Max Hoffman brought European cars to U.S.
From 100 Events That Made the Industry, published 6/26/96 by Automotive NewsMaximilian Hoffman, a former jewelry salesman, introduced Volkswagen, Jaguar, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia to his generation in the United States.
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Hoffman came to America from Austria soon before the United States entered World War II. He formed Hoffman Motor Car Co. in 1946 and introduced a single marque in 1947: Delahaye. He added Jaguar, his first major make, in 1948.
PERSPECTIVE 2000
It was a ripple that became a tidal wave. It certainly wasn't big news in 1948 that Hoffman had brought a few expensive French and British cars to this country. It wasn't even news the following year when he reached into Germany and pulled out a couple of Volkswagens. But Hoffman planted the seeds of a boom.
VW was his greatest claim to fame - and also his greatest embarrassment. He dropped the franchise in 1953. Of course, he would have lost VW anyway; the European makers took over the importing of their cars into the United States after Hoffman gave them a foothold. He then was a dealer and, sometimes, a distributor.
Mercedes-Benz provides an example of how things worked. Hoffman began importing the brand in 1952. Five years later the German company bought him out for $2 million and switched distribution rights to Studebaker-Packard.
His longest relationship was with BMW; he was the exclusive importer until 1975. Then the parties differed. The dispute went to court, and BMW bought out Hoffman for a reported $16 million.
The father of the European car in the United States? No question; it was Maximilian Hoffman.
