German auto racer Hans Stuck had a dream and a desire to capture the world land speed record for himself and for Germany. In the late 1930s, he worked to put together a team to achieve this goal and in 1937 had convinced Wilhelm Kissel, Chairman of Daimler-Benz AG, to have Mercedes-Benz develop and build the vehicle, which Dr. Ferdinand Porsche had agreed to design. Stuck also obtained project approval from Adolf Hitler, who saw the record as another propaganda tool to demonstrate Germany’s supposed technological superiority.

Mercedes-Benz T 80 world record project vehicle, overall view with mounted body. Photo from 1953.

The vehicle was officially known as the Mercedes-Benz T80 or Type 80. Dr. Porsche had first targeted a speed of 342 mph (550 km/h), utilizing a 2,000 hp (1,490 kW) engine. However, other speed record challengers began to raise the record, so the T80’s speed goal was raised as well. More power was made available from the engine, and when the T80 was nearly finished in 1939, the target speed for its record run was 373 mph (600 km/h) after 3.7 mi (6 km) of acceleration.

The T80 cost 600,000 Reichsmarks to complete; that is about $4 million in today’s USD. Aerodynamics specialist Josef Mikcl helped streamline the car’s body, which was built by aircraft manufacturer Heinkel Flugzeugwerke. The T80 incorporated a Porsche-designed enclosed cockpit, low sloping hood, and rounded fenders. The rear wheels were encased in elongated tail fins to help stabilize the vehicle at speed. Two small wings at the middle of the car provided downforce and ensured stability. The heavily streamlined twin-tailed body achieved a drag coefficient of 0.18, a very low figure even by today’s standards.

The car had three axles: the front provided steering, and the two rear axles were driven by a 2,717 cu in (44.5 L) Daimler-Benz DB 603 inverted V-12 aircraft engine. Ernst Udet, director of Germany’s Aircraft Procurement and Supply, provided the third DB 603 prototype engine for installation in the T80. The supercharged DB 603 engine with mechanical fuel injection was specially tuned to 3,000 hp (2,240 kW). The engine ran on a special mixture of methyl alcohol (63%), benzene (16%), ethanol (12%), acetone (4.4%), nitrobenzene (2.2%), avgas (2%), and ether (0.4%); it utilized MW (methanol-water) injection for charge cooling and anti-detonation.

Power from the engine was transmitted to the four drive wheels via a hydraulic torque converter to a single-speed final drive. To maintain traction, the T80 had a mechanical “anti-spin control” device. The front and rear wheels each had a sensor to mechanically detect wheel spin. If the rear wheels began to spin faster than the front, fuel to the engine was automatically reduced.

Mercedes-Benz T 80 world record project vehicle, view of the DB 603 RS aircraft engine installed in the chassis. Photo from 1939.

The T80 was 26 ft 8 in (8.128 m) long and 4 ft 1 in (1.245 m) tall. Its body width was 5 ft 9 in (1.753 m) and 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m) wide including the wings. All six wheels were 7 in x 32 in and had a 4 ft 3 in (1.295 m) track. The vehicle weighed about 6,390 lb (2,900 kg).

The T80 vehicle had been unofficially nicknamed Schwarzer Vogel (Black Bird) by Hitler and was to be painted in German nationalistic colors complete with German Eagle and Swastika. Hans Stuck would have driven the T80 over a special stretch of the Dessau Autobahn (now part of the modern A9 Autobahn), which was 82 ft (25 m) wide and 6.2 mi (10 km) long with the median paved over. The record attempt was set for January 1940 and would have been the first absolute land speed record attempt in Germany.

However, the outbreak of the war prevented the T80 run. In fact, the vehicle’s finishing touches were never completed, and it never moved under its own power. After the record attempt was cancelled, the T80 was garaged. In late February 1940, the DB 603 engine was removed, and the vehicle was stored in Karnten, Austria for the duration of the war. The Mercedes-Benz T80 was unknown outside of Germany until discovered by the Allies after World War II. Fortunately, the T80 survived the war relatively unscathed and was eventually moved into the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, where it is on permanent display in the Silver Arrows – Races & Records Legend room. (The T80’s body is on display. The chassis is in storage at a museum warehouse.)

Mercedes-Benz T 80 world record project vehicle

On 16 September 1947, John Cobb achieved 394.19 mph (634.39 km/h) in the twin Napier Lion-powered Railton Mobil Special, surpassing the T80’s calculated Autobahn record run speed. However, after discovering the T80, the Allies had been quoted an astounding top speed of 465 mph (750 km/h) for the T80. Had the T80 been capable of this estimated top speed, the corresponding record would have been unequaled until 1964 when Craig Breedlove hit 468.72 mph (754.33 km/h) in the jet-powered Spirit of America. In addition, the T80 would still hold the record for the fastest piston-engined, wheel-driven vehicle.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

The Mercedes-Benz T 80 world record project car was the brainchild of racing driver Hans Stuck: he wanted to break the absolute world land speed record. Stuck completed the project with the help of three major personalities: Wilhelm Kissel, the Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler-Benz AG, engineer Ferdinand Porsche and air force general Ernst Udet. During the 1930s each of them made their contribution to completion of the project. The story of the Mercedes-Benz T 80 is a marathon for the designers and aerodynamicists: the project began in 1936. Via numerous development stages and vehicle refinements, it came to an end in 1940 – without the T 80 ever being used.

