With the goal of building replicas of the Mercedes 280 SL, businessman Luís Henrique Mignone founded Nurburgring Indústria e Comércio in Rio de Janeiro (RJ) in 1982. The company's name was changed two years later to LHM Indústria Mecânica Ltda., which came from the initials of his name.

Called Phoenix, the replica was based on the 1970 model of the German car, from which the molds for laminating the fiberglass-reinforced plastic body were made.

Launched in a convertible version, with a canvas top and hardtop, the car used all the mechanics of the Chevrolet Opala, including the platform (covered in fiber to prevent corrosion and later replaced by its own chassis, designed by Paulo Renha), the engine (four and six cylinders, gasoline or ethanol) and the transmission (four and five speeds, manual or automatic).

It had leather upholstery, a roll bar built into the windshield frame, a three-point retractable seat belt and a new fire extinguishing system (optional) with control on the dashboard, which discharged carbon dioxide directly onto the engine and fuel tank. Air conditioning and alloy wheels were the other optional extras available. All the finishing elements were locally manufactured, with the exception of the headlights and taillights.

Production began in September 1982, at a rate of 30 units per month, with the expectation of exporting another 50 per month to the USA. Although Daimler-Benz did not contest the production of the replica, it was unable to allow the use of its logo on the grille of the Brazilian copy. As a result, in 1984 the three-pointed star was replaced by a new symbol that looked like the Mercedes three-pointed star turned upside down and folded into a shape that made it look like a bird, in reference to the car's name, Phoenix.

In the same year, a coupe version was launched, following the same lines as the German model, as well as a convertible replica for children. In 1986, in addition to offering another version of the Phoenix, with a Ford V8 Windsor engine, LHM prepared a lighter tubular chassis, integrated into the fiberglass body, replacing the previous one, from the Opala.

At that time, with domestic sales reduced to an average of seven cars/month and exports not evolving as expected, the company, which only supplied complete cars with new mechanics, also began to accept the transformation of used vehicles provided by customers.

PHOTOS

·1: Phoenix 1984

·2: Launch photograph of the Phoenix, in 1982, still with the Mercedes three-pointed star (source: Motor3)

·3: The first Phoenix in rear view (photo: Autoesporte)

·4: 1984 Phoenix equipped with hardtop (photo: Autoesporte)

·5: Phoenix 1985 (source: Jorge A. Ferreira Jr.)

·6: 1987 Phoenix with hardtop in a photograph taken from advertising at the time; despite Daimler-Benz's questioning, the three-pointed star continued to appear on the replicas

·7: Phoenix with hardtop, the rare coupe version launched in 1984 (source: essevaleumafoto website)

·8: 1987 Phoenix for sale (front)

·9: 1987 Phoenix for sale (rear)

·10: 1987 Phoenix for sale (inside)

·11: LHM Phoenix advertising in a magazine, note the bird-like logo on the bottom

SOURCE: https://www.lexicarbrasil.com.br/lhm/