Veritas (automobile)

Veritas was a famous West German post World War II sports and race car company, located in the village of Hausen am Andelsbach, near Sigmaringen, Baden-Württemberg, later at Meßkirch and Muggensturm and moved finally to the Nürburgring.

The company was founded by Ernst Loof, Georg Meier and Lorenz Dietrich who initially re-built and tuned pre-war BMW 328 cars using components supplied by a customer, turning them into BMW-Veritas cars.^[1] The first car was used in 1947 by its owner Karl Kling to win at Hockenheim and subsequently become the 1947 German 2-litre champion. After only a few cars were made, following an objection from BMW, the cars became simply known as Veritas.

Road cars

The first Veritas to be made for normal road use was made in 1949 with the launch of the Komet coupé which was little more than a racing Veritas RS made street legal.^[1] It was followed by the more civilised 2+2 Saturn coupé and Scorpion cabriolet.

The company moved to larger premises in Muggensturm in 1949^[1] but were badly under capitalised. New cars were designed using a 1998 cc engine designed Eric Zipprich and built by Heinkel^[1]. Over 200 orders were received for the new car but there was not enough money available to buy the components and production came to a halt in 1950 and the company continued in operation until 1952 by making new bodies for Panhard cars.

Ernst Loof moved to the Nürburgring in 1950^[1] where he rented the old Auto Union workshops and set up a new company Automobilwerke Ernst Loof GmbH and started a new range of Veritas cars at first with the Heinkel manufactured engine and saloon or cabriolet coachwork by Spohn. Money quickly ran out however and the final bodies were fitted with Ford or Opel engines. The number of cars made at the Nürburgring is estimated as between 6 and 20.^[1]

Racing cars

A total of 17 privately-entered Veritas cars participated in 5 FIA World Championship races.

Today

After a virtual disappearance from motor racing and automotive engineering for nearly 50 years, a small company known as Vermot AG^[3] plans on "resurrecting" the Veritas name on a planned model known as the RS III.

In 2001, a concept known as the Veritas RS3 was shown.^[4] With some design cues taken from boats, in which Vermot explored the market at one time, it was well received. It used a BMW sourced 6.0 liter V-12, producing 670 horsepower (500 kW).

In 2008, it was announced that Vermot AG was to take serious efforts towards producing the RS III.

Production and testing^[5] began in early 2008, with the RS III spotted testing on tracks in May 2008, and Vermot AG has released a general release date for the end of 2008. It runs on a BMW sourced 5.0 liter V-10 that generates 600 horsepower (450 kW). Weight will be kept down to 2,360 pounds due to the extensive use of light materials, and performance figures of 0-60 in 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 216 miles per hour (348 km/h) are likely, according to Vermot AG. Production will be around 50 models per year.

In 2009, at London's Salon Privé, Veritas RS III Roadster super sports car won the "Best Super Car 2009" award. Strictly limited hand production of only 30 vehicles started by Vermot in Gelsdorf.^[6]

World Championship results

(key)

References

External links

• The Veritas story
• Vermot AG Home Page