Blast from the Past

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KillerHERTZ

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On 28 January 1938, the Mercedes-Benz W 125 record-breaking car set a world speed record on a public road which still stands to this day: a speed of 432.7 km/h was achieved by Rudolf Caracciola. The original vehicle is now showcased to impressive effect at the Mercedes-Benz Museum.

"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 all-conquering 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


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:eek: 270 mph (nearly) on a public road in 1938, in mid winter!! (cant imagine that was silky smooth tarmac a la francais either) I'm surprised the man could get in the cockpit never mind see around his balls!! An absolute legend.
The car, as mentioned before, is nothing short of art. :thumb::thumb: but to see it running must have been fantatic.
We can only dream of what it must have been like to experience the excitement and raw brutality of this car, its brave driver and witnessing this acheivement on the day, incredible!!
Rosemeyer, Caracciolas main rival, died trying to beat this record, in his Auto union, when he crashed at around 250mph.
Petrolheads? these people ****** ethanol!!
 
That's quite some feat considering the era.

Bugatti Veyron tops out at 253mph I believe.
 
A certain German politician of the era gave unlimited finance to those German companies who would 'demonstrate the technical superiority of German engineering over that of all competitors ' , therefore it is little wonder that so many advances were made at that time .
 

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