Minerva HH 38 CV tourer 1913
2017 Antwerp Concours - Wijnegem (B)

The first line of Minerva cars fitted with sleeve-valve engines after the Knight patent was introduced in 1908. Those engines featured 4 cylinders cast in pairs, had a displacement from 6,3 up to 7,2 Litre and were rated at 38 CV (cheveaux vapeur; the Fench version of tax horsepower which was calculated rather than measured). The penultimate model of the line with this large and powerful engine was the HH; in 1914 the production of the engine was terminated.
It proved to be the largest 4 cylinder engine ever made by Minerva and its qualities established the marque as a manufacturer of high quality and expensive luxury cars. The car shown here has an original body also made by Minerva; quite unusual at the time.