Automobile History: The 1953 Ford X 100 Concept Car : Two Decades Ahead of its time!

There are times that a technology is ahead of its time, and this was clearly the case of the Ford X-100, also known as the Ford 195X.  It should have been the Ford 197X!

One to two decades before integrated circuits and miniaturization, the Ford X-100 was a 1953 concept car that served as "a laboratory on wheels." With a 123-inch wheelbase and weighing in at a hefty 5900 pounds, the car included 665 pounds of electrical equipment connected by 8 miles of wires.  Remember, this is 1953 electrical technology and not hte 1970s, hence the added weight and reliability issues.  Transistors were only a few years in the future, but there is more to miniaturization than just the transistor.  But it was an important start to where auto electrical systems would ultimately go.

The X-100's ignition system powered 24 electrical motors, 44 electronic tubes, 50 light bulbs, 92 control switches, 29 solenoids, 53 relays, 23 circuit breakers, and 10 fuses.

Front seats were adjustable 6 ways. Power-operated hood and rear deck lids open, closed, locked, and unlocked by switches on the instrument panel.  Other accessories included a dictaphone, radio-telephone, electric shaver, and a ten-tube signal-seeking radio.

Mercedes-Benz at the Arlberg Classic Car Rally, June 29-July 2, 2017

Mercedes-Benz 350 SLC (C 107), production period from 1972 to 1980.

Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet (W 111), production period from 1969 to 1971.

The Arlberg Classic Car Rally, which this year takes place between 29th June and 2nd July 2017, offers spectators fascinating cars against the impressive panorama of the Alps. The regularity rally for pre-1975 cars is characterised by the route through the alpine streets in the spectacular mountainous landscape and the large variety of car makes and models. This concept puts the rally at the highest level for classic cars - consistent with Arlberg, Zugspitze and other prominent alpine summits along the route.

The constant nurture of the cultural heritage of classic cars from young timers to pre-war classics is also embodied by ALL TIME STARS, the Mercedes-Benz Classic dealership. Two exclusive sporty ALL TIME STARS vehicles will take part in the 8th Arlberg Classic Car Rally for the Laureus Sport for Good charity. They are likely to be a 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet (W 111) and a 1974 350 SLC (C 107).

The classic cars will be driven by Countess Dr Towa-Christina of Bismark, Finance and Foundations expert, skiing legend Christa Kinshofer, Paralympic ski champion Markus Salcher and Paul Schif, Managing Director of Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Germany/Austria, .

ALL TIME STARS opened in 2015. The dealership's stock of Mercedes-Benz Classics ranges from pre-war classics through to young timers. Models from the 1960s and 1980s are particularly popular with customers. ALL TIME STARS ensures maximum transparency by thoroughly examining every vehicle based on 160 criteria, supplemented with a Classic Data assessment. The ALL TIME STARS are technically at least in condition 2, and are categorised into several editions.

Tyrolean Loop and Castle and Lakes Tour

The Arlberg Classic Car Rally begins on Thursday (29th June 2017) with the traditional prologue through the "Lech Canyon" following a section of road between Lech and Schoppernau which is closed to the public during the rally.This is followed on Friday (30th June 2017) by the "Tyrolean Loop". This route starts from Lech and climbs over the Hahntennjoch, through the Inn Valley and via the Fernpass. A highlight of the day is the view from the massif of the Zugspitze.

On Saturday (1st July 2017) there is the "Castle and Lakes" stage. Locations along this route include Oberammergau, the royal castles in Füssen and the Bregenz Forest. All in all the regularity rally programme includes around 600 km of road with 20 special stages. Only analogue watches can be used for timekeeping in the race where every second counts.

Also joining the starting line of the Arlberg Classic Car Rally 2017, in addition to the two ALL TIME STARS cars from Mercedes-Benz Classic, is a current Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Cabriolet (fuel consumption combined: 9.3-8.9 l/100 km, combined CO2 emissions: 218-208 g/km). For Mercedes-Benz, this marks the 50th anniversary of its sports and performance cars arm Mercedes-AMG. The exclusive high-performance car will be the pace car in the rally and will be driven by the Mercedes-Benz Brand Ambassador and racing driver Dieter Glemser. In addition, there will be many privately owned classics of the brand with the star on the starting blocks. Since its conception in 2010, the Arlberg Classic Car Rally has been won three times by teams driving Mercedes-Benz classics.

Arlberg Classic Car Rally 2017: the ALL TIME STARS vehicles

The vehicles put forward by ALL TIME STARS in the Arlberg Classic Car Rally 2017 may be subject to change at the last minute.

Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet (W 111), 1971

Even when still in production, the luxury "Tail fin" Cabriolets introduced in 1961 had a strong following with their timeless, classic appearance. This is why they remained in the Mercedes-Benz product range when most of the Saloons in the W111 series were replaced by a newly designed model generation in August 1965. With the exception of the missing roof and the necessary body reinforcements, the exclusive Cabriolets match the W 111 Coupés in every detail. In the same year the model 220 Sb was joined by the 300 SE Cabriolet with the additional trim and the technology of the model 300 SE (W 112). The 250 SE followed in 1965, the 280 SE in 1968. In September 1969 the 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet made its appearance as a considerably more powerful version. It was powered by a newly developed 3.5-litre V8 engine delivering  147 kW (200 hp), which excelled with its smooth running characteristics. The ten-year production period of the "Tail fin" Cabriolets came to an end in summer 1971. During this time, Mercedes-Benz built a total of 7013 examples of the W111 and W112-series Cabriolets in Sindelfingen.

The 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet from the Collectors Edition of the ALL TIME STARS, which Mercedes-Benz Classic is bringing to the Arlberg Classic Car Rally 2017, comes from a Mercedes-Benz collection. It was delivered in 1971 from the Mercedes-Benz agency in Munich and is painted in metallic blue with a leather interior.

Technical specifications of the Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet
Production period: 1969-1971
Cylinders: V8
Engine capacity: 3499 cc
Output: 147 kW (200 hp) at 5800 rpm
Top speed: 205 km/h

Mercedes-Benz 350 SLC (C 107), 1974

The SLC Coupés from the C107 series continue the tradition of the S-Class Coupés from Mercedes-Benz. However, they do not have the chassis from the high-end saloons of the time, but rather from the SL sports cars of the R107 series. From these open-top vehicles, the engineers created a four-seater coupé that has a longer wheelbase extended by 360 mm to 2820 mm. The C 107 places emphasis on driving safety. This includes the collision-protected tank built over the rear axle, an extra cushioned dashboard, the new four-spoke steering wheel with impact absorber and wider bolster plate for the best possible impact protection. In addition to the numerous passive safety measures, there are special wind deflectors on the front pillar and profiled rear lights. Both improve vision and visibility. The type 350 SLC was initially introduced in 1971, coming onto the market in 1972. It was followed in the same year by the 450 SLC, then finally in 1974 by the 280 SLC with 2.8-litre injection engine. In 1977 Mercedes-Benz introduced the type 450 SLC 5.0 as the new top-of-the-line model in the C107 series. Contrary to the other SLC Coupés, this vehicle, that came on the market in 1978, did not have a counterpart in the open-top R107 series. In 1980, the SLC Coupés were updated together with the Roadsters; the 450 SLC 5.0 became the 500 SLC - with an engine capacity of 4939 cubic centimetres. At the same time, the new type 380 SLC with 3.8-litre light-alloy engine replaced the 350 SLC. In the ten-year production period some 62,888 examples of the C107-series Mercedes-Benz cars were manufactured.

