Prototyp PKW Automobilmuseum
Location: Hamburg, Germany.
PROTOTYP Museum
Shanghaiallee 7
20457 Hamburg
tel. 040 39996968
www.prototyp-hamburg.de
The museum…
I had been meaning to go visit this museum ever since I first heard about it on German TV. They only have REAL prototype cars, only German manufactures. The museum is small (50 or so cars over two floors) but what I really liked was it had a level in intimacy that is missing from a lot of the new mega museums sprouting up all over Germany. The museum reminded me of the old quaint Porsche museum in Zuffenhausen. They also had a lot of little detailed car snick-snack that you just do not see. There are plan on expanding the museum to the rest of the building and building a new top to the building. But that is some years off.
I was kind of expecting a bigger museum but it was still a worth while trip for me. They had a lot of cool and interesting cars as you can see bellow. Since I am a big Porsche fan I found many cool old cars there.
I am also a big AutoUnion fan of the Silver Arrow age… and I found an interesting display there too. Although I suspect that the cars must still be on display over at Audi AG (Ingolstadt), since they have an on going display of the most Silver Arrows in the world at one place. Twelve cars I think. I’ll have to look back at my pics when I went there in Feb.
As with anything… the difference is in the small details. And this museum really had a lot of cool small details. Things that you just do not see anywhere but in some state archive. Details, I love them!
I did pick up two very nice dvds. One titled: “100 Porsche’s and Me”. It was produced by German TV ZDF and it was quite a nice story of car lovers. Kind of a seven degrees of separation for car lovers. Jerry Seinfeld of all people was featured in it. I highly recommend this dvd. It shows you how car nuts are car nuts - no matter where they live.
The second dvd was produced by Porsche AG: “The Porsche Way”. It’s a historical video of the family and their cars: race and street. Also a very nice dvd. I think I have seen almost every dvd on Porsche and the above two are very nice ones.
The Prototyp Museum had some interesting early Porsches. They only have real prototype cars on display there. As some of you might know… the Germans will built a one off prototype. IF there is sufficient interests… the car manufacture will start first with a batch of “Zero Production” cars. These cars are simply for R&D. Never to be released to the public. These cars are destined for the crusher. But sometimes a few escape. This is one place they come to live: Prototyp Museum.
I hope you all enjoy my photos. I know this is a BMW list.. but I thought you guys are also car nuts. So I hope you enjoy my pics. I have some photos of Porsche/Audi/MB museums. Let me know IF there is enough interest, I can post some of those too.
KdF Wagen aka the Beetle
FWD formula racer! Check out that single leaf spring!!
1948 Ludewig, 220kg, 500cc, 33 Hp(Zuendapp motor), 176kph, FWD!
AW on Red Coral anyone?
Schumi’s first F1 car… he only raced it for the first 400 meters!
Swim wagen and Porsche Jeep in background.
Ferdinand Porsche…