The aim of all those involved was to achieve a speed never before reached by any land vehicle. This was all the more challenging because, in that period, British drivers were establishing new records all the time at Daytona Beach and on the Bonneville Salt Flats: on 3 September 1935, Malcolm Campbell reached a speed of 484.62 km/h over the flying mile with “Blue Bird”. On 19 November 1937, George Eyston broke the 500 km/h barrier with “Thunderbolt” (502.11 km/h over the flying kilometre). And finally on 23 August 1939, John Cobb established a new record of 595.04 km/h over the flying kilometre with “Railton Special”. Accordingly the planned target speed of 550 km/h was revised upwards, first to 600 km/h and finally even to 650 km/h.

Mercedes-Benz T 80 world record project vehicle, overall view with mounted body. Photo from 1953.

A new record for the Silver Arrows

If this project proved successful, Mercedes-Benz would add another triumph to a long list of speed records. The highlight to date was the speed record on public roads established by Rudolf Caracciola on 28 January 1938: he reached a speed of 432.7 km/h with the record-breaking Mercedes-Benz W 125 on the autobahn near Darmstadt. Nevertheless, the T 80 project was not without its critics within the company. This was not least due to Hans Stuck himself. After all, the Grand Prix racing driver competed for Auto Union in the 1930s. How would the public respond if the highly successful Stuttgart racing department engaged a driver from the competition for its absolute world record attempt? Many decision-makers in the company therefore wondered if it would not be better to entrust works driver Rudolf Caracciola with the record-breaking attempt as previously.

On the other hand, Stuck also had connections with the Stuttgart brand: in 1931 and 1932, driving a Mercedes-Benz SSKL, he raced very successfully for the Mercedes star. In 1932 he became international Alpine champion and Brazilian hill-racing champion. Four years later, Stuck was now using his former contacts with Untertürkheim.

Via the racing department of Auto Union, he made contact with designer Ferdinand Porsche. It was on the latter’s P-vehicle concept that the Grand Prix racing cars of Auto Union were based from 1934 to 1936. And flying ace Ernst Udet had already known Stuck since the 1920s. At that time the two would spar off, e.g. in ice races on the frozen Lake Eib near Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Stuck driving an Austro Daimler racing car and Udet flying an aircraft.

Telegram to Stuttgart

What was the motivation for Stuck’s desire to break the absolute world land speed record? One reason was undoubtedly his Auto Union team mate Bernd Rosemeyer. When the latter won the European Grand Prix championship in 1936, Hans Stuck started looking for another stage on which to demonstrate his driving skills. An obvious possibility was the world record, which was dominated by British drivers at the time.

Stuck had contacts in the National Socialist government, and knew that he could rely on political support for this prestige project. Nonetheless, he also needed partners for its technical implementation. On 14 August 1936 he sent a telegram from Pescara to the Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler-Benz, Wilhelm Kissel, requesting a meeting. In a conversation with Kissel, the racing driver suggested that Mercedes-Benz should build a record-breaking vehicle powered by a Daimler-Benz aircraft engine. The British record-breaking cars of that era were also powered by aircraft engines.

Record-breaking attempts were not new territory for Mercedes-Benz. After all, the Stuttgart-based company had set numerous records in the 1930s. And as Kissel remembered, the idea of building a record-breaking vehicle powered by an in-house aircraft engine had already come up under the aegis of late Daimler-Benz board member Hans Nibel, who died in 1934.

The vehicle for the record attempt was to be designed by Ferdinand Porsche, who had left his position as Chief Engineer at Mercedes-Benz in 1928. However, there were still connections between the world’s oldest automobile manufacturer and the Porsche design studio (P.K.B.). Between 1936 and 1937 Mercedes-Benz, among other things, built 30 prototypes of the “KdF” car, which went into series production as the VW Beetle after the Second World War.

On 11 March 1937, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche GmbH concluded a contract with Daimler-Benz AG for extensive involvement in all areas of engine and vehicle design. As well as the T 80 (according to Porsche nomenclature, the “T” stood for “type”), the resulting projects included the T 90, T 93, T 94, T 95, T 97, T 104 and T 108. So, in addition to the world record project vehicle, Porsche was also involved in developing racing cars, commercial vehicles and engines.

An aircraft engine for a world record

The T 80 was to be powered by a Daimler-Benz aircraft engine. However, the manufacturer did not have automatic access to such a unit, as the Ministry of Aviation had sole rights of disposal over all aircraft engines produced in Germany. Therefore, Stuck put his connection with Ernst Udet to good use. The flying ace had meanwhile been promoted to head of the Luftwaffe’s technical department.

Fritz Nallinger, at that time Daimler-Benz’s technical director responsible for the design, development and production of large engines, commented on the project in September 1936. In Nallinger’s estimation, an output of 1,103 kW (1,500 hp) with the initially proposed DB 601 aircraft engine was definitely possible. In fact, 2,036 kW(2,770 hp) was achieved with a version of this engine prepared for flying record attempts in 1938 and 1939.

