing resulted
in a body shape with the unusual drag coefficient of 2.9, one of the lowest
in the industry.  No prices could be given at this time, but it can be
assumed that they will be high.

We here at BBM applaud Leitz for this bold step.  Any further news will be
passed on in the next April issue of BBM.
_________________________________________________________

Ted... if you have one of these and aren't telling us... we'll really be mad!

Jim

ps... I won't send any more.