The 350 SLC Coupé from ALL TIME STARS, that Mercedes-Benz Classic is using in the Arlberg Classic Car Rally 2017, was first registered in 1974. The vehicle has passed its MOT, is painted in metallic beige and has a green velour interior.

Technical specification of the Mercedes-Benz 350 SLC
Production period: 1972 to 1980
Cylinders: V8
Engine capacity: 3499 cubic centimetres (3459 cubic centimetres according to the tax formula)
Output: 147 kW (200 hp) at 5800 rpm
Top speed: 210 km/h

Early Auto Crash Testing, 1953 and 1954 -- Motor Vehicle Research, Epping, NH

During the early 1950s a number of researchers began to study auto safety and design issues.  The most prominent was Hugh De Haven at Cornell University, and Amy Gangloff has told that story in the pages of Technology and Culture. There was one other research group, however, that made a number of studies and pin-pointed safety design features that could have saved thousands of lives during the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Motor Vehicle Research was the brainchild of Dean Fales at MIT and A.J. White.   The organization implemented several improvements and also pioneered the remote control of automobiles for the purpose of examining the nature of crash damage to both the vehicle and human occupants. MVR developed a safer baby seat; reinforced automobile roofs and doors. They advocated safety belts more than a decade before such belts were used in most U.S. cars. MVR developed the padded dash and recessed knobs on the dashboard. They understood the value of rubber encased windshields that popped out on impact and breakaway steering posts that wouldn't spear the brain of the driver.  Seats needed to be better find or braced within the car. These researchers also understood the value of a car stripped of chrome accessories, like hood ornaments.

Using cameras and dummies, plenty of crash assessment was done.  Among the conclusions was that car parts absorbed much of the energy at impact, a concept key to the safety of automobiles today.

Sadly, I could find not one photo on the internet to include in this post.

See the following articles in Life:
8/31/53, p.12.
4/12/54, p.1.
4/26/54, p.74.
6/7/54, p.135.

Mercedes-Benz at the Schloss Bensberg Supersports Classic, June 30 - July 2, 2017

Mercedes-Benz C 111-II experimental vehicle from 1970.

Mercedes-Benz Classic is entering two legendary sports cars in the Schloss Bensberg Supersports Classics (SBSC): the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (W 198) celebrated its premiere in 1957, whilst the experimental vehicle C 111 dates back to 1970. As part of the rally for classic sports cars and young classics up to 1997 the SBSC will also be presenting current super sports cars this year. Mercedes-AMG, the Mercedes-Benz performance brand founded 50 ago as an engineering office, is present here with two models from the Mercedes-AMG GT model series family (fuel consumption combined: 11.4 -9.3 l/100 km CO2 emissions, combined 259-216 g/km*).

Stuttgart. This year the Schloss Bensberg Supersports Classics (SBSC) rally is offering lively dialogue between historic and modern super sports models. For both at the classic rally through the Bergisches Land region on Saturday, 1 July 2017 and at the Concours d’Elégance on 2 July current super sports cars are joining the impressive parade of classic cars and young classics.

Mercedes-Benz Classic and Mercedes-AMG are offering two special couplings which illustrate the tradition of sportiness in the brand´s genes: unveiled in 1957, the classic 300 SL Roadster (W 198) is as coveted today as the Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster which premiered in spring 2017 (fuel consumption combined: 11.4 l/100 km, CO2emissions combined: 259 g/km). And the visionary power injected into the Mercedes-Benz C 111 II experimental vehicle in 1970 also characterised the Mercedes-AMG GT R in 2016 (fuel consumption combined: 11.4 l/100 km, CO2 emissions combined: 259 g/km).

The vehicles are driven and presented by personalities such as the racing drivers and Mercedes-Benz Brand Ambassadors Klaus Ludwig and Jan Seyffarth.

Princely stage for super sports models

Founded in 2009, the Schloss Bensberg Supersport Classics is being held around the Baroque hunting lodge in the Bensberg area of the town of Bergisch Gladbach. Today the 18th century palace houses the Althoff Grandhotel. The hotel, together with the specialist media "Auto Zeitung" and "Classic Cars", organises the SBSC. The event starts with a welcome for the participating vehicles on the Friday evening (30 June).

On the Saturday (1 July) the rally starts at 9 a.m. In total around 260 kilometres are covered in the Bergisches Land in this challenging regularity race. Along the route the participants can expect five checkpoint controls with presentations of the vehicles to the public in Wermelskirchen, Lindlar, Ehreshoven, Bergisch Gladbach and Blankenberg. There are also twelve allocated time stages on the rally schedule. The vehicles are expected back in the palace courtyard at around 4.30 p.m.. The modern super sports cars head the rally in front of the peleton of classic cars and young classics. Entry to all the day´s activities is free.

On the Sunday (2 July) all the vehicles participating in the rally will be presented at the Concours d’Elégance. A special presentation is devoted to the current super sports cars. Individual entry to the exclusive festival of automotive sportiness costs 8 euros (including programme booklet) and the price for families is 12 euros (maximum 2 adults and 2 children, including 1 programme booklet). Children under 14 are admitted free of charge.

Schloss Bensberg Supersport Classics 2017:
The Mercedes-Benz Classic Brand Ambassadors

Klaus Ludwig
Born on 5 October 1949 in Bonn, Germany

Honoured with the title of "King Ludwig" by his fans, the outstanding racing driver and three-times DTM Champion Klaus Ludwig began his motor racing career in the early 1970s with slalom races, orientation rallies and touring car races. His first major successes included the German Motor Racing Championship (DRM) title in 1979 and 1981, and victories in the 24-hour race at Le Mans in 1979, 1984 and 1985. Ludwig came to the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) in 1985, where he initially competed for Ford and won his first title in 1988. In 1989 he moved to the AMG-Mercedes team, with which he won two championship titles (1992 and 1994, runner-up in 1991) and a total of 19 race victories in the years up to 1994. In 1995 and 1996 he competed in the ITC (International Touring Car Championship) for Opel Team Rosberg. He subsequently returned to AMG-Mercedes, winning the driver and team trophy in the International FIA GT Championship together with Ricardo Zonta in 1998. He subsequently officially retired from motor sport, but competed once again in the new German Touring Car Masters (DTM) in 2000, ending the season and his motor racing career with a third-place finish in the overall rating in a Mercedes-Benz CLK-DTM.