In October 1936 Kissel informed Porsche by telephone that the Ministry of Aviation was willing to release two engines. He also asked Porsche to commence work on the project. The official order followed on 13 January 1937. An appendix to the order pointed out that the Porsche design was always only to be referred to as a Mercedes-Benz world record project vehicle.

The financing was initially arranged as follows: Daimler-Benz would bear the cost of building the chassis. The body was to be built and paid for by aircraft manufacturer Heinkel. Organisation of the record-breaking attempt itself would be financed by racing driver Stuck himself. This had already been laid down by Kissel when he met with Stuck on 21 October 1936. In November 1936 Kissel estimated that the T 80 could not be completed before October 1937.

In February 1937, the project took a major step forward when Ernst Udet approved the official release of the DB 601 aircraft engine for installation in the T 80. In view of the greater power requirement that became obvious during the course of development, this approval was later extended to the DB 603 V3.

On 6 April Porsche presented his plans for the T 80 in Untertürkheim. These describe a multistage development process, from an initial twin engine proposal to a final single engine concept. This latest proposal already showed most of the characteristics of the vehicle actually built: a three-axle record-breaking car powered by a centrally suspended V12 aircraft engine. Porsche calculated that for a record speed of 550 km/h after a distance of five kilometres, an engine output of at least 1,618 kW (2,200 hp) or better still 1,838 kW (2,500 hp) would be necessary.

Originally the plan was to use a track in the United States of America for the record-breaking attempts. In mid-1938 this gave way to a plan to use a specially prepared section of the autobahn between Dessau-South and Bitterfeld instead. In August 1938 the General Inspector of German Roads, Fritz Todt, announced that the date for the proposed release of this autobahn section for use would be in October 1938.

The question of the location for the record attempt was never actually settled. But there was still talk of a record attempt in the USA in 1939. All the world speed records of recent years had been achieved on the Bonneville Salt Flats in the USA. One reason for the renewed discussion at Mercedes-Benz might have been the difficult driving conditions on the manually paved median between the two lanes on the envisaged section of the autobahn.

The birth of the world record car

The T 80 increasingly took shape during the course of 1938. In October Ferdinand Porsche viewed the wooden model of the bodyshell together with employees. It was now time to define the types of steel panelling for the body and produce a corresponding bill of materials, decide on the details of the seat and cockpit and formulate the tubular structure of the spaceframe. On 26 October 1938, the Mercedes-Benz racing department recorded in a test report that the first welded frame weighed 224 kilograms.

The chassis and frame were completed at the end of November 1938. The Mercedes-Benz racing department planned that the vehicle complete with all its major assemblies would be ready by the end of January 1939. A memo dated 26 November 1938 states that if the aircraft engine could also be delivered by then, the chassis could be assembled by the end of February 1939. The body would then be completed by May 1939.

Will the tyres withstand the record-breaking speed?

Tyre manufacturer Continental tested the wheels intended for the T 80 on a test stand, and during a high-speed test at 500 km/h in January 1939 found severe deformation of the wire-spoked wheels supplied by Hering in Ronneburg (Thuringia). In May there were still slight deformations at 480 km/h. Porsche had meanwhile calculated that a distance between 13.73 kilometres (with 2,023 kW/2,750 hp) and 11.48 kilometres (with 2,206 kW/3,000 hp) would be necessary for a record-breaking run at 600 km/h.

In 1939 the decision was reached to equip the T 80 with a DB 603 engine. In March 1937 the Ministry of Aviation had forbidden its further development as an aircraft engine, but it could be used for the land speed record if the ministry approved. The engineers were confident that the 44.5-litre V12 aircraft engine designed for an output of around 1,471 kW (2,000 hp) could reach up to 2,206 kW (3,000 hp) at 3,200 rpm during a record-breaking attempt. To this end the engine was to be fuelled with the two special racing fuels XM and WW. From February 1940 the company was permitted to restart its work on the DB 603 as an aircraft engine. Series production for aviation use began in 1941.

Optimisation of the DB 603 for the record attempt

In 1939 racing manager Alfred Neubauer noted down that a DB 603 for the T 80 could be delivered as a “running-in engine” in June of that year. The engine to be used in the actual record attempt would be available at the end of August 1939. In June Fritz Nallinger, who was responsible for Daimler-Benz aircraft engines, improved various details for installation of the world record project engine in the T 80. This included modifying the routing of the air intake ducts and configuring the exhaust ducts so that the vehicle could convert recoil energy into speed.

In summer 1939 measurements on a scale model of the T 80 were also carried out in the wind tunnel of the Zeppelin company in Friedrichshafen. The aim was to find the optimum level of downforce: strong enough to bring the entire engine power onto the road, but as low as possible so as not to overload the tyres with their thin tread surfaces. Following these measurements, the surface area of the downforce fins was reduced by another 3.65 square metres.

Testing of the T 80 was also continued after the outbreak of the Second World War on 1 September 1939. On 12 October the chassis of the world record project car was tested on the roller dynamometer, for example. In view of the new record of almost 600 km/h set by Cobb, Porsche was meanwhile envisaging a speed of up to 650 km/h for the record-breaking attempt. This would probably make an engine output of up to 2,574 kW(3,500 hp) necessary. Even this level of power seemed possible with the DB 603.

