M ercedes E-class, skoda octavia, toyota prius – when he stands at the cab stand in front of the main train station or at the airport, for once, siegfried kuderer can only spare a pitying smile for his colleagues. While the other cab drivers have to squeeze into modern mass-produced cars, he strolls through frankfurt in a limousine that still has charm and character and, on top of that, offers more comfort than most of the other nearly 2,000 cabs in mainhattan.
The genuine frankfurter bub with the likeable snout sits at the wheel of a mercedes S-class from 1988. In this limousine with its stretched wheelbase and standard holder, every passenger becomes a star guest for a few minutes.
"it’s the oldest cab in town," says the classic car fan proudly. He has even been to the festival of speed in goodwood and the mille miglia in his mercedes 300 SEL.
Kuderer searched for a long time until he found what he was looking for at a dealer in heidelberg: the Benz with the long wheelbase was delivered to the princely house in luxembourg in 1988. helmut kohl, for example, used a similar car during his time as chancellor of the Bonn republic.
The air conditioning in the cab S-class ensures a comfortable temperature, and the seats can be adjusted electrically, in the rear you can even fold your legs over each other, and the many potholes in the city’s dilapidated streets are cushioned away quite casually.
But Kuderer’s W126 is a rarity, and not just because of its age. Its engine also makes the benz an exotic car. After all, it’s one of the very few gasoline-powered vehicles in Frankfurt’s cab fleet, says the proud owner, who would certainly not have received a green sticker for such an old diesel.
So he decided on the 300, even if the six-cylinder with its 188 hp is anything but a rocket. But a V8 or even a V12 would have emptied his pockets, Kuderer has to admit. After all, he is not only a classic car enthusiast and petrolhead, but also an entrepreneur.
The student teacher became a cab driver
And even the six-cylinder is only profitable because he converted it to gas. "but with a system from that time, so that everything fits and the oldtimer statute is not endangered," he says with a mischievous smile.
the traffic jam on theodor-heuss-allee is so long that kuderer can talk about his life as well as his car. His cab career has begun, as almost all cab careers begin. He was a student and wanted to become a teacher.
But when he had to do his civilian service halfway through his studies, he was out of steam. Instead of cramming German, he memorized the map of Frankfurt and took the cab driver’s exam more for fun than anything else.
And when, contrary to his expectations, he was granted a concession without a long wait, he was suddenly under pressure to move. "after six weeks without an operation, the city would have passed the approval on to another candidate."
So kuderer took the steering wheel in his hand and hung up his teaching career before it had even begun. "driving a cab became an addiction that made studying unthinkable," says the man in the white shirt and black jacket.
That was 36 years ago. And since the 123 he drove on his first tour of duty, Kuderer has driven just about every mercedes you can screw a cab plate onto through frankfurt. But shortly before his 62nd birthday. On his birthday, the frankfurt native likes to be a little more comfortable.
To feel like a state guest for a few kilometers
Not only in his choice of car, but also with his hours of service: he only drives from monday to thursday, at most until friday, and then preferably on pre-order and for long distances.
That he sometimes stands in line at the airport or at the main train station is therefore rather the exception. he doesn’t have a radio on board, and he doesn’t want to be ordered around by some cab center either. People know him in frankfurt, and he has his regular customers.
They appreciate his S-class because, like the driver, it is better looked after than many other cabs in town and because you can sink so wonderfully deep into the blue back seat, which is more of a sofa than a seat. But the passengers also love this Benz because, at least for a few kilometers, you feel like a state guest in it. except that the seat pockets didn’t contain government documents, but a few current oldtimer magazines.
The long w126 is not Kuderer’s first luxury liner. Until two years ago, he was still driving an S-Class from the 220 series, also in a long version and also fully equipped. But as much as he appreciated the ride comfort and as often as he was able to enjoy the TV reception, which was still rare back then, he was annoyed by the electronics.
"one of the two dozen control units was always broken, and another indicator light was always flickering," he remembers. That can’t happen to him with his new oldtimer. Because so really much electronics is not on board yet.
he has never had a problem with the 126, he says on the way between the messeturm and the old opera, tapping three times on the imitation wood in the cockpit. "of course, after almost three decades, the car now has a few rust spots that have to be taken care of," he admits. "but the engine, transmission, axles – everything is original and in impeccable condition."even though the speedometer was slowly approaching 300 kilometers per hour.approaching the 000 mark.
To make sure it stays that way, he has an ironclad rule: he does most of the work himself with a friend. After all, why did he do an apprenticeship as a car mechanic before he went to university?? "and if something major does happen, i take it to a specialist – and definitely not to mercedes."
After work, two Porsches wait for the cab driver
After a master craftsman explained to him that he had so much to do with two dozen new model series that he couldn’t master the technology of the oldtimers, it was clear to Kuderer that he wouldn’t be in such good hands in a contract workshop.
Kuderer loves his S-class very much and would not want to exchange it for a modern mercedes in his life. He can hardly wait until the white giant finally gets its H license plate in 2018 and he also officially drives the only oldtimer cab in frankfurt.
nevertheless, the prevented teacher is glad when he puts the daimler in the garage after work and he changes into one of his other oldtimers. Finally there are two old porsche waiting for him.
They may not have as much space in the back seat, but they are even more fun for the driver. And besides, he will finally be able to decide for himself where the journey will take him.