Jan SeyffarthBorn on 12 July 1986 in Querfurt, Germany

The racing driver Jan Seyffarth is an official Mercedes-AMG test and development driver and an instructor at the AMG Driving Academy. Since 2015 Seyffarth has been involved in developing the Mercedes-AMG GT3, which celebrated its customer sports premiere in the same year. The racing driver brings the requisite experience through numerous successes in motorsport: back in 2003, at the age of 17, he entered the world of professional motorsport after taking 2nd place in Formula König. This was followed by wins in Formula 3 and the Vice Championship in the Porsche Carrera Cup in 2008. Since Mercedes-AMG entered customer sports in 2011 Seyffarth has been committed to this exciting world. His major successes include two 3rd places in the 24 Hours race on the Nürburgring (2013 and 2016), a victory in the VLN Nürburgring long-distance championship (2013) and 2nd place in qualifying for the 24 Hours race on the Nürburgring in 2016.

Schloss Bensberg Supersport Classics 2017:
Mercedes-Benz Classic vehicles

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (W 198, 1957-1963)

At the Geneva Motor Show In March 1957 Mercedes-Benz unveiled the 300 SL Roadster (W 198) as the successor to the 300 SL (W 198) "Gullwing" Coupé unveiled in 1954. On a technical level, the open-top sports car was very like the Coupé, although the modified space frame allowed the installation of conventionally attached doors, which were necessary for open-top driving. The suspension was likewise modified: the single-joint swing axle with lowered pivot point on the 300 SL Roadster was equipped with a compensating spring for the first time. From 1958 onwards the roadster was also available with a detachable coupé roof on request. It was from the standard-production 300 SL Roadster that the Mercedes-Benz engineers developed the 300 SLS racing variant with which Paul O’Shea won Category D of the American Sports Car Championship in 1957. So we´ve come full circle, as the model series 198 of the 300 SL is based on the W 194 racing car of the same name which was used very successfully in motorsport in 1952. Production of the 300 SL Roadster was discontinued in 1963 after seven years, during which time only 1858 units of the highly exclusive sports car were built.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster technical data

Produced: 1957-1963
Cylinders: 6/inline
Displacement: 2996 cc
Output: 158 kW (215 hp)
Top speed: up to 250 km/h

Mercedes-Benz C 111-II experimental vehicle (1970)

Mercedes-Benz presented the C 111 at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in September 1969. With its extreme wedge shape and gullwing doors, the research vehicle had a glass-fibre-reinforced plastic body and was powered by a three-rotor Wankel engine with an output of 206 kW (280 hp). This futuristic sports car could reach a speed of up to 270 km/h. The following year, the revised C 111-II version was shown at the Geneva Motor Show – except now with a four-rotor Wankel engine delivering 257 kW (350 hp). This version could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 300 km/h. It was this second version of the research vehicle that served as the basis for a V8 variant of the C 111 containing the M 116 production engine with  147 kW(200 hp). Mercedes-Benz engineers and technicians used the car for the purposes of comparison with the rotary-engined sports car. Despite numerous orders, the C 111 remained a purely experimental vehicle and never entered production. Mercedes-Benz instead went on to develop a series of record-breaking vehicles based upon it: the C 111-II D (1976) and the C 111-III (1977–1978, both with a five-cylinder turbodiesel engine) and the C 111-IV (1979, V8 petrol engine with turbocharging).

Technical data for the Mercedes-Benz C 111-II (standard version)
Cylinders: four-rotor Wankel engine
Chamber volume: 2400 cc
Output: 257 kW (350 hp)
Top speed: around 300 km/h

Porsche at Le Mans, 2017

At 18:30 on Saturday evening the Le Mans 24-Hours looked over for the Porsche 919 Hybrid of Earl Bamber (NZ), Timo Bernhard (DE) and Brendon Hartley (NZ). Their car had no front axle drive anymore, was repaired for 1.05 hours and rejoined the race 18 laps behind. But the 85th running of the endurance classic in Le Mans produced such dramatic changes that the impossible ultimately came true: After an enormous effort, the trio sliced through the field from 56th position to overall victory. For Le Mans record holder Porsche, it is the 19th overall win in the world’s toughest race and the third in a row meaning the German manufacturer can now keep the famous trophy.

For Earl Bamber it is his second Le Mans overall win at the wheel of the Porsche 919 Hybrid after 2015. Timo Bernhard also scores his second Le Mans overall win. Following on from his maiden win in 2010 when he was loaned to Audi, he had dreamed to repeat it one day with Porsche. Brendon Hartley was arguably the hungriest of this year’s six Porsche LMP works driver squad as his name had yet to be engraved onto the big trophy.

How the final phase went for car number 2:

When the number 1 sister car stops on track soon after 11am after having led the race for more than ten hours, the time for the hunters had arrived. Hartley continuously improves during a multiple stint. After 312 laps, he comes in for his final refuelling stop then after 325 laps he hands over the car in fourth position to Bernhard. At 12:50pm, the 919 Hybrid is back on the same lap as the leading car – it is race lap 330. After all LMP1 hybrid works cars have either retired or been delayed, an LMP2 leads outright. After 338 laps Bernhard comes in for fuel and on lap 347 he takes the lead. His penultimate refuelling stop is after 351 laps before a final splash & dash after 360 laps. After 367 laps in total Bernhard takes the chequered flag to fulfil a dream.

The hat-trick is complete, now we can keep the #LeMans24 winners trophy issued to @earlbamber @Timo_Bernhard @BrendonHartley @fritzenzinger pic.twitter.com/ONHSsWam3O

— Porsche LMP1 Team (@Porsche_Team) 18. Juni 2017

 

Quotes after the race:

Michael Steiner, Board Member Research and Development, Porsche AG:“The ‘triple’ in Le Mans is a dream come true for Porsche and the way this third consecutive win happened is very special. I’m proud of the Porsche Team that kept fighting despite the long stop for repairs. This success also came about thanks to strong E performance and innovative hybrid technology.”

Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1: “One of our ambitious targets for the 2017 season was to achieve a hat-trick at Le Mans. But what we have gone through over the past 24 hours, you could not imagine in your wildest dreams. This 24-hour race just pushed everything and everyone to the limit. It is unbelievable what you can achieve in a focussed team effort. Sometimes it is not the fastest car but the best team performance that makes the difference. This team is the best of all and made today’s success possible. The reaction from everywhere is overwhelming – from Porsche employees and also around the world. Personally I can only say thank you to Porsche for putting me in the position to set up such a great programme and thanks to every single team member for the total support and the great team spirit.”