End of the T 80 project in spring 1940

No further steps were taken towards achieving the world land speed record. As early as February 1940, Mercedes-Benz sent an enquiry to the Ministry of Aviation about a possible contribution towards the development and production costs. In June 1940 a final report was produced for the project, and the T 80 was placed in storage. The DB 603 world record project engine meanwhile installed in the vehicle was returned to the Ministry of Aviation.

After the Second World War, Mercedes-Benz exhibited the T 80 in the company’s museum in Untertürkheim. When the museum was reorganised in 1986, the body and chassis were separated and the chassis was placed in storage. The new Mercedes-Benz Museum opened in 2006 outside the gates of the Untertürkheim plant also presented the T 80 in the permanent exhibition with its original body, spaceframe and wheels – but without the heavy chassis.

The body exhibited in the Mercedes-Benz Museum intentionally shows the world record project car with traces of the project work which was unfinished in 1940. Mercedes-Benz Classic is now juxtaposing the chassis together with the replicated spaceframe and the cutaway engine with this mighty exhibit. From mid-2018 this unique exhibit will make the technology of the T 80 immediately and impressively accessible.

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Before the transcontinental race in “Cannonball Run,” the starter tells the gathered racers, “You all are certainly the most distinguished group of highway scofflaws and degenerates ever gathered together in one place.”

Ed Bolian prefers the term “fraternity of lunatics.”

Dave Black, Ed Bolian and Dan Huang pose in front of the car they would use to attempt to break the record. Bolian is the leader and main driver, Black acted as the co-driver and Huang was the team’s spotter — keeping an eye on the car’s considerable technology while looking out for obstacles.

Where the 1981 Burt Reynolds classic was a comedic twist on a race inspired by real-life rebellion over the mandated 55-mph speed limits of the 1970s, Bolian set out on a serious mission to beat the record for driving from New York to Los Angeles.

The mark? Alex Roy and David Maher’s cross-country record of 31 hours and 4 minutes, which they set in a modified BMW M5 in 2006.

Bolian, a 28-year-old Atlanta native, had long dreamed of racing from East Coast to West. A decade ago, for a high school assignment, Bolian interviewed Brock Yates, who conceived the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, aka the Cannonball Run.

Yates, who played the previously quoted organizer in the film he wrote himself, won the first Cannonball in the early 1970s with a time of 35 hours and 53 minutes.

“I told him, ‘One day I’d like to beat your record,’ ” Bolian recalled.

Ounce of prevention

It sounds like great outlaw fun — and certainly, Hollywood added its embellishments, like the supremely confident, infidel-cursing sheik with a Rolls Royce and Sammy Davis Jr. in a priest getup — but Bolian said it took considerable research and groundwork.

Beginning in 2009, about the time he started working for Lamborghini Atlanta, Bolian researched cars, routes, moon phases, traffic patterns, equipment, gas mileage and modifications.

He went into preparation mode about 18 months ago and chose a Mercedes CL55 AMG with 115,000 miles for the journey. The Benz’s gas tank was only 23 gallons, so he added two 22-gallon tanks in the trunk, upping his range to about 800 miles. The spare tire had to go in the backseat with his spotter, Dan Huang, a student at Georgia Tech, Bolian’s alma mater.

To foil the police, he installed a switch to kill the rear lights and bought two laser jammers and three radar detectors. He commissioned a radar jammer, but it wasn’t finished in time for the trek. There was also a police scanner, two GPS units and various chargers for smartphones and tablets — not to mention snacks, iced coffee and a bedpan.

By the time he tricked out the Benz, which included a $9,000 tuneup, “it was a real space station of a thing,” he said, describing the lights and screens strewn through the car’s cockpit.

Yet he still wasn’t done.

“The hardest thing, quite honestly, was finding people crazy enough to do it with me,” he said.

Co-driver Dave Black, one of the Atlanta Lamborghini dealership’s customers, didn’t sign on until three days before they left, and “support passenger” Huang didn’t get involved until about 18 hours before the team left Atlanta for Manhattan.

If his difficulty finding a copilot wasn’t an omen, Manhattan would deliver one. While scouting routes out of the city, a GPS unit told Bolian to take a right on red, in the wrong direction down a one-way road. He was quickly pulled over.

Bolian got a warning — and a healthy dose of relief that the officer didn’t question the thick odor of fuel as he stood over the vents pumping fumes from the trunk.

Record run begins

The trio ignored what some might have considered a harbinger and the left the Red Ball Garage on East 31st Street, the starting point for Yates’ Cannonball, a few hours later. To be exact, they left October 19 at 9:55 p.m., according to a tracking company whose officials asked not be identified because they were unaware that Bolian would be driving so illegally when he hired them.

They hit a patch of traffic in New York that held them up for 15 minutes but soon had an average speed of about 90 mph. In Pennsylvania, they tapped the first of many scouts, one of Bolian’s acquaintances who drove the speed limit 150 to 200 miles ahead of the CL55 and warned them of any police, construction or other problems.

They blew through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, hitting St. Louis before dawn.

“Everything possible went perfect,” Bolian said, explaining they never got lost and rarely encountered traffic or construction delays.

