Eugen Böhringer died

Stuttgart - Former Mercedes-Benz factory racing driver Eugen Böhringer is in the early morning hours of 19 Died in June 2013 at the age of 91 years in Stuttgart. In the 1960s, the 22 wins January 1922 born at Red Mountain near Stuttgart rally drivers outstanding success for Mercedes-Benz. A highlight of his career is the title of European Rally Champion in 1962.

"He was hot emmer Beschts geba" says Böhr Festinger's former co-pilot Klaus Kaiser in 1992 to mark the 70th Birthday of the rally legend about its motor sport successes. This statement, formulated in Swabian restraint and meant as an extraordinary praise, must also be considered motto Eugen Böhringer Festinger. Seemingly easy car to control feather on the most difficult slopes, which is a specialty Böhr Festinger. So he wins including 1962 Acropolis Rally and the Rally Liège-Sofia-Liège in a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE (W 111) and the following year the Acropolis Rally, the Rally Germany and the Road Grand Prix for Touring Cars of Argentina with Mercedes-Benz 300 SE (W 112). He also ruled that the then-new sports car Mercedes-Benz 230 SL (W 113), the so-called "Pagoda", Böhringer proves the victory of the grueling endurance rally Spa-Sofia-Liege 1963.



"His opponents fear him because he always goes to the extreme limit, always risked everything by himself and Klaus Kaiser and of the Mercedes-Benz 230 SL, which they exit at the rally, every second of the last, the utmost Possible that just asks, "writes the magazine" crystal "in the fall of 1964 in a report on Böhringer.

The hotelier as factory racers

Böhringer is one of the most successful Mercedes-Benz racer in the early 1960s. The main job of the trained chef but the hotel is the family on the Rotenberg leads via Stuttgart. Also, most of his teammates in this era are private people who go for the Stuttgart brand in international rallies and long distance rides to the start.

The connection to Mercedes-Benz goes back to childhood Eugen Böhringer Feininger: So his father Gottfried Böhringer directed in 1928 for the employees of the Mercedes-Benz plant in a bus shuttle between Stuttgart-Rotenberg and Untertürkheim. Already in 1925 has a Mercedes 16/45 hp bought also the mother moves the family of Eugene. Emma Böhringer is then one of the first women in the Stuttgart region, which has a license. So it stands to reason that the boy dreams of a career as an automotive mechanic at Mercedes-Benz. But the family convinces Eugene to make training as a chef and take on the level restaurant with the hotel.

At Böhr Festinger fascination for cars with the star but also changes the gastronomic career nothing. A bet between friends leads finally to the fact that the hotel owner in the mid-1950s, first local and regional competitions on his private Mercedes-Benz 219 (W 105) and runs scored early success. Among other things, he takes the second place in 1958, the Stuttgart Solitude Rally, which he won in 1959 and 1960.

Rally victory for Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz recognizes the talent Böhr Festinger and obliged him from the year 1960 as a works driver. His first international success as the Mercedes-Benz racer is the second place in the Rallye Monte Carlo in 1960 (co-driver Hermann Socher). On a "tail fins" sedan Mercedes-Benz 220 SE (W 111) comes the duo behind the winners Walter Schock and Rolf Moll on 24 January to second place overall, Mercedes-Benz achieved a triple victory.

The Monte Carlo Rally remains the major challenge for Böhringer in the following years. He achieved from 1961 to 1965 throughout class victories in the category over 2000 cubic centimeters and gets more second places in the overall standings. Only the coveted overall title of the classic will never make. Compensate for this the other great triumphs of Stuttgarters: Already in 1961, he has secured the runner-up of the European Rally Championship, which he won in the following year.

Victory brings Böhringer 1962 with the Acropolis Rally, the Poland Rally and the Rally Liege-Sofia-Liege. How he survives the rigors of the 5500 km long rally, he reveals in 1982 the magazine "Auto Motor und Sport": "The physical fitness guaranteed glucose, milk and tons of water."

To victories in 1963 with co-pilot Klaus Kaiser heard the voyage Spa-Sofia-Liege, this time on a Mercedes Benz 300 SE. This writes the British magazine "sport auto" in September 1963: "Eugen Böhringer recorded its second consecutive victory in this most arduous competition. He and the emperor showed a fantastic performance in the beautiful new 230 SL, by coming with only 8 penalty minutes in a race to the finish, which lasted 93 hours and resulted in over 3430 miles. " ("Eugen Böhringer chalked up his second successive victory in this most arduous event, he and Emperor putting up a fantastic performance in the beautiful new 230 SL to drop only 8 minutes in to event of over 93 hours' duration, Which covered over 3,430 miles . ") also Böhringer won the 1963 Acropolis Rally and the Rally Poland is in this season and also 2nd place at the Monte Carlo Rally and Rally in Germany.

1964 will Böhringer get his third victory on the marathon route Spa-Sofia-Liege, but only comes in third place finish. Nevertheless, the organizers give him a gold cup. After two wins and two excellent finishes in four consecutive years seemed so far given the high failure rate during this "Marathon de la Route" unthinkable.

After 1964, Mercedes-Benz withdrew from the rally and touring sports car race. Boehringer starts again on 1965 Porsche 904 at the Monte Carlo Rally, but then ended his active racing career. Total recall 13 winners needles to his successes on Mercedes-Benz vehicles. 2001 establishes Böhringer, which remains closely connected to the racing and Mercedes-Benz always, with the other racers club "Solitude Revival".

Mercedes-Benz will preserve the memory of this extraordinary man and his life's work in honorific commemorate and keep alive.