Andreas Seidl, Team Principal: “It’s hard to find words for what happened. The drivers and the entire team have done an amazing job. We can put two tough weeks behind us that provided some highs and lows but we fought with typical Porsche spirit. It will take some time for what we have achieved today to sink in. We’ve now won Le Mans three times in a row which is just sensational. The team worked relentlessly for this over the past twelve months. Toyota was a very strong competitor. They pushed us to the limits and beyond and we both paid the price. It is a sad that Neel Jani, André Lotterer and Nick Tandy retired from the race because they controlled it for a long time. But Earl Bamber, Brendon Hartley and especially Timo Bernhard deserved to take the race win. Timo was the development driver right from the beginning of the programme. After the long repairs, the three of them kept fighting and were ultimately rewarded.”

Drivers Porsche 919 Hybrid car number 2

Earl Bamber (26, New Zealand): “I can’t believe we’ve managed to pull this one off having been at the back of the field after an hour in the pit-box. Both Brendon and Timo have been part of the Porsche LMP programme from the beginning while this victory is as much down to the guys in the pits. Without their hard work we wouldn’t have got back racing again so this win is down to them.”

Timo Bernhard (36, Germany): “It feels surreal. When I joined Porsche as a junior driver back in 1999, I carefully developed the dream to perhaps one day get the chance to fight for overall victory at Le Mans. I hoped I would be good enough to really do this one day. Now, 18 years later, we have achieved it together. The final lap was very emotional for me. It will take some time before I realize what has happened.”

Brendon Hartley (27, New Zealand): "Le Mans is one crazy race. The mechanics worked incredibly hard on Saturday evening to get our car repaired in super fast time and since that moment Timo, Earl and myself, together with our engineers, have been pushing hard, 100% every second, and desperately hoped that our efforts would somehow pay off.”

GT class

With an admirable debut at the Le Mans 24 Hours witnessed by 258,000 fans, the new Porsche 911 RSR demonstrated its potential and reliability. The race car led the field over long distances and was on course for a podium result until shortly before the flag. However, after 340 laps full of thrills and drama on the legendary 13.629-kilometre Circuit des 24 Heures, Richard Lietz (Austria) and his French teammates Frédéric Makowiecki and Patrick Pilet had to settle for fourth place in the fiercely cutthroat GTE-Pro class. An additional pit stop due to tyre damage an hour before the finish robbed them of all hopes in achieving a podium spot at the toughest automobile race in the world.

In glorious summer weather and temperatures of around 30 degrees Celsius, 60 vehicles were sent on their way at 15.00 hours on Saturday in the 24-hour chase in the department of Sarthe in western France. The two new 911 RSR, which were fielded for the first time at Le Mans by the Porsche GT Team, completed the first third of the race with any major problems. The only incident on the Circuit des 24 Heures, which throws very special challenges at drivers with its combination of a permanent racetrack and normal national roads, was when the #92 Porsche 911 RSR became entangled in a collision. In the ultra-fast corner 1, it was hit by a competitor and had to return to the pits. Prior to this, Michael Christensen (Denmark), Kévin Estre (France) and Dirk Werner (Germany) had at times been running in second place. Thanks to a perfect race strategy and fast pit stops, the time that was lost was virtually recovered. Their charge, however, was finally halted during the night: After 179 laps and the occasional stint in the lead, Michael Christensen (Denmark) lost control of his 911 RSR while kerb-hopping in the Ford chicane and crashed into the barriers with the rear of his car.

Shortly before the end of the race, Frédéric Makowiecki was running in third place

In the second half of the race, however, their teammates in the #91 Porsche 911 RSR took up the leadership role. On Sunday morning, Patrick Pilet moved into the top position of the very strong GT field for the first time, with Richard Lietz and Frédéric Makowiecki also turning laps at the lead over long distances. In the final stages of the race, all signs looked promising for at least a podium result. With one-and-a-half hours to go before the flag, Frédéric Makowiecki was running in third place. And this is how the race might have ended had a puncture one hour before the end not forced the vehicle back into the pits for an unscheduled pit stop. The fight for the podium was lost.

In the GTE-Am class, Porsche customer teams fielded four 2015-spec 911 RSR. The best result was secured by the 911 campaigned by Dempsey Proton Racing in sixth. Sharing the cockpit of the #77 car was Porsche Young Professional Matteo Cairoli (Italy) with the German racing drivers Christian Ried and Marvin Dienst.

The Porsche 911 RSR of Richard Lietz, Patrick Pilet and Frederic Makowiecki

 

Comments on the race

Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars: “This was our first time at Le Mans with our new 911 RSR and I think we delivered a good performance. It’s a shame that we lost our #92 car in the night due to an accident. It’s also a pity that our #91 vehicle only managed fourth place at the end, although the drivers and team had done everything and the vehicle had even led over long distances. But then tyre damage hit and on top of that we were a little unlucky with a slow zone. That cost us the chance of a better placing, but we’ll be back next year.”

Drivers 911 RSR #91

Richard Lietz: “It’s tough when you give your best and to stand there empty-handed in the end. Our 911 RSR performed well in the corners as expected, but in the high temperatures we lost time to our rivals on the straights. The whole team deserves a huge thank you, because the preparation for Le Mans was extremely hard. Our mechanics really did everything they could. It was an exciting race and I hope we’ll be able to compete for a podium spot next year. Fourth place this year is okay, it gives us important points towards the championship and things are looking good for us in this respect.”

Patrick Pilet: “It was a hard, difficult race. We all did our very best and we can’t blame ourselves. From our side it was a perfect race. The drivers didn’t make any mistakes out on the racetrack and the team gave us tremendous support. Our 911 RSR ran well on this demanding circuit. Over the entire race we only came in to the pits to refuel and change the tyres. A podium spot would have been a great result for the team, but it wasn’t to be. We’ll return next year even stronger.”

Frédéric Makowiecki: “It was a good race. The whole team worked brilliantly. We tried literally everything to reach the podium. Unfortunately it wasn’t quite enough. Still, the Le Mans 24-hour race was once again an unforgettable experience.”

Drivers 911 RSR #92

Michael Christensen: “That was an unbelievably tough race. We were driving at the limit the entire time and you had to take big risks to keep up with the opposition. In the chicane I risked a little too much. It’s a shame because our 911 RSR was running well and we were up with the frontrunners. I’m sorry for the whole team who gave us such great support.”

Kévin Estre: “Le Mans is the world’s toughest automobile race. We saw it again this year. It always hurts when you don’t reach the finish line. But at Le Mans it’s particularly painful.”

Dirk Werner: “We really picked up the pace over the course of the race. At times we were even in the lead. It’s a shame we didn’t make it to the flag. But as a racing driver you simply have to accept retirements. However, we’ll work hard so that we can come back next year even stronger.”

Customer team drivers

Patrick Long (911 RSR #93, Proton Competition): “The handling of the 911 RSR was very good over the entire race. The only place we couldn’t match the pace of our opponents was on the straights. We put pressure on right to the end and the team gave their utmost. We can be proud of our effort. We’ve all enjoyed the unique atmosphere of this race.”