By the time they hit southern Missouri, near the Oklahoma border, they learned they were “on track to break the existing record if they averaged the speed limit for the rest of the trip,” he said.

Yeah, right. This wasn’t about doing speed limits.

They kept humming west, and as they neared the Texas-New Mexico border, they calculated they might beat the 30-hour mark, a sort of Holy Grail in transcontinental racing that Bolian likened to the 4-minute mile.

Not one to settle, “we decided to break 29,” Bolian said.

The unnamed tracking company says the Benz pulled into the Portofino Hotel and Marina in Redondo Beach, California, at 11:46 p.m. on October 20 after driving 2,803 miles. The total time: 28 hours, 50 minutes and about 30 seconds.

“Most of the time, we weren’t going insanely fast,” Bolian said, not realizing his definition of “insanely” is a little different from most folks’.

When they were moving, which, impressively, was all but 46 minutes of the trip, they were averaging around 100 mph. Their total average was 98 mph, and their top speed was 158 mph, according to an onboard tracking device.

“Apart from a FedEx truck not checking his mirrors before he tried to merge on top of me, we didn’t really have any issues,” Bolian said.

Do not try this at home

He concedes his endeavor was a dangerous one, especially when you consider Bolian slept only 40 minutes of the trip, and co-driver Black slept an hour. But Bolian went out of his way to make it as safe as possible, choosing a weekend day with clear weather and a full moon — and routes, when possible, with little traffic or construction.

“I had plenty of people at home praying I’d make it safely, and, more importantly, had my wife praying that I wouldn’t have to do it again,” he said, adding he has no children, which was also a factor. “That was one of the spurs to go ahead and get this over with. That’s probably the next adventure.”

Asked if the technological advances since the previous record holders made their run gave him an advantage, Bolian replied, “Absolutely.” Because two teams broke the 32-hour mark in 2006 and 2007, he had a detailed “guide book” on how to do it, where they had to rely on word-of-mouth tales from the 1980s.

“I thank Alex for that. We’re all adding chapters to the same story of American car culture,” Bolian said. Alex Roy did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

Bolian had hoped to revisit that high school interview and tell Yates he’d followed through on that promise to break his record, but Yates now suffers from Alzheimer’s.

“I’ll pay him a visit just for the sake of it,” Bolian said, “but I can’t tell him.”

Where the Cannonball scofflaws aimed to make a statement about personal freedom, Bolian said he has the utmost respect for law enforcement. His goal was merely to “add myself and pay tribute to this chapter of automotive history,” he said.

Bolian also hopes that he shattered Roy’s record by such a stark margin that it discourages would-be Cannonballers from attempting to break his record, and it’s not just a matter of his own legacy, he said.

“It really isn’t something we need a whole band of lunatics doing,” he said.

Via: CNN

Mercedes-Benz and Billy Payne, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, have officially announced that Mercedes-Benz will enter into a new worldwide partnership with the Masters.  Their partnership will begin at the 2014 Tournament. Mercedes-Benz has been an International Partner of the Masters since 2008, but will now become a Global Sponsor, joining the ranks of AT&T and IBM.

“The Masters is the most prestigious golf tournament in the world and this partnership aligns with our strategy to place Mercedes-Benz at the forefront of premier sporting events,” said Stephen Cannon, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA. “Mercedes-Benz has a long-standing history with golf and to be associated as a Global Sponsor of the Masters strengthens our existing ties with one of the world’s most popular and widely played sports.”

In an effort to show just how much Mercedes-Benz and golf go together, we dug up one of our most popular videos from nearly a year ago – the video shows off the perfect pairing of golf and Mercedes.  The video has David Coulthard, F1 legend and AMG brand ambassador, catching a golf ball in a 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster. Coulthard set a new Guinness World Record in the process.

Coulthard drove the 571-horsepower Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster at over 120 mph in order to catch the golf ball hit by professional golfer Jake Shepherd.  Keep in mind, Shepherd was 900 feet away and hit the ball hard enough to reach 178 mph.

On January 28, 1938, the Mercedes-Benz W 125 car set a world speed record on a public road, a record which still stands to this day. With a speed of 268.8 mph (432.7 km/h) and Rudolf Caracciola as pilot, the W125 went down in history books. The original vehicle can now be seen showcased at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Suttgart.

“Time and again our visitors talk about the spectacular presentation of the Mercedes-Benz W 125 record-breaking car, which is hanging on a vertical wall. Together with six other record-breaking vehicles, the streamlined car adds the impressive finishing touch to the high-bank curve in Legend Room 7‚ ‘Silver Arrows – Races and Records’. Acoustically, there is even an atmosphere similar to that found on the race track”, explains Michael Bock, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic.

Rudolf Caracciola, who at that time was the lead driver for the Mercedes-Benz racing department, achieved the record – which is still valid to this day – on 28 January 1938 on the road between Frankfurt am Main and Darmstadt, by hitting a speed of precisely 432.692 km/h over one kilometre with a flying start. In addition, the existing record over the flying mile was also set at 432.36 km/h. These figures represent the averages from two runs made in opposite directions.

For this top speed run, the Mercedes-Benz W 125 record-breaking car made use of an aerodynamically optimised body. Streamlined racing cars were not unusual at the time: Mercedes-Benz also successfully made use of them in circuit races.

