The Future is Tomorrow
STORY | JUSTIN ROESER
PHOTOGRAPHY | LORENZO KIKISCH
To see into the future is a gift predisposed on few. Those who possess this natural intuition often change the way our world functions and orbits forward. From technology to style, from design to construction, there was always someone with an imminent vision. Fifty years ago in Frankfurt, Germany Rainer Buchmann saw the future of automotive styling and in 1974 along with his wife Kathrin established Buchmann & Buchmann, the legendary brand better known as bb-Auto.
Husband and Wife, Kathrin & Rainer Buchmann
“My father was a famous tailor around Germany. I saw all his customers and how they loved to have something individual made. I believe there is a part in all of us that wants to have something special and unique,” said Rainer. His career became an evolution of his fathers, but instead of dressing Germany, Rainer dressed the world with his automotive fashion.
His most famous car, the bb “Rainbow” 911 Turbo Targa was initially used by Polaroid for the 1976 Photokina trade show in Cologne, Germany. With competitor Kodak attempting to disrupt and break into instant photo technology, Polaroid needed a star diversion to attract the show masses. The exterior of the silver Targa had a six-color rainbow that flowed front to back, inside and out. Buchmann found his pot of gold when Walter Scheel, then President of Germany decided to sit down in his colorful Targa and smile for the press. This image became Photokina’s highlight and furthermore, masterly fulfilled the contract between bb and Polaroid.
The bb Rainbow Turbo Targa had continued success when it received the esteemed cover of Auto Motor und Sport in February 1977. The magazine declared the product even better than the base 930 Coupe supplied by Porsche. In 1978, bb’s lucky charm stole the hearts and cover of America’s Road & Track October issue titled “Extravagant elegance, Personalized Porsche’s by bb.” To further cement the Rainbow’s legacy, the Turbo Targa became the breakout star of the 1980 German cult film “Car-Napping.” It’s continued success was that of a domino effect and after years of press dominance Porsche finally introduced its very own Turbo Targa in 1986 (although with a lot less color!)
It wasn’t just the exterior styling of bb that caught one’s eye, inside a bb automobile an owner was treated to concert like sound and lavish interiors fit for ‘70s aristocracy. In fact, many of bb’s top customers were just that, royalty. bb helped to significantly pave the road for the aftermarket stereo industry. Companies such as Blaupunkt, Clarion, and Jensen partnered with bb to outfit their cars with then state-of-the-art audiophile equipment. “Mercedes, VW, Porsche had radios with a maximum of four watts at the time, all of them thought that was enough to hear the latest news!” chuckled Rainer. Eight or 16 speakers, if they fit, bb would install them for its customers along with graphic equalizers, multiple amplifiers, tape players, even a phone or a TV. “First, I built dream cars for myself. I put everything in the cars I thought was good for the future and what I like at home. The car is my driving home,” expressed Rainer.
bb was also the first to create and patent the multi-function steering wheel, standard equipment taken for granted today. However, at the time of inception, bb was brushed off by the intimidated German automotive industry who refused to see the value of adding this convenience to customer’s automobiles. Another first that bb can stake claim was the digital display dash and Digital Information System, which bb called “DINFO.” The DINFO system could display speed, distance traveled, fluid levels, temperatures, plus many other parameters needed to technically and safely operate a vehicle. If a parameter was too high or too low, a warning would broadcast and alert the owner.
The DINFO system earned the respect and attention of then VW CEO Toni Schmucker, and bb secured a contract from VW to build 40 Polo’s in 1981. The Polo’s were all outfitted with bb designed body kits, interiors, stereos, a Pirelli wheel-and-tire package, and the second-generation DINFO system. Once completed the Polo’s were sent to Paris to the Mondial de l’Automobile show in 1982. It was no easy task for 40 German cars to take over the largest Parisian auto show, but by sheer marketing genius, bb brokered nearly a dozen ad spaces to fellow German companies VW, Blaupunkt, and Lufthansa in Vogue Paris’s upcoming Fall issue. Now, bb had the political might of Vogue Paris, and soon bb was sharing the stage with French design powerhouses Pierre Cardin and Bernard Lanvin during the show. The Polo’s quickly became en vogue and swept the Mondial de l’Automobile and the City of Light itself.