Matteo Cairoli (911 RSR #77, Dempsey Proton Racing): “I was determined to finish on the podium at my first Le Mans attempt. In the beginning everything was going well for us, but in the night we had a technical problem that threw us back. Still, we were able to finish the race and earn important points towards the championship. And I fulfilled my dream to race at Le Mans. I hope we come back in 2018.”

Race result

All scores: http://www.fiawec.com/en/season/result/4116
All results: http://fiawec.alkamelsystems.com

GTE-Pro class

1. Turner/Adam/Serra (GB/GB/BRA), Aston Martin, 340 laps
2. Priaulx/Tincknell/Derani (GB/GB/BRA), Ford GT, 340
3. Magnussen/Garcia/Taylor (DK/E/USA), Chevrolet Corvette, 340
4. Lietz/Makowiecki/Pilet (A/F/F), Porsche 911 RSR, 340
5. Rigon/Bird/Molina (I/GB/E), Ferrari 488 GTE, 340
6. Hand/Müller/Kanaan (USA/D/BRA), Ford GT, 339
7. Briscoe/Westbrook/Dixon (AUS/GB/AUS), Ford GT, 337
8. Gavin/Milner/Fässler (GB/USA/CH), Chevrolet Corvette, 335
9. Thiim/Soerensen/Stanaway (DK/DK/NZ), Aston Martin, 334
10. Mücke/Pla/Johnson (D/F/USA), Ford GT, 332
12. Christensen/Estre/Werner (DK/F/D), Porsche 911 RSR, 179

GTE-Am class

1. Smith/Stevens/Vanthoor (GB/GB/B), Ferrari 488 GTE, 333 laps
2. Cameron/Scott/Cioci (GB/GB/I), Ferrari 488 GTE, 331
3. Yoluc/Hankey/Bell (TR/IRL/GB), Aston Martin, 331
6. Ried/Cairoli/Dienst (D/I/D), Porsche 911 RSR, 329
9. Long/Al Faisal/Hedlund (USA/KSA/USA), Porsche 911 RSR, 329
10. Wainwright/Barker/Foster (GB/GB/GB), Porsche 911 RSR, 328

Bob McKenzie -- Transcontinental Speed Record Holder during the 1930s

Cannon Ball Baker -- Abe Jenkins -- and Bob McKenzie.  All transcontinental and endurance drivers during the decade of the 1930s, the last decade that featured these "competitions" until Brock Yates' resurrection of the idea with the Cannon Ball Rally in the early 1970s. So let's learn something about a great driver now largely forgotten, Bob McKenzie.

Bob McKenzie's business card, featuring some of his notable driving achievements.

THANKS TO ANDY BECKMAN AT THE STUDEBAKER NATIONAL MUSEUM FOR THIS AND THE FOLLOWING IMAGE

Bob's last major accomplishment, taking a 1948 Playboy (made in Buffalo, NY) on a New York to LA trip in 62 hours, 20 minutes.

AS A STUDENT AT CARNEGIE TECH IN PITTSBURGH, YOUNG BOB MCKENZIE BECAME INTERESTED IN AUTO RACING AND IN PARTICULAR THE EXPLOITS OF CANNON BALL BAKER. DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL, MCKENZIE PURCHASED A WILLYS 77 IN OCTOBER 1931. ON OCTOBER 30 HE STARTED OUT AT THE BRIDGE IN TOTTENVILLE , LI, AND TIMED BY WESTERN UNION BEGAN HIS FIRST TRANSCONTINENTAL QUEST. AFTER AN ACCIDENT IN WASHINGTON PA, BOB'S FIRST TRY ENDED, BUT HE RETURNED TO NY IN A NEW CAR.

WITH JOE HARBERTH AS AN OBSERVER, MCKENZIE SPED THROUGH INDIANAPOLIS; SPRINGFIELD, IL; TOPEKA AND DODGE CITY, KS, AND ON THE THRID DAY ARRIVED AT ASCOT SPEEDWAY IN LA. RESTING FOR 15 MINUTES, HE POINTED HIS CAR EAST, BUT SOON LEARNED THAT THE RETURN TRIP WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT. EATING ONLY PEANUTS AND STAYING AWAKE BY REMAINING HUNGRY, HE ROLLED INTO NYC 5 DAYS AFTER THE ORIGINAL DEPARTURE, 135 HOURS AND 22 MINUTES COAST TO COAST TO COAST.  BOB DROVE ALL BUT 8 HOURS!

THE FOLLOWING YEAR BOB PLANNED A NEW ADVENTURE, DRIVING A HUDSON ESSEX THAT WAS FITTED WITH AN EXTRA FUEL TANK, STRONGER REAR SPINGS, AND A SPOTLIGHT.  THIS TIME THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED ALONG THE WAY, AS HE WAS STOPPED IN SALINAS, KS AS A SUSPECT IN A BANK ROBBERY. THREE HOURS LATER HE WAS EXONERATED, WENT ON, ONLY TO ROLL DOWN A MOUNTAINSIDE EAST OF OATMAN AZ.  THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN A DAMAGED HEADLIGHT, DENTED FENDERS AND TRUNK, AND JAMMED DOORS. HIS RETURN TRIP ENDED WITH  A RECORD OF 60 HOURS AND 26 MINUTES -- AND HE MET CANNON BALL BAKER WHILE DRIVING THROUGH INDIANAPOLIS.

LATER TRIPS WOULD INCLUDE DRIVING AN AUBURN IN 1933, STUDEBAKER DICTATOR IN 1934, A FORD V-8 ROADSTER, AND A 1936 CHEVROLET THAT SET  A NEW REORD.IN 1936 MCKENZIE WOULD TAKE A HUDSON FROM LA TO NY IN 51 HOURS AND 58 MINUTES. HE DROVE ON STUDEBAKER DICTATOR FROM LOS ANGLES TO SAVANNAH IN 49 HOURS AND 37 MINUTES. PASSING THROUGH PHOENIX, FORT WORTH, MERIDIAN MS, AND MACON, GA, ON THE WAY TO HIS END DESTINATION OF SAVANNAH, MCKENZIE COVERED 2870 MILES.  THE DECEMBER 14, 1934 STUDEBAKER NEWS, REPORTED A TRIP THROUGH OKLAHOMA WHILE VISITING STUDEBAKER AMD FIRESTONE DEALERS, AVERGIING 55 MILES PER HOUR. DURING THAT TRIP HE STOPPED IN OKLAHOMA CITY, LAWTON, CLINTON, CHICASHA, ENID, PONCA CITY GUTHRIE AND OTHER TOWNS.

AFTER ALL OF THE THEATRICS, HE WOULD HEAD UP A BLACK CAT THRILL SHOW.  IN 1939 HE DROVE THROUGH 48 STATES IN 9 DAYS AND 21 HOURS.

WERE THESE EVENTS MIMICKING AVIATION SPEED TRIALS DURNG THE SAME DECADE? EMPHASIS WAS NOT ONLY ON SPEED BUT ECONOMY DURING THE 1930S. MCKENZIE  USED A VACUMATIC CARBURETOR  DURING THE 1930S THAT WAS ADVERTISED IN POPULAR SCIENCE MAGAZINE, IN WHICH HE CLAIMED ENHANCED FUEL ECONOMY (BY ADDING A BURST OF OXYGEN).

