The history of automotive imports neat in postwar America: GIs returning from Europe after World War II brought fun sports cars, showing Americans a new penchant for driving; British Fords caught some Americans until Volkswagen came to town; and everyone and their mother trying to break into the American market after the success of Volkswagen, mostly with lackluster results. However, there is another story about American imports, and it comes from Max Hoffman, a Manhattan-based importer, distributor and car dealer who has represented Jaguar, Porsche, Mercedes, Fiat, Lancia, BMW and more. A book about the man and the legend has just been published: “Max Hoffman – Million Dollar Middleman” by longtime automotive journalist Myles Kornblatt.
Max Hoffman’s story is much more than selling cool cars to college professors and people with hygiene issues. Hoffman was instrumental in helping the manufacturer create such notable cars as the Mercedes 300 SL ‘Gullwing’, the Porsche Speedster, the BMW 507 and the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider. As you can imagine, New York (and especially the Northeast) was a hotbed of import activity, expensive or not, and the Austrian immigrant was the man who helped shape the future of European car companies. “He specifically pushed the manufacturers for cars that would make a hit and make everyone involved richer,” says Kornblatt, but Hoffman’s marketing efforts came at a price: a desire for revenge that included lawsuits against his suppliers, threats of mob attacks and more.
“Sometimes the hero, sometimes the villain, but more often than not, Max Hoffman was the invisible puppet master behind today’s best classics,” adds Kornblatt. Among other things, Hoffman was BMW’s sole importer and distributor in the United States until BMW purchased his business in 1975. Of course, there is a story to be told, and Myles Kornblatt’s book about that story is overdue and welcome.
“Max Hoffman – Million Dollar Middleman” is published by Veloce Publishing.
V5503 • Hardcover • 9.84 x 8.14 inches • $50 • 160 pages • 227 color and black-and-white images • ISBN: 978-1-787115-03-3 • UPC: 6-36847-01503-9