While bb may have set fashion and design trends for its custom exteriors and interiors, bb’s intuition to follow the pulse of the tech and electronics industries put them years ahead of the automotive industry. “I ordered by air freight all the American electronics magazines, I wanted to know what was happening in Silicon Valley,” said Rainer. Shortly before the launch of the Polo’s in Paris, bb already had the first remote control door lock system utilizing radio frequencies and the shell of an aluminum Braun lighter. Through some “acquaintances” at Braun, bb was able to save massive production costs and procure Braun’s aluminum stock tubing, but put its own creation inside and bb branding outside. Simultaneously, bb installed the first back up parking sensors on a VW Golf convertible, borrowing sonar range finding technology from the camera industry. This “Parking Assist” system was accurate up to 1cm and had a voiceover warning if the driver was too close to an impeding object. At the Geneva Motor Show, bb thought it would be funny to have the Parking Assist voice over broadcast, “Please seek repair shop,” if the obstacle got within 3cm of the rear of the vehicle. Due to the cost and bureaucratic maintenance to achieve and maintain patents, not all of bb’s inventions were protected in the long term. At bb’s peak the company employed 50 people, whereas automotive manufacturers could easily exceed that amount in their contracts department alone.
Continuing on its path of innovation, bb created the “Magic Top,” the first steelroof convertible top with electric operation. For this engineering marvel, bb purchased the highest price tagged Mercedes 500 SEC to showcase its state-of-the-art technology. “I have always loved open air driving, but my quest for perfection collided with the realization that not a single one of the available convertibles was suitable for high-speed driving,” said Rainer. Where manufacturers of the past used multiple relays for complex electro-mechanical operations, bb created its own unique computer to coordinate the opening and closing of the Magic Top. The German Authority, TUV Rheinland, (equivalent to U.S DOT) approved bb’s design and during TUV’s multiple safety tests witnessed the opening and closing of the Magic Top to take only 18 seconds at speeds of up to 30 mph. During the period of construction, around 10 Magic Tops were built and sold to bb customers globally, but today the retractable hardtop is commonplace on most manufacturers’ convertible offerings.
We had the opportunity to visit with Rainer in Frankfurt and saw one of his later creations, 2014’s monochromatic “Moonracer.” Inspired by the very first Turbo Targa that introduced the world to bb, the Moonracer has the same DNA but with a contemporary twist. Instead of multiple stereo components, shag carpets and velour, the Moonracer has a concealed i-Pad, Tibetan-weaved carpet, and white metallic instrumentation. Gazing at the stars or city lights through Moonracer’s custom all glass Targa roof is inspiring and was not available from the factory until their final air-cooled generation, the 993. The owner who commissioned the Moonracer grew up dreaming one day to own a genuine bb car. As a child in Frankfurt he would stroll by bb’s workshop on his way to school every day. In 2012 the owner had great success with his business and finally was able to realize his childhood dreams. “Please build me the same body with the taste of today,” said Rainer of the owners request to him.
The now 58-year-old owner did not want the loud rainbows of his 1970’s boyhood. “In the night when the Moon and moonlight shines over still water, we took the rippling reflections of the water,” explained Rainer. “The exact opposite of a rainbow.” The paintwork on the bb Moonracer is the last of its kind. This particular pearl white hue can no longer can be manufactured as the supplier sold the last of the pigments to bb for this project. The material which creates the pearlescent effect was also infused into the interior leather surfaces, offering a pearlescent sheen inside.
bb was the very first to use pigments of this type with its Mercedes concept CW311 in the late ‘70s. The manufacturer of these special pigments wanted to expand into the automotive industry from the cosmetic industry, but much like bb, was getting little to no attention with its innovations. “They wanted to sell tons, not kilos,” laughed Rainer when discussing the suppliers vision. An agreement was reached between bb and the supplier who would cover the cost of materials if bb agreed to paint its cars with the company’s new pearlescent formulas. To showcase this new technology, bb built 10 first series VW Golf’s in a rainbow of pearlescent colors. This collection was called the “Gemstone Series” and the cars were not only the first of their kind for color, but also featured the first-generation bb DINFO system, LED digital dash display, and Blaupunkt’s prototype navigation system. Sadly, VW had issues with corrosion of the first series Golf body work and were buying back its customer’s cars. All the Gemstone’s reached their fate and all were bought back and destroyed.