Hollywood Star Power and the Jaguar XK-120

There were many reasons why a certain group of Americans became enamored with sports cars during the 1950s.  While we often think of the MG-TC and MG-TD and early sports car racing, with out question the high point of British Sports cars during the early 1950s had to be the Jaguar XK-120 and successor XK-140. Hollywood stars enhanced the desirability of this car, as the following photographs illustrate:

Stephen Bograt says goodbye to parents Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart

Tyrone Power and his Jaguar

Another Tyrone Power photograph note the impressive badges and foglight

Elizabeth Taylor in Michael Wilding's Jaguar XK120, 1952

Clark Gable and his Jaguar

Resistance to the Purchase of Foreign Cars during the 1950s

Hi folks -- there was quite a persistent resistance to the purchase of foreign cars by many Americans during the 1950s.  Later, I remember quite well my cousin arguing with me about the lack of reliability and availability of parts when I considered buying a used MGA during the mid-1960s.

Here is an excerpt from a letter to the Editor of Speed Age, January 1953:

Glossary for the potential owner of a foreign car:

Please don't touch the car -- You don't look prosperous enough.

Can't get enough of them -- Dealer's Car.

Needs a slight adjustment -- Anything falling off or a part.

Filter cartridge -- Expecting them in.

Spare Bulbs and gaskets -- Expecting them in.

Spark plugs -- Just sold the last set.

This guy is a foreign car expert -- He reads Autocar.

He takes his time and does a good job -- See your banker again.

She'll be OK now -- You won't get home.

Mercedes-Benz at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, 2017

Mercedes-Benz Model S (W 06) at Sankt Hubertus forester’s lodge in Nürburg, headquarters of the Daimler-Benz racing team for the German Grand Prix for sports cars at the Nürburgring, 17 July 1927.

AMG 300 SEL 6.8 (W 109), authentic replica of the 1971 racing tourer, at Arlberg Classic 2013.

With a dozen racing cars and sporty vehicles from over 100 years, Mercedes-Benz Classic sums up the motto of this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed: "Peaks of Performance – Motorsport's Game-Changers" celebrates competition vehicles that have written racing history with their exceptional design. The spectrum ranges from the Mercedes-Simplex 40 PS of 1903 to Lewis Hamilton's MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W04 of 2013. In the year of its 50th anniversary, Mercedes-AMG is also strongly represented at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which takes place from 29 June to 2 July 2017 at Goodwood in the south of England.

Stuttgart. Racing history is always also the history of innovation. This is made clear in a fascinating way by the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2017 with this year's motto "Peaks of Performance – Motorsport's Game-Changers". For, in the fight to gain fractions of a second, engineers have time and again extended the limits of what is technically feasible. And the most successful racing cars to be designed in this way have been genuine game-changers that create new conditions for motorsport and, sometimes, standard-production vehicles.

This year, Mercedes-Benz Classic will have a strong presence at the "world's biggest automotive garden party", showing how such racing milestones have characterised the brand's sportiness for almost 115 years. The large number of vehicles also demonstrates the enduring importance of innovative solutions from the world of racing when it comes to innovation in series production. For example, the Mercedes-Simplex 40 PS of 1903 would have been unthinkable without the Mercedes 35 PS from 1901, which was the world's first modern automobile and at that time dominated the important Nice Racing Week, its victories laying the foundation stone for the success of Mercedes-Simplex models and revolutionising the development of the motor vehicle.

Since then, the history of the brand has seen a succession of pioneering developments in the fields of racing and standard-production sports cars. Mercedes-Benz Classic brings this legacy to life at the Goodwood Festival of Speed with vehicles from across the ages and from different racing formats – including today's high-performance automobiles from Mercedes-AMG.

While some of the vehicles presented by Mercedes-Benz Classic in Goodwood will be on static display, others will be in live action on the hill-climb track with brand ambassadors such as Roland Asch, Ellen Lohr, Jochen Mass, Bernd Schneider and Karl Wendlinger at the wheel.

From the privately owned Mercedes Grand Prix racing car of 1914 (triple triumph at the French Grand Prix) to the Mercedes-Benz Model S, which was unveiled 90 years ago (the first of the legendary "White Elephants"), the range of vehicles on show also includes Lewis Hamilton's modern-day Formula One racer MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W04 from 2013.

Mercedes-Benz Classic is also bringing to Sussex two iconic Silver Arrows from the 1930s (W 25 of 1934 and W 125 of 1937), which dominated Grand Prix racing in their day. In addition, the AMG 300 SEL 6.8 from 1971, in the form of an authentic replica, and the Penske-Mercedes PC 23 indy car from 1994 bear testimony to the masterly technical achievements of the engineers. Another spotlight will be on three racing tourers used in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) and based on the W 201, W 202 and W 203 model series.

Two genuine game-changers are currently also up for sale on ALL TIME STARS, the vehicle trading platform of Mercedes-Benz Classic – both being allowed to make the trip to Goodwood before they find a new owner. One of them is a Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II from 1990, while the other is an AMG Mercedes C-Class racing tourer (W 203) from the 2005 DTM season.

50 years of AMG

At Mercedes-Benz, the powerful, design-based relationship between sportiness and racing is today epitomised in particular by the performance and sports car brand Mercedes-AMG. It was 50 years ago that Hans-Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher founded the AMG company as an "engineering office". This golden anniversary will be celebrated by Mercedes-AMG at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2017 with the impressive presence of numerous high-performance vehicles. These include the four-door hybrid show car AMG GT Concept, the Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster and the Mercedes-AMG GT R (fuel consumption, combined: 11.4 -9.3 l/100 km CO2 emissions, combined 259-216 g/km) and the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series, which was unveiled in 2013. In addition, reigning Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas, current Formula One driver with MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, will be competing on the hill-climb track in an F1 W05 Hybrid Silver Arrow from 2014.

Automotive nobility

Since 1993, Lord March (full title: Charles Gordon Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara) has opened the doors of his country estate to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The four-day festival has long since established itself as one of the main attractions in the global event calendar for classic cars. Visitors can enjoy extraordinarily close contact with both vehicles and drivers. Festival highlights include the races on the historic hill-climb track, the paddock (open to all visitors) with exclusive sporty vehicles from all eras and categories as well as other programme items such as drives on the rally section in the forest on the estate.

Goodwood House and the adjoining park have been in the possession of the Richmond family since 1697. The 9th Duke of Richmond, a passionate racing driver known as "Freddie" to his motorsport contemporaries, established the Goodwood circuit on the nearby airfield after the Second World War. That is where famous races were held from 1948 until 1966. His grandson, the current Earl of March and Kinrara, has successfully revived Goodwood's motorsport tradition with the Festival of Speed (since 1993) and the Goodwood Revival Meeting (since 1998).

