Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/07/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]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.