There is a major resurgence spreading globally with custom cars of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. They are spawning a new life and chapter due to their limited production, hand-built craftsmanship, period design and aesthetic. These generations of automobiles are also far more analog than digital. “Even in 1,000 years you can repair every mechanical watch but you will never be repairing a digital watch. That is the same scenario that happens to old cars,” said Rainer.
bb cars now have a strong cult following and recently two very special cars crossed the Atlantic into the collection of Porsche Santa Clarita owner Beau Boeckmann. “How have I never heard of bb?” exclaimed Beau during a phone call. After Beau read an online feature on bb, he set out to meet bb and discuss the resurgence of the bb brand. “We visited Rainer and his wife Kathrin in Frankfurt and immediately felt at home and our ideas flowed.” Beau, whose family has been customizing cars since 1952 via their L.A.-based Galpin dealerships, and for the last 20 years through Galpin Auto Sports. Perhaps another serendipitous sign, all the Boeckmann’s carry the initials BB in their name. “To celebrate 50 years of bb we are entering the 2024 Porsche Restoration Challenge with our first bb Porsche built in house,” said Beau, “We want to give credit where credit is due.” Galpin holds the exclusive rights for bb in North America and is poised to bring the bb brand into the U.S. market, offering it new life and exciting opportunities for growth. “From new scratch builds to retrofitting classics, we want to create an upscale offering for our customers seeking unique personal and custom touches,” says Beau, “the same mission that Rainer followed with his period cars.”
Beau’s blue 928 convertible is one of two convertible 928’s ever built by bb, but the only one remaining in existence. The now blue 928 convertible was originally painted Pearl White and was featured in all bb period literature and numerous magazines. This 928 spent its life in the caring hands of one family, the spirit empire known as the Bacardi family. One of the family members decided to change the color from pearl white to blue at one point while frequenting Miami. Beau’s 928 features the second-generation DINFO system with corresponding bb multi-function steering wheel. Originally delivered from the factory as a European market 928S, the car benefited from the higher output European motor (300hp vs. 240hp) mated to a five-speed manual transmission. The convertible canvas top and internal structure were borrowed from a Mercedes R107 SL and expertly modified by bb. Once the 928’s top was fully down, a sleek custom fabricated bb “clamshell” locked into place creating a streamline appearance. The factory never did build a convertible 928, nor a Targa 928, however bb did build both.
bb was also the first to build a “Slantnose” front end for the 911 and 930 Porsche. The slantnose front end on Beau’s Pearl White 930 features headlights borrowed from the 928, something not seen from the factory until 1994’s 964 Turbo S X85 option “Flachbau.” bb’s front fenders and rear quarter panels were entirely handcrafted out of metal. The rear quarter panel design on Beau’s example offered increased airflow to the engine and stretched the overall width four inches beyond that of a standard 930 Turbo. The bb turbine style wheel covers featured on this 930 saw their birth on the late ‘70s bb Mercedes CW311. The CW311 had a patented wheel design which greatly increased and accelerated airflow to maximize brake cooling. The interior’s “Pasha” velour was selected by bb’s customer. Porsche’s own Pasha material was inspired by a waving chequered flag and was rarely optioned between production years 1978 to ‘84. Around 80% to 90% of bb cars had interior materials that were exclusively their own, but on rare occasions (as seen here) bb would incorporate materials from the outside on special request of their clients. The Porsche’s massive array of Blaupunkt speakers adorning the doors and rear shelf will still happily broadcast your favorite Wang Chung or Huey Lewis tunes expertly.
“I was always 10 to 15 years ahead of the automotive industry,” said Rainer and for the past 50 years car owners have all unknowingly benefited from bb’s innovations. bb was mostly considered a threat to the automotive industry, and this is one regret that Rainer has of his career, collaboration. His ability to manage talent, market his creations, and continuously trend-set would have made him a phenom at any company he worked for. However, his independence, impatience for bureaucracy, and outside-the-box thought processes were seen as a threat by many. Today, Rainer enjoys consulting and supporting the vehicles he built over the last 50 years from his home in Frankfurt. “I got a call last week from Miami and over Facetime showed the new owners of a Magic Top how to use it. It still worked perfectly after all these years.” And after all these years, what is next in store for Rainer and bb? “The future is tomorrow,” laughed Rainer.