The Goodwood Festival of Speed begins on the Thursday (29 June 2017) with the traditional "Moving Motor Show", at which current standard-production vehicles are presented. For the first time in the history of the festival, the Thursday will also see super sports cars competing on the hill-climb track. On the Friday (30 June 2017), the hill-climb track will host races for outstanding sports vehicles of all types "from past, present and the near future", as described by the organiser. On the Saturday (1 July 2017), modern-day racing cars and super sports cars will compete for the fastest lap time — with the crowning finale on the Sunday (2 July 2017), when the fastest time of the festival will be determined.

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2017:
Mercedes-Benz Classic vehicles

The ALL TIME STARS vehicles on show at the Goodwood Festival of Speed are subject to change at short notice.

Mercedes-Simplex 40 HP, 1903

The Mercedes-Simplex 40 HP was launched in March 1902, superseding the legendary Mercedes 35 HP. The suffix "Simplex" was intended to indicate how easy the new model was to operate for its time. Its direct predecessor had defined the motor car's distinctive form for the first time. Characteristic features included the long wheelbase, the light and powerful engine installed low down and the honeycomb radiator integrated organically into the front end, which was to become distinctive for the brand. The Mercedes 35 PS marked the end of the "horse carriage" style that had dominated the industry and is thus considered to be the first modern car. From the very start, the new Mercedes-Simplex was successful in motorsport, with the Englishman E. T. Stead winning the Nice–La Turbie hill climb. In the mile race, the 40 PS models attained speeds of over 100 km/h. Delivered in 1903, the white example from the Mercedes-Benz Classic collection is one of the oldest-preserved vehicles bearing the Mercedes brand.

Technical data of Mercedes-Simplex 40 PSProduction period: 1902 to 1910
Cylinders: 4/in-line
Displacement: 6785 cc Output: 29 kW (40 hp) at 1100 rpm
Top speed: 100 km/h

Mercedes Grand Prix racing car, 1914

On 4 July 1914, Mercedes celebrated a triple triumph at the French Grand Prix. The race over the 37.6-kilometre circuit to the south of Lyons was contested by Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft with its newly developed Grand Prix racing car. The race consisted of 20 laps of the challenging circuit over a distance of more than 750 kilometres, with Mercedes facing allegedly unassailable competition. Despite Theodor Pilette and Max Sailer being forced to retire after technical problems, Christian Lautenschlager, Louis Wagner and Otto Salzer in the other cars finished first, second and third after over seven hours at the wheel: the first triple triumph in the history of motorsport. As the rules for the first time stipulated a maximum displacement of 4.5 litres, Mercedes developed an all-new four-cylinder engine with overhead camshaft as well as two intake and two exhaust valves per cylinder. The racing engine had a peak output of 78 kW (106 hp) at a revolutionary high engine speed of 3100 rpm.

Technical data of Mercedes Grand Prix racing carPeriod of use: 1914 to 1922
Cylinders: 4/in-line
Displacement: 4483 cc
Output: 78 kW (106 hp)
Top speed: 180 km/h

Mercedes-Benz Model S (W 06), 1927

The Mercedes-Benz Model S of 1927 was the first in a series of supercharged sports cars that were nicknamed "White Elephants" and which dominated motorsport in the late 1920s, achieving world fame. The "S" stood for Sport, which says it all. Its first race outing – the inaugural race at the Nürburgring on 19 June 1927 – resulted in a triple victory for Mercedes-Benz. The winner was Rudolf Caracciola, who went on to become the most successful racing driver of the pre-war era. Other triumphs for the brand included a triple victory at the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring on 17 July 1927. Although the racing version of the Model S was reserved for works drivers, it was also available as an exclusive road-going sports car that numerous private drivers successfully drove in competitions. A total of 146 units were built up until 1928. Two models based on the Model S (for "Sport) were produced in 1928 – the SS (for "Super Sport") and the SSK, with SSK standing for "Super Sport Kurz" ("Kurz" meaning "short") – followed by the SSKL in 1931, with SSKL standing for "Super Sport Kurz Leicht" ("Kurz Leicht" meaning "short, light").

Technical data of Mercedes-Benz Model S
Production period: 1927 to 1928
Cylinders: 6/in-line
Displacement: 6789 cc
Output: 88 kW (120 hp), with compressor  132 kW (180 hp) at 3000 rpm
Top speed: 170 km/h

Mercedes-Benz 750-kilogram racing car (W 25), 1934

The W 25 was the first Mercedes-Benz racing car for the new Grand Prix formula that came into effect in 1934 and which stipulated a maximum weight of 750 kilograms. The designers at Mercedes-Benz opted for a traditional vehicle architecture, with the front-installed engine transferring its power to the rear wheels via a transmission on the rear axle. The eight-cylinder in-line engine initially had a displacement of 3.4 litres and was equipped with a supercharger of the kind that had already proved extremely successful on the race track. Legend has it that, overnight, the mechanics sanded off the white paint in order to meet the required weight limit – thanks to its silvery aluminium skin, which now gleamed in the sunshine, the car soon earned the nickname Silver Arrow. With Manfred von Brauchitsch at the wheel, the car was victorious on its very first outing, thereby establishing the unique success story of the Silver Arrows. The W 25 was used from 1934 until 1936, during which time it underwent continuous further development. In 1935, it helped Rudolf Caracciola to win the European championship.

Technical data of Mercedes-Benz 750-kilogram racing car W 25Period of use: 1934 to 1936
Cylinders: 8/in-line
Displacement: 3360 to 4740 cc
Output: 260 kW (354 hp) to 363 kW (494 hp)
Top speed: around 300 km/h

Mercedes-Benz 750-kilogram racing car (W 125), 1937

When it started to become clear in the 1936 season that, despite two Grand Prix victories, the W 25 was no longer competitive, the racing department was given its own Technical Director: Rudolf Uhlenhaut. Together with his team, he immediately embarked on the development of a fundamentally new racing car. Having thoroughly tested the W 25 under racing conditions, for the successor W 125 Uhlenhaut chose a revolutionary chassis design with rigid frame, soft suspension and strong damping. The eight-cylinder in-line engine, too, was meticulously improved and, after being equipped with a supercharger and having its displacement increased to 5.7 litres, developed an output of up to  475 kW (646 hp). It was the late 1980s before the same level of engine output was again attained by a Grand Prix racing car. The new Silver Arrow was triumphant in its very first race, the Grand Prix of Tripoli (Libya), with Hermann Lang at the wheel, and went on to dominate the rest of the 1937 racing season. In the end, Rudolf Caracciola won his second European Grand Prix championship.

