Kudos and standing applause for our German member Thorsten Link, for winning FIRST PRIZE in this year's Journalism competition in Europe!
We know Thor as an active and enthusiastic supporter of our CTZCC, and about a decade ago we helped him find a choice S-30 which now wins him trophies each time he shows it in Europe. But his bread-and-butter job is journalism for SWR TV, a major television firm well known in Europe.
Thor loves America and our cars, and often writes articles about 'Murican car subjects for his German audience. He has been here several times over recent years, taking home stories about our love affairs with our cars. Germans love it.
In 2022, while I was visiting Germany, Thor snuck back here to the USA to shoot a documentary which earned him the top priZe in this year's competition. It covered an international scam in which prized American cars (which have been severely wrecked and totaled) are cheaply reassembled by organized amateurs and sold in Europe as "used cars" for amaZingly low prices.
["The TV documentary "Die Gebrauchtwagenfalle - das miese Geschäft mit schrottreifen Autos" by Thorsten Link from the SWR series "betrifft" exposes a scam involving fake US car imports: Accident-damaged cars, often totaled, are repaired cheaply in Eastern Europe and then sold as "bargains" in Germany - a scam that can endanger life and limb. An explosive, elaborately and vividly researched revelation on a highly relevant topic for consumers."]
To get this footage Thor entered the deep, dark world of American auto graveyards and their organized secret system of turning junk into "hot bargains".
Often shooting undercover, he uncovered the system by which such cars are selected for "resurrection", transported to "restoration hospitals" and then offered on the European market as safe, sound, good-as-new cars at bargain prices.
For this year's (2023) award, the works of almost 300 journalists were studied and weighed. We are proud to acknowledge our Thor as the best among them
Of course, no trip to the USA should be wasted. Thor also made a little time for a little entertainment of his own while he was here. Can't blame him!
Congratulations, Thor!
Frank T
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