For the record runs in January 1938, the record-breaking car – which was based on the W 125 Silver Arrow – was not only equipped with a specially optimised twelve-cylinder engine with two superchargers, but also featured a flat, completely covered body with wedge-shaped, tapered tail end. Using wind tunnel measurements, the engineers reduced the aerodynamic drag to a sensational Cd value of 0.157. This included using a radically scaled-down air intake on the front end. As a result, the record-breaking car only “breathed in” – through two small openings – the amount of air required for the 5.6-litre V12 MD 25 DAB/3-type engine to work. Engine cooling, on the other hand, was achieved without using fresh air: instead the radiator was embedded in a 500-litre chest filled with ice and water.

• Year of construction: 1938
• Cylinders: V12
• Displacement: 5577 cc
• Power output: 736 hp (541 kW)
• Top speed: 432.7 km/h

David Coulthard, F1 legend and AMG brand ambassador, managed to catch a golf ball using a 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster. In the process, Coulthard also set a new Guinness World Record.

Driving the 571-horsepower Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster at over 120 mph, Coulthard caught a golf ball hit by professional golfer Jake Shepherd at 900 feet away.  The golf ball was clocked at a speed of 178 mph while flying through the air.

This amazing achievement, which took place on May 30 at an airport in Surrey, England, earned the world record for the furthest golf shot caught in a moving car in only the second attempt of the day.

All the action was captured on video and will be used in early July as part of an advertising campaign for the SLS AMG Roadster. But, you can see a behind the scenes video showing the complete action below.

After completing the world record, Coulthard said, “This world record attempt is definitely one of the most unusual things I’ve ever been asked to do with a car. Jake Shepherd was great to work with and the performance of the SLS AMG Roadster made driving to catch a mid-air golf ball even more exciting. I am honored to have received the Guinness World Record for the furthest golf shot caught in a car.”

A RennTech powered Mercedes SLR, title the L4P SLR777, set a new quarter mile world record time for a Mercedes powered Mercedes-Benz.  The L4P SLR777 did the quarter mile sprint in 9.76  seconds at 140.8mph or 226km/h. The L4P SLR777 project is a team collaboration project between Platinum Motorsport, RennTech, MACarbon and Exotics Boutique.

The L4P SLR777 is the only Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR with Mansory Renovatio bodykit installed outside of the Mansory Factory.  Back in October, the SLR completed the quarter mile in a mere 10.29 sec at 134mph. The new time sets the bar for competitors even higher and reconfirms the statement that this is the world’s fastest SLR.

Source: GTSpirit

Known as a flamboyant entrepreneur, Swiss businessman Ueli Anliker, turned his Mercedes McLaren SLR into his very own custom red and gold super car. For those of you interested, Ueli is now selling his custom ride for a mere £7 million. At current conversion rates, that is $9,377,900.00.

The Mercedes McLaren SLR took a team of 35 men who spent a total of 30,000 man hours and more than £3.5 million in order to develop Anliker’s McLaren SLR 999 Red Gold Dream.

Unfortunately for Ueli Anliker, the custom super car hasn’t had positive reviews. Top Gear said the paintwork could “burn a hole through your eyes and into your nightmares” due to the 25 layers of red paint and 5kg of gold dust layered on to it.

Each of the SLR’s wheels are covered in 24 carat gold in addition to the gold covered headlights and door sills.

In addition to the exterior upgrades modifications, the interior boasts jewelled indicators, gold trimmed steering wheel and ruby-covered switchgear.

In total there are more than 600 rubies on the inside of the car.

The supercharged 5.4-litre engine has been power boosted from 640bhp to 999 bhp – giving it a top speed of more than 210mph.

Claims from Anliker’s camp is that “Having invested about 5 million Swiss francs and more than 30,000 man hours, the car is worth more than 10 million Swiss francs, which is his minimum selling price.”

That’s right, at £7 million you are pretty much steeling the car. Not trying to hate on this beauty, but I’m going to stick to my cherry C-Class Coupe

Platinum Motorsport, RENNtech, MACarbon and Exotics Boutique partnered together to create the world’s fastest SLR, running the 1/4 mile in a mere 10.29 seconds at a speed of 134 mph. Nicknamed the L4P SLR777 it is the ONLY SLR with a Mansory Renovatio Body Kit done outside of Mansory Factory. Platinum Motorsport finished off the exterior of the SLR with a very special new Liquid White paint. MACarbon was contracted for all the custom Carbon Fiber interior pieces, and Platinum Motorsport finished the entire interior in black suede and fitted the car with custom 20 inch Agetro M140 Monoblock wheels.  For those of you that want to see the world’s fastest SLR in person, it will be making an appearance at this year’s SEMA Show.

RENNTECH SLR Performance Upgrades

-ECU Upgrade

-Pulley

-Sports Catalytic Exhaust Upgrade

-Stainless Sport Sound and Performance SLR Mufflers

-Stainless Steel Headers

The RENNTECH SLR headers are developed and tested completely in house. They’re hand built from mandrel-bent seamless tubing, CNC machined stainless flanges, and include integrated o2 sensor mounting locations. The addition of these headers creates a deep distinctive yet harmonious sound which is entirely unique to any other sports car on the road.