Technical data of Mercedes-Benz 750-kilogram racing car W 125Period of use: 1937
Cylinders: 8/in-line
Displacement: 5663 cc
Output: up to 475 kW (646 hp)
Top speed: 320 km/h

AMG 300 SEL 6.8 (W 109), 1971

At the wheel of the AMG 300 SEL 6.8 racing tourer, Hans Heyer and Clemens Schickentanz posted a totally surprising class victory on the very first outing in the 24-Hour Race at Spa–F rancorchamps in Belgium on 24 July 1971 and took second place in the overall classification. The winning car was developed by the then virtually unknown AMG, founded in 1967 by Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher in Grossaspach. The modified vehicle was based on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 which, with an output of  184 kW (250 hp), was absolutely unrivalled in its day. Yet AMG made what was at that time Germany's fastest standard-production automobile even more powerful, the displacement being increased from 6330 to 6835 cc, while the output from the revised V8 engine rose to  315 kW (428 hp). The triumph in the race at Spa marked the breakthrough for AMG and was to be followed by further victories. Although the original vehicle from 1971 is no longer in existence, this faithful replica, produced in 2006, impressively illustrates the start of a success story that has endured for 50 years.

Technical data of AMG 300 SEL 6.8Cylinders: V8
Displacement: 6835 cc
Output: 315 kW (428 hp)
Top speed: 265 km/h

Penske-Mercedes PC 23 IndyCar, 1994

In 1994, the Penske-Mercedes PC 23 was victorious in the legendary Indianapolis 500 on the oval circuit (Indy 500). The last time a Mercedes racing car had won this prestigious title was when, in 1915, Ralph de Palma triumphed in a Mercedes 4.5-litre Grand Prix racer from 1914. The all-new eight-cylinder turbo engine with 754 kW (1026 hp), the valves of which were controlled via pushrods by a camshaft in the engine block, exploited a loophole in the rules: engines that followed this antiquated design principle were allowed to be operated with a higher boost pressure. This gave the Penske-Mercedes team an extra output of around  147 kW (200 hp) compared to the competition. Al Unser jr. won the 1994 Indianapolis 500 in the PC 23, which weighed just 703 kilograms, at an average speed of 258.9 km/h. After this spectacular victory, the rules were immediately changed, and the Indy 500 of 1994 remained the only outing for the V8 engine.

Technical data of Penske-Mercedes PC 23 IndyCarPeriod of use: 1994
Cylinders: V8
Displacement: 3429 cc
Output: 754 kW (1026 hp)
Top speed: 412 km/h

Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II (W 201), 1990

For use in the German Touring Car Championship, the 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution was produced in 1989 on the basis of the Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3-16. As the name of the car suggests, there was now a new engine under the bonnet: the 2.5-litre 16-valve powerplant had an output of up to 250 kW (340 hp). In August 1989, work began on the second stage of development, "EVO II", in an in-house department called Mercedes-Benz sport technik (st). To meet the regulation weight of 1040 kilograms, almost the entire interior was taken out, with a safety cage being installed instead. Kevlar was used for numerous body parts, such as the bonnet, boot lid and spoiler. Now with an output of 274 kW (373 hp), the "EVO II" made its racing debut on 16 June 1990 on the "Nordschleife" of the Nürburgring – in the 1992 season, Klaus Ludwig won the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) in the car.

The "EVO II" presented by ALL TIME STARS at the Goodwood Festival of Speed is an especially sought-after and rare young classic car. Like all of the 502 units (the number required for homologation), the vehicle is painted in "blue-black metallic".

Technical data of Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II, standard-production vehicleCylinders: 4/in-line
Displacement: 2463 cc
Output: 173 kW (235 hp) at 7200 rpm
Top speed: around 250 km/h

AMG-Mercedes C-Class racing tourer (W 202), 1994

In 1994, Mercedes-Benz contested the DTM with a new racing tourer based on the C-Class Saloon W 202. Underneath the reinforced monocoque body with welded steel safety cage, the vehicle boasted some thoroughbred racing technology: the new high-performance machine was based, in accordance with the rules, on a standard-production engine. The engineers at AMG designed a V6 engine that was developed from the 4.2-litre V8 powerplant M 119 and which, with 2500 cc, complied with the prescribed engine size limit. Rotating at up to 11,000 rpm, the engine transferred its power through a sequentially shifting transmission. For reasons of weight, the bonnet, boot lid and aerodynamic attachments were made of carbon fibre/kevlar. In 1994, Klaus Ludwig was crowned German Touring Car Champion in the same vehicle. The following year, Mercedes-Benz competed in the DTM and ITC with the further-developed racing tourer – Bernd Schneider won both series of races, with Mercedes-Benz winning the constructors' championships.

Technical data of AMG Mercedes C-Class racing tourerPeriod of use: 1994 to 1996
Cylinders: V6
Displacement: 2499 cc
Output: 324 kW (440 hp)
Top speed: 300 km/h

AMG Mercedes C-Class racing tourer (W 203), 2005

The new DTM having been set up in the 2000 season under the name "German Touring Car Masters", the teams initially competed in silhouette vehicles based on two-door coupés. Beginning in 2004, four-door saloons based on the W 203 model series were then used. The competition vehicle had a load-bearing space frame with roof and side walls of steel, in which the driver's safety cell was integrated. The exterior panels and attachments were made from lightweight and resistant carbon fibre plastic. The new racing tourer was powered by a V8 engine that had already since 2000 proved successful in the DTM vehicle based on the CLK. The C-Class racing tourer was further optimised for the 2005 season, with, among other things, its overall weight being reduced by 30 kilograms and with both the body length and the wheelbase being increased. Gary Paffett won the DTM drivers' title in 2005, while, in the following year, Bernd Schneider was crowned German Touring Car Champion for the fifth time.

The vehicle that is on show and up for sale in Goodwood is on offer at ALL TIME STARS – the vehicle trading platform of Mercedes-Benz Classic. The original vehicle served as a replacement/practice car in the 2005 DTM season.

Technical data of AMG Mercedes C-Class racing tourerPeriod of use: 2004 to 2007
Cylinders: V8
Displacement: 4000 cc
Output: 346 kW (470 hp)
Top speed: 280 km/h

MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W04 Formula One racing car, 2013

The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W04 was the fourth Grand Prix racing car of the Mercedes-Benz Formula One works team, which was established in 2010 and is headquartered in Brackley. Nico Rosberg and new works driver Lewis Hamilton – 2008 world champion with McLaren-Mercedes – posted three victories and a total of nine podium finishes. The W04 was a further development of Mercedes-AMG's basic concept from the 2012 season. This racing car was the last to be powered by a V8 engine (FO 108) from Mercedes-AMG's Formula One engine manufacturer High Performance Powertrains (HPP) in Brixworth. From the 2014 season on, the power unit employed featured hybrid technology, which, in addition to the electric powertrain component, included a 1.6-litre V6 engine, also from HPP. Three times in succession since 2014, the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 team has won both the drivers' and constructors' championship by a wide margin. In 2016, Germany's Nico Rosberg crowned his Formula One career by winning the world title.

Technical data of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W04 Formula One racing car

Period of use: 2013 Cylinders: V8 Displacement: 2400 cc