Autowelt
@1Percenterer • 5,228 subscribers
Only German cars. Past, present and your average car is boring. I bring out all the exciting cars from Germany. BMW | Audi | Mercedes | Porsche | VW | Alpina
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The Chiron is what happens when the Veyron’s idea is refined rather than replaced. It kept the same quad-turbo W16 but in this form for the Super Sport 300+ its 1580 Hp. What changed most was the structure and the control. 420 km/h in standard trim, higher for Super Sport, even some achieving 490 km/h. The Chiron didn’t try to be a different kind of hypercar. It tried to make the same concept feel inevitable.
Autowelt114,267 görüntüleme • 4 ay önce
A short-lived experiment that most people missed entirely. The Panamera 4S Diesel ran a 4.0 V8 twin-turbo diesel producing deep mid-range power uncommon for Porsche. It sat above the V6's but below the Turbo models, aimed at long-distance efficiency. Its closest competitor was Audi’s A8 4.2 TDI, sharing similar engineering roots. Discontinued early, making it one of the rarest modern Panameras. The example in the video has been tuned to 512 Hp.
Autowelt128,399 görüntüleme • 6 ay önce
The SL 65 AMG was never meant to be popular. It was a technical demonstration disguised as a road car. The M275 twin-turbo V12 delivered torque at a level that made numbers almost irrelevant. Mercedes solved performance with cylinders and displacement rather than software. Today you can't buy a completely new SL 65 since the flagship is a V8. It was excessive, intentional, and entirely unrepeatable.
Autowelt96,569 görüntüleme • 4 ay önce
Lamborghini Murciélago. This is the V12 era done properly. 6.2 and later 6.5 litres, they scream like banshees. Sounds better than the Diablo. Looks better than the Aventador. Manual versions exist, and that alone makes it special and super valuable. It’s aggressive looking, but the style is sinister, maybe because Batman drove one. For production V12 Lamborghinis, this is the one that nailed it. I recommend listening to all of the variants.
Autowelt52,797 görüntüleme • 3 ay önce
BMW built the 740d for people who crossed countries, not cities. The 3.9-litre twin-turbo M67 V8 diesel wasn’t designed to impress with numbers. It was engineered to maintain high-speed efficiency with minimal noise, minimal revs, and minimal effort. In the E38 chassis, one of BMW’s best. The 740d was never the most desirable E38 when new, but it quietly demonstrated how far diesel refinement could go without compromising luxury. It's the kind of car you only understand once you’ve driven one the way it was intended. Though not a lot are remaining today.
Autowelt77,289 görüntüleme • 5 ay önce
Audi's luxury didn’t start with RS badges, it started here. D11 Audi V8 quattro was the brand’s first true flagship, introducing a V8-powered executive car with permanent all-wheel drive as standard. It laid the groundwork for everything that followed: the idea that Audi could compete with the BMW 7 series and Mercedes S class through engineering, not tradition. Often forgotten today, but without the V8 quattro, there is no S8, probably no RS6, RS4 and all the other naturally aspirated, V8 powered Audi's.
Autowelt56,470 görüntüleme • 4 ay önce
Porsche’s 991.1 Carrera S sits in the last naturally aspirated middle ground before turbocharging took over the standard 911 range. The 3.8 flat-six is linear, responsive, and defined by revs rather than boost. It isn’t a GT3, and it doesn’t need to be. This is the everyday 911 done properly: wide usability, real character, 400 hp and performance that still feels relevant without extremes. The later turbo cars are faster, but the Carrera S of this era is the one that feels most complete as a pure road car.
Autowelt49,719 görüntüleme • 4 ay önce
Mercedes 500 SE, W126. Powered by the M117 5.0 V8, one of Mercedes’ most durable engines from the era when these cars were built to last decades. Many people still think this is where the S-Class reputation for indestructible engineering really came from. Later S-Classes were also built like tanks, but the W126 avoids a lot of the electrical problems that appeared in newer generations. This generation introduced a lot of luxury and safety equipment for its time: ABS, airbags, climate control, power seats and advanced crash protection. And it still looks exactly like what an S-Class should be. Elegant, solid and unmistakably Mercedes.
Autowelt35,114 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
A road car created from an abandoned race programme. The supercar that never compromised, never apologised, and never pretended to be approachable. Its 5.7 litre V10 a leftover from a Le Mans programme responds to throttle like it’s wired directly to your nervous system. The clutch is a test, the manual gearbox is a reward, and the lack of electronic safety nets is the truth modern cars hide from you. Above 8000 rpm the sound turns metallic, whailing. A carbon monocoque, passive aero, and nothing between the driver and the car except your own skill level. Every drive feels like a moment you earned, not one that was given. Porsche Carrera GT.
Autowelt54,628 görüntüleme • 6 ay önce
An SL with a Zonda’s V12, AMG at its most unhinged. Looks like a normal SL until you check under the bonnet. 7.3L naturally aspirated V12 with 518 HP and 750 Nm of torque. The same engine that later powered the Pagani Zonda. One of AMG’s most unhinged ideas and extremely rare.