RENNTECH latest second generation intercooler pump; Dual kit, plus larger front intercooler. (intercooler pump flows an impressive 8.7 G.P.M. @ 11.6 P.S.I. compared to the OEM pumps 3.00 G.P.M.)

RENNTECH SLR Transmission Cooling Track Kit

-CNC machined, Larger Transmission Oil Pan

-Transmission Oil Pump

-Large Transmission Radiator

RENNTECH Motor Sport Suspension Package 4

-Racing Coilovers with 3 way adjustability and remote reservoir (for better cooling)

-Race technology shocks

Custom Front Hydraulic Lift kit with Remote

-The HLS 2 (Hydraulic Lift System) provides additional road clearance for lowered vehicles by raising the front axle suspension via the push of a button. When expanded, a range of up to 45 mm of lift is produced, thereby helping sport cars avoid road clearance difficulties such as speed bumps, road construction, etc. The system contained within the rear of the vehicle and is actuated by a push button on the optional remote (there by eliminating the need for any interior wiring).

RENNTECH Mercedes 722.6 Five Speed Transmission upgrade

-With increased engine performance it becomes necessary to further improve the drive line components, most importantly the transmission in order to ensure maximum power is transmitted to the drive wheels without transmission slippage. This cannot be realized with software and only truly be accomplished by an internal mechanical upgrade to the transmission hardware. Our upgrade leads to improved shift response, shift timing and greater drivability under extreme conditions without sacrificing around town comfort. Our mechanical upgrades provide years of trouble free operation and have been tested to in vehicles producing over 800 hp and 1000 lb/ft of torque. The transmission is reassembled using all new gaskets, seals, o-rings, electrical connectors as well as a new transmission pan filter.

RENNTECH Performance differential, Super-Lock LSD

-Functions as a traditional open differential in low and normal-load situations, transforming smoothly into a 100% full lock as loads rise.

RENNTECH SLR Performance Brakes

-16.2″ Front Brakes, 8 piston calipers

-14.2″ Rear Brakes

-High-Performance Brake Pads

-Braided Steel Lines (front and rear)

Thanks to Dan and L4P for the tip.

Mauro Calo set a new World Record over the weekend for the longest car drift at Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands in the UK. Taking the title from Vaughn Gittin, Jr.who held the previous World Record when driving a Mustang. Mauro Calo broke the prvious record by 394 metres giving him a total distance of 2308 meters (almost a mile and a half). Mauro Calo completed almost 8 laps on the 360 degree circle of tarmac in a Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

The Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG is powered by an AMG 6.3-litre V8 engine delivering 336 kW (457 hp).The power can be increased to 358 kW (487 hp) with the optional AMG Performance package. With these numbers, the car can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.5 seconds while the top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h or 155 mph. With the AMG Performance Package the vehicle hits 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.4 seconds, while the top speed is again limited to 250 km/h (155 mph).

Andrew Mallery, Commercial Operations Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars commented: “When Mauro approached us to hold his record breaking attempt on the circuit at Mercedes-Benz World we were happy to offer him the support. He has been a valuable member of the driving experience team for several years and is a respected driver in the industry, so there was no doubt he would achieve his aim”.

Keith Brantley’s 2009 C63 AMG has affectionately been dubbed the “Red Brown Arrow” by none other than AMG, Mercedes Benz own in-house tuning division. As anyone even vaguely familiar with the marque will attest that is not something to be taken lightly, then again not much is in Affalterbach, Germany.

A huge compliment indeed as in the world of Mercedes Benz, the “Silver Arrow” or “Arrow” designations have traditionally only been attached to MB’s dedicated and purpose built Formula 1 and Le Mans race cars dating back to 1954; those that tackled the likes of world renowned tracks such as Spa, Nurburgring, Le Mans, Silverstone, etc. The nickname bestowed upon Keith’s C63 is derived not only from its ultra rare Barolo Red paint but also because of its awe inspiring and often outright shocking on-track performances, much like the originals. After all, we’re talking about a sedan that’s beaten the mighty Corvette ZR-1 and a Porsche Carrera GT at the Top Gun Run standing mile event, trapping 180.73 naturally aspirated in the process.

On March 25th 2011 at M.I.R. in Mechanicsville, MD, with the help of driver Ben Scott and after running over a dozen 10 second naturally aspirated ¼ mile passes with a N/A best of 10.91@129.5mph, Keith’s MHP Stage 3 C63 once again raised the bar–only this time it was to the highest level the world has ever seen. On a 125HP shot of nitrous the Red Brown Arrow ran an all-time Mercedes Benz best of 10.41@135.27mph in the ¼ mile, with an 1/8th mile split of 6.77@105.56mph. On the same pass 0-60mph was achieved in a mere 3.04 seconds, 0-100mph was dispatched in 6.19 seconds and was accompanied by a 60-130mph time of 6.59 seconds—by comparison the mega dollar Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 needs a tortoise like 7.8 seconds to accomplish the same 60-130mph blast. Red Brown Arrow indeed.

Watch below for video of the Overall Mercedes Benz World Record ¼ Mile Pass on 125 shot, 10.41@135.27mph.

