Veritas was a famous West German post World War II sports and race car company, located at 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.
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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]
Veritas racing cars
 Veritas Meteor |
 Cockpit of Veritas Meteor |
 6-cyl-engine of Veritas |
A total of 17 privately-entered Veritas cars participated in 5 FIA World Championship races.
Complete World Championship results
| Yr | Main drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | P.Hirt | SUI | 500 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | ITA | ESP | |
| 1952 | A.Brudes, F.Riess | SUI | 500 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | NED | ITA | |
| 1953 | A.Legat, E.Loof | ARG | 500 | NED | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | SUI | ITA |
References
External links
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| Alfa Romeo 159/159A/159B/159M • Alta GP • BRM P15 • ERA B-type • Ferrari 125 • Ferrari 212 • Ferrari 375 • HWM • Maserati 4CL • Maserati 4CLT • OSCA 4500G • Simca-Gordini T11 • Simca-Gordini T15 • Talbot-Lago T26C/-DA/-GS • Thinwall Special • Veritas Meteor |
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| AFM • Alta F2 • Aston NB • BMW Eigenbau • Cisitalia D46 • Connaught Type A • Cooper T20 • ERA G-type • Ferrari 125 • Ferrari 166 • Ferrari 212 • Ferrari 500 • Frazer-Nash FN48 • Frazer-Nash 421 • Gordini T16 • HWM • Maserati 4CLT • Maserati A6GCM • OSCA 20 • Simca-Gordini T11 • Simca-Gordini T15 • Veritas Meteor • Veritas RS |
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| AFM • BMW Eigenbau • Connaught Type A • Cooper T20 • Cooper T23 • Cooper T24 • EMW • Ferrari 166C • Ferrari 500 • Ferrari 553 • Gordini T16 • HWM • Maserati A6GCM • OSCA 20 • Simca-Gordini T15 • Veritas Meteor • Veritas RS |
