1930s classic to star at international car show

The international Concours of Elegance to be held at Hampton Court from September 1 to 3 will thrill visitors with a special 1930s Hoffman.

South African classic car enthusiasts can only dream about this, but here is its back story.

The Hoffman was conceived as part of the American Fisher brothers’ plans to take over the Hudson Motor Company. They hoped it would prove their commitment to serious investors.

It was designed by the extremely talented Roscoe C. ‘Rod’ Hoffman. The project was shrouded in secrecy, and Hoffman eventually took many of them to his grave.

Among his achievements was the Packard with its innovative drivetrain configurations.

The Hoffman X8P was fitted with a 60-degree water-cooled overhead-valve X-8 engine. It drove the rear wheels via a three-speed manual gearbox located between the rear seat and the rear axle.

Although the Fishers’ takeover never happened, the X8P, now well over nine decades old, is still in superb condition.

In the 1960s, the car found a new owner in a designer named Stevens, who ultimately sold it to its current owner in 2010.

James Brooks-Ward, Concours of Elegance’s CEO, said, “We are honoured to be welcoming the one-of-a-kind Hoffman to the Concours of Elegance in 2023 for its European debut.”

For those lucky enough to attend this show, it will host more than 1 000 classic and rare cars.

Source: Newspress