On April 23, 1911 in Datona Beach Florida, Bob Burman set the world speed record in a Benz 200 hp. The record attempt occured over a mile with flying start allowing the Blitzen-Benz to reach the world record speed of 228.1 km/h (141.7 mph) and and equaly impressive 226.7 km/h (140.8 mph) with only a kilometer flying start.

The “Blitzen-Benz”, as the record-breaking car was called in the USA, finally proved in Daytona that it was the fastest car in the world: Burman drove the Benz 200 hp at a speed which was twice as fast as that of the aircraft of the time. The rail vehicle record of 210 km/h, set in 1903, was also overtaken: thanks to the Benz 200 hp, the motor car succeeded in superseding the railway as the fastest mode of transport. And the white record-breaking car – now decorated in America with a German Imperial Eagle as its logo – was so fast that no-one was able to challenge its position. Burman’s world record with the “Blitzen-Benz” was to remain unbeaten by any other vehicle for a period of eight years. It was not until 12 February 1919 that Ralph de Palma was able to set a new world record, reaching a speed of 241.2 km/h (149.875 mph) over the mile with flying start in his Packard at Daytona Beach.

The record-breaking car driven by Burman in 1911 made for highly effective publicity in North America, despite the fact that it could actually be viewed as the automotive antithesis to the stipulation put forward by company founder Carl Benz for a sensible vehicle capable of travelling at a maximum speed of 50 km/h. Indeed, it was precisely the successes of this car, initially baptised by American events manager Ernie Moross as the “Lightning Benz” – a name subsequently Germanised into the “Blitzen-Benz” – which at the start of the 20th century helped to reinforce the Mannheim-based brand even more firmly in the consciousness of a public which was now fascinated by motor sport.

The initial records of the Benz 200 hp were set in Europe: on 8 November 1909, Victor Héméry succeeded in breaking through the 200 km/h barrier not only for the first time in Europe, but also for the first time in a car with an internal combustion engine. At what was then the high-speed circuit of Brooklands in England, he achieved a speed on 202.648 km/h over the kilometre with flying start, and even attained 205.7 km/h for the half mile (804.65 metres) with flying start. However, the European race circuits were just not big enough to enable the record-breaking Benz 200 hp to demonstrate its full potential. This is why it was not until attempts were made at Daytona Beach that it came down to Bob Burman to achieve the goal of the absolute record for land vehicles of 228.1 km/h.

The car driven by Bob Burman was just one of a total of six examples of the Benz 200 hp which were actually built. Development of the vehicle started in 1909 at Benz & Cie. in Mannheim, under the guidance of Victor Héméry. Powered by an engine with a displacement of 21.5 litres, the powerful 147-kW (200-hp) car was based on the 150-hp Benz Grand Prix car. The four-cylinder in-line engine is still the engine with the largest displacement ever to be used in a racing car or record-breaking car by Mercedes-Benz and its preceding brands. The engine’s power was transferred to the rear axle by a four-speed manual transmission via an idler shaft and chain. In design terms, the car harked back to the successful Benz Grand Prix cars of 1908.

The competition car used in Daytona was sold to Stoughton Fletcher in 1913. He hired Bob Burman to rebuild the car during the course of 1914, and then sold “Blitzen-Benz” to Harry Harkness in 1915. On 2 November 1915, the significantly rebuilt vehicle re-emerged as the “Burman Special” to line up on the starting line in a race against Ralph de Palma’s Sunbeam at Sheepshead Bay, New York/USA. In 1916 Burman was killed whilst at the wheel of a Peugeot, heralding the return of the “Blitzen-Benz” to England. In Easter 1922 it appeared at Brooklands, where it sported white paintwork, a modified engine cover and a new radiator. Count Louis Vorow Zborowski had taken over the reins, but was unable to pilot the “Blitzen-Benz” to any further success, and in 1923 he tore the car apart.

Yet the legend of the “Blitzen-Benz” lives on. Witnesses to this age include several examples of the model as well as two high-quality replicas which have been preserved. One of the record-breaking Benz 200 hp cars is on display at the Mercedes-Benz Museum.

A driver from the formative years of motor racing: Bob Burman

The racing driver Robert “Bob” Burman was born on 23 April 1884 in Imlay City, Michigan. His world record run in the “Blitzen-Benz” in 1911 took place on his 27th birthday. In 1909 Burman had already won the Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race at the newly-opened Indianapolis Speedway, driving a Buick. He also lined up on the starting grid in 1911 for the premiere of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

Ernie Moross, owner of the “Blitzen-Benz”, engaged the Buick driver for the 1911 season to take over at the wheel of the record-breaking German car in place of Barney Oldfield. In addition to the record attempts at Daytona Beach on 23 April, in the same year Burman also made record attempts in Indianapolis, on 29 May.

The man who had set the absolute speed record for land vehicles regularly took part in the Indianapolis 500 up until 1915. His best result was 6th place in 1915.

A few days prior to his 32nd birthday, on 8 April 1916, Burman was involved in an accident at the Corona Road Race in Corona, California. His Peugeot lost a wheel in the 79th lap, left the track and flipped over. Unfortunately the driver died as a result of severe head injuries. In addition to Burman and his co-driver Eric Schroeder, a track marshal also lost his life in the accident.