1971, Film: “Le casse”

The French-Italian film "Le casse" (English: "The Burglars") is released in France on 27 October 1971. Directed by Henri Verneuil and starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, Omar Sharif, Dyan Cannon and Robert Hossein, the film is based on the 1953 novel "The Burglar" by David Goodis. The music was composed by Ennio Morricone with two songs by Mireille Mathieu "Mon ami de toujours" and "Pas vu, pas pris". "Le casse" is a remake of the 1957 film "The Burglar" directed by Paul Wendkos starring Dan Duryea, Jayne Mansfield and Martha Vickers.

The film was a French box office hit, it was Verneuils third biggest success after "La Vache et le Prisonnier" with Fernandel (1959) and "Le Clan des Siciliens" with Jean Gabin, Alain Delon and Lino Ventura (1969). "Le casse" was the fifth time Verneuil worked with his favorite leading actor Jean-Paul Belmondo. The first four films were "La française et l'amour" (1960), "Un singe en hiver" (1962), "Cent mille dollars au soleil" (1964) and "Week-end à Zuydcoote" (1964).

Left to right: Renato Salvatori, Jean-Paul Belmondo,
Henri Verneuil, Omar Sharif and Robert Hossein

Jean-Paul Belmondo and Omar Sharif

Trivia

• The movie was shot in French and English by the same cast.
• The film is known for the famous car chase through Athens with a red Fiat 124 Special T driven by Jean-Paul Belmondo (doubled by Rémy Julienne) and a black Opel Rekord A driven by Omar Sharif (doubled by Remo Mosconi).

Dyan Cannon and Jean-Paul Belmondo

Dyan Cannon and Omar Sharif

Synopsis

In Athens a group of professional burglars led by Azad (Jean-Paul Belmondo) rob a suitcase of emeralds from a rich Greek citizen, M.Tasco (José Luis de Vilallonga). When Athenian police chief Abel Zacharia (Omar Sharif) spots Azad's car in front of Tasco's house on the night of the robbery, he decides to let Azad and his team go, hoping he could retrieve the emeralds for himself...

Omar Sharif and Opel Rekord A

Main cast

• Jean-Paul Belmondo as Azad
• Omar Sharif as Abel Zacharia
• Robert Hossein as Ralph
• Dyan Cannon as Lena
• Renato Salvatori as Renzi
• Nicole Calfan as Helene
• José-Luis de Villalonga as Tasco
• Myriam Colombi as Madame Tasco

"Le casse" intro (1971)

"Le casse" car chase (1971)

1970, Car Spotting: Paris

Left to right, front to back:

• First row: unidentified coach (probably Setra, type ?), Citroën 2CV, Peugeot 304, Peugeot 403, Renault 4, coach Setra (type ?), unidentified car, unidentified Van (probably Renault Estafette), Volkswagen 1200/1300 (Beetle), Peugeot 404, Mercedes-Benz (probably W120/W121), behind the Mercedes it's getting very blurry.
• Second row: Simca 1000, Opel Rekord P2, Peugeot 204, Peugeot 304, Peugeot 504, Peugeot 204, Peugeot 204, Simca Aronde P60 with boat, Peugeot 304, Citroën ID/DS, Peugeot 404, unidentified car probably Fiat 500, unidentified car probably Austin/Morris Mini, unidentified coach probably VanHool (type ?), unidentified car probably Peugeot 304, unidentified car probably Renault 4, unidentified car probably Renault Dauphine.
• Third row: Citroën DS, Simca 1300/1500, Peugeot J7, Peugeot 304 coupé, Renault 16, Renault 4, Simca 1000, Renault 4, Renault 8, unidentified car.
• Fourth row: unidentified Van, Austin/Morris Mini, Simca 1000, Renault 4, Renault 8 Peugeot 204 coupé, Citroën 2CV, Renault 16, Ford Taunus 12M/15M P6, Peugeot 404, unidentified car probably Volkswagen 1500/1600 Variant (type 3), Simca 1300/1500, unidentified car probably Austin/ Morris 1800/2200 (ADO17), Peugeot 404, unidentified car, unidentified convertible probably Peugeot 403 (yes the Columbo car), Renault 4, Peugeot 204, Austin/Morris Mini.
• Fifth row: unidentified car probably Ford Cortina Mk II, Renault 4, Fiat 850, Austin/Morris Mini, Citroën DS, Simca 1100, Fiat 125, NSU Ro80, Peugeot 404, Austin/Morris Mini, Citroën Ami 6, Peugeot 403.
• Sixth row: unidentified car, Peugeot 404, Peugeot 404 Familiale, Citroën DS, unidentified car, unidentified car probably Maserati Mexico, Simca 1200S, unidentified car probably Peugeot 204 estate, unidentified car, unidentified car probably BMW 02 series.
• Seventh row (side street): Renault Dauphine.

1969, Cars: NSU (VW) K70, the NSU that became a Volkswagen (NSU Typ 86, VW Typ 48)

German car maker NSU ("Neckarsulm Strickmaschinen Union", founded in 1873, first car in 1905) originally intended to present their new NSU K70 in March 1969 at the Geneva Motor Show. At the last minute, the K70 was removed from the NSU show stand, probably by the new owner Volkswagen. Volkswagen acquired NSU Motorenwerke in 1969 and merged it with Auto Union (acquired in 1964), creating Audi NSU Auto Union AG, in 1985 renamed as Audi AG.

The development of the NSU K70 began in 1964. Designed by NSU engineer Ewald Praxl and styled by Claus Luthe as a four-door saloon (and three-door estate) it was intended to complement the NSU range between the NSU 1000/1200 and the NSU Ro80. The name of the car finds its origin in German, with K denoting the German word “Kolben” (piston) and 70 designating an engine output of 70 PS (51 kW). The Ro80 name meaning “Rotationskolben” typ 80. The K70 featured front wheel drive, strong road holding, a very roomy interior, and a large luggage compartment. The car also had, for that period, high standard safety features such as a fuel tank mounted directly ahead of the rear axle, and a steering column angled in order to reduce the risk of its being pushed too far back into the passenger cabin. 23 NSU K70's were produced.

NSU K70 promo

NSU K70 advert

NSU K70 Estate prototype

NSU K70 Estate prototype

The NSU K70 would ultimately become the first Volkswagen with a front-mounted engine, water cooling and front wheel drive in August 1970. It competed with Volkswagen brand cars like the Volkswagen 411 (1968) and the Audi 100 (C1) (1968). The estate version, which would have competed directly against the Volkswagen 411 estate, was never produced. The Volkswagen K70 was launched with a 1605 cc four-cylinder water-cooled engine, developed from the four-cylinder engine mounted in the rear of the NSU 1200. In 1973 the 1807 cc version (K70 LS) was introduced with 100 PS (74 kW).

Volkswagen K70 (1970)

Volkswagen K70 L (1970)

Volkswagen K70 with competitors Audi 100 (C1) and Volkswagen 411

Volkswagen K70 L (1973)

Volkswagen K70 LS 100 PS (1973)

The Volkswagen K70 was replaced in 1973 by the Volkswagen Passat, although production continued until February 1975 with a minor facelift in 1973. A total of 211,127 K70's were manufactured from 1970 until 1975.

Volkswagen K70 Bundesarchiv (1970)

Brochure Volkswagen K70 (Germany, 1971)

Brochure Volkswagen K70 (Belgium, 1972)