Pre-series version; "In 1961, the DB commissioned German electrical and locomotive construction companies to develop suitable designs for a six-axle locomotive with at least 5,000 kW of power - suitable
for a maximum speed of 200 km / h - to be submitted. In February 1965 the first of four pre-series machines was delivered. Germany's new flagship horses
could not serve in the plan service to the full extent due to the speed regulations at that time. With the commissioning of the series machines BR 103.1 im
In 1970, the advance locomotives increasingly lost their planned performance, but were still available for test drives with new cars. "