Autowelt76,320 görüntüleme • 10 ay önce
The Volkswagen Phaeton was VW trying to build a real flagship without excuses. It wasn’t positioned as a budget alternative, it was aimed directly at the BMW E65, Mercedes W220 S-Class, and Audi A8 D3. Even Lexus LS buyers were part of the target, with Cadillac DTS floating at the edges of the segment. The engineering was serious: refinement, complexity, and ambition far beyond what the VW badge suggested. And then it vanished. No successor, no continuation, because it was recieved as an expensive Passat, but the people who knew, it's actually a really really good luxury car. VW proved it could build a top-tier luxury car, then walked away as if the whole project never happened. This here is the 6.0 W12, the Phaeton of Phaetons.
Autowelt34,855 görüntüleme • 4 ay önce
The BMW Z8 was a halo roadster that arrived almost by accident. A V8-powered grand tourer built with real presence, real craftsmanship, and a design that instantly became iconic. At the time it was compared with cars like the Aston Martin DB7 Vantage, Ferrari 360 Spider, and Porsche 996 Carrera 4S or Turbo. That alone shows what level BMW was aiming for. Yet the Z8 was never followed by anything similar. It feels like a car from an era when BMW still allowed itself to build something purely because it was beautiful and special, not because it fit into a product plan.
Autowelt34,595 görüntüleme • 4 ay önce
The BMW E32 735i shows a side of BMW that no longer exists, a time when the straight-six was the centre of the entire brand. The 3.5-litre M30 didn’t rush or pretend to be sporty. It was chosen because it delivered its power with steadiness, not urgency. Paired with the rigid, quiet E32 structure. Not a flagship, not the model magazines talked about. But the one that actually defined how a BMW luxury car should feel. And today, that clarity of purpose is exactly why it stands out.
Autowelt41,879 görüntüleme • 5 ay önce
Choosing the Mercedes 500 SEC meant stepping into one of the most authoritative coupés of the era. The pillarless design, long doors and V8 its big M117 V8 against something like the BMW E24 635CSi. Its more engine, more room, more bigger, more power. Ownership here was about distance and sometimes for the people who really like it, for putting bodies in the boot. It is the car you use to cross countries at speed while remaining detached from road noise and vibration. Or today you garage it and only drive her on special occasions.
Autowelt25,558 görüntüleme • 3 ay önce
The first-generation Flying Spur W12 was never built for second-owner budgeting and definitively not for the future owners of 2026. Twin-turbo W12, dense electronics, air suspension, it required a maintenance mindset aligned with its original price tag. Many buyers entered at a fraction of the new cost, believing they had discovered a luxury loophole. The car never adjusted its engineering expectations. Ownership required deep pockets and long-term planning. Those who understood that enjoyed a uniquely smooth and powerful experience. Those who didn’t often discovered why the depreciation curve was so steep ended up with a Flying Turd. Best to learn from M539 restorations.
Autowelt18,289 görüntüleme • 3 ay önce
BMW 335i E92. A proper driver’s car and one of the biggest tuning platforms BMW ever made. The N54 twin-turbo straight six made exactly 302 hp, but the real story is how easily it makes much more. Simple bolt-ons and a tune can completely transform the car. The engine had its well known high-pressure fuel pump issues, but that didn’t stop enthusiasts from embracing it. If you want one today, finding a well cared-for, stock example is the real challenge. This example generates 456 hp.
Autowelt15,606 görüntüleme • 3 ay önce
early X6 50i attracted buyers who wanted the badge and the presence of a V8 coupe-SUV, especially once prices dropped. The first owner understood it was a proper V8 just before the flagship. The second owner often saw it as a bargain performance SUV. That’s where the disconnect began. The N63 required proactive maintenance, heat management awareness, and proper servicing discipline. Many treated it like a normal BMW. It was never a normal BMW. Ownership demanded consistency and budget. When that discipline disappeared, the car’s reputation followed. Where the N63 was already a really problematic on its own, 80 % of these early examples at least have some internal issues or are broken.
Autowelt15,519 görüntüleme • 3 ay önce
Mercedes 300CE-24. One of the best looking coupes Mercedes made from that era. The pillarless C124 design alone makes it special. This version uses the M104 24-valve straight six instead of the 12v, which was one of the better engines offered in the W124 lineup. Smooth, strong and very much part of classic Mercedes engineering. There were a lot of good powertrains available in these coupes and even an AMG, but the 300CE-24 is a sweet spot. Manual versions also existed, which makes the car even more interesting today, although they’re quite rare. Sometimes I still think a 500CE with the M119 V8 would have made this car even better.
Autowelt13,431 görüntüleme • 2 ay önce
The E61 535d was a torque monster in disguise. Its 3.0 bi-turbo M57 straight-six delivered 272 HP and 560 Nm at launch, it was one of the most powerful diesel passenger cars on the market. On the autobahn it could storm across countries while still giving 800+ km of range, which is exactly why so many high-mileage German executives swore by it. And just listen, to the turbos.
Autowelt26,425 görüntüleme • 8 ay önce
The naturally aspirated SL63 was engineered to give the R230 a consistent, high-rev performance option before AMG shifted fully to turbocharged powertrains. AMG built the naturally aspirated SL63 as a high-speed convertible with a stable powertrain. The M156 V8 delivered 525 HP with a linear character that suited the R230’s grand-touring setup. What keeps it relevant today is its mechanical transparency. No turbos, no hybrid systems, just straightforward performance with long-distance capability.
Autowelt17,770 görüntüleme • 6 ay önce