For Mercedes, the heritage of motor racing successes can be traced back to 1908, when Christian Lautenschlager won the French Grand Prix. In 1914, Mercedes cars powered by 4.5-litre engines with four valves per cylinder and overhead camshafts finished first, second and third in the same race, Lautenschlager again taking the chequered flag. The following year Ralph De Palma drove one of the Grand Prix cars to victory in the Indianapolis 500. Meanwhile, the Blitzen Benz set a Land Speed Record of 141mph at Daytona Beach in 1911, a speed which would not be bettered until 1922. And the Benz RH Tropfenwagen Grand Prix car of 1923 futuristically featured a mid-engined layout, streamlined body, plus independent rear suspension and inboard rear brakes. Therefore, when the two car makers came together in 1926, both had plenty of experience with building competition machinery so it is no surprise that Mercedes-Benz were able to produce some of the most powerful racing cars ever seen up until then. Rudolf Caracciola enjoyed a great season in 1931 which started when he drove a Mercedes SSKL to an epic victory in the Mille Miglia. From 1934 onwards Grand Prix events were dominated by the Silver Arrows rivalry between the supercharged 8-cylinder Mercedes W25/W125 cars and those of Auto Union.
In addition to Caracciola, other famous racing drivers who were employed by Mercedes team boss Alfred Neubauer during the 30s included Luigi Fagioli, Manfred von Brauchitsch, Hermann Lang and Richard Seaman. The debut of the 200mph W154 in 1938 heralded two more successful years, a highlight of which was undoubtedly the special Mercedes W165 winning the 1939 Tripoli Grand Prix. Incredibly, this smaller 1.5-litre V8 car was built in total secrecy specifically for the event. Caracciola also won the German Grand Prix for Mercedes at the Nurburgring in July that year, but this was to be the marque's last important victory before the outbreak of war brought motor racing to an end until 1946. Using a selection of period and retrospective articles, this collection provides a unique look at the competition achievements of Mercedes-Benz and some truly heroic drivers during an extremely turbulent time for motor racing. A portfolio of motoring articles compiled from leading international magazines covering Mercedes-Benz cars from 1926 to 1939. Reported on are the legendary supercharged SSK, SSKL, 500K and 540K sports roadsters, together with a selection of sedans, coupes, convertibles, limousines, GP racing cars and six-wheelers. Includes road tests, model introductions, race reports and classic historical salons.
