Post by Von Striker International Business

THE 147~MPH ‘FLYING ARACHNID’… 1949-50 Veritas Scorpion Cabriolet… Postwar automotive stylings saw a sharp departure from the ornate era of Art Deco. Described as ‘Mid-Century Streamlined Moderne’…these aesthetic shifts created fully integrated and enveloped pontoon body sculptures that ushered in the 1950s jet inspired tailfin era. Postwar 1947… This historic boutique brand was founded by three German military buddies who swapped personal racing stories and dreams. In the bleak aftermath of war…E. Loof, G. Meier, and L. Dietrick hoped to reclaim the passion for auto racing and opened Veritas…a specialized sport/racing company. All three were race drivers with direct connection to BMW. In addition, Loof was also the former head of BMWs racing division. The natural pivot was to build their niche brand around verified BMW proven components. To circumvent government restrictions…assembly was moved to France with Veritas utilizing existent prewar 326 & 328 BMW motors. Soon after…Veritas racers were dominating the 2L class all across Europe…increasing sales for their powerful street versions. The promise? In a matter of weeks…the new owner could claim their customized Veritas with a reconstructed highly tweaked 2L engine, apex BMW powertrain, competition chassis, and stunning custom coachwork. Sadly…after several restructuring attempts, and lacking funds for future production…this legacy brand closed its doors in the early 1950s…absorbed into BMW in 1953. It’s estimated that less than 78 Veritas units were built across all models…with a subset of possibly 10-22 coupe/cabriolet Scorpions variants built in 1949 & 50. Most of the Scorpions were tailored by the renowned coachwork firm of Hermann Spohn Karosseribau. Chassis #5095… The sleek balanced body is defined with continuous nose to tail aerodynamics, eccentric raised ‘bear claw’ shaped side air gills, venting portals, and flush fenders. Drenched in a lovely ‘Vibrant Bleu’ exterior…the elegantly austere interior wears sable brown leather, and a competition dash. The bespoke aluminum crafted shell was placed over a steel tubular racing frame…with 4-wheel independent suspension, 4-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, and rack-and-pinion steering. The Scorpion houses a BMW 2L 1988 cc. OHV inline 6-cylinder engine developed by Erik Zipprich and constructed by Heinkel. Also on board are two Solex Carburetors and the brands own 5-speed manual gearbox. This sophisticated racer rockets to its recorded top speed of 147 MPH. Only two Scorpions are known to reside in the States, with an estimated total of five left in existence. Rarely viewed and rarely sold…the historic Veritas Scorpion is a true marvel of Mid-Century design and engineering. Gorgeous and exclusive…these unicorns are held in elite collections due to their heritage racing provenance. Returned to the spotlight in 2015…a Veritas Scorpion punched through the sale price of $907,500…and is believed to be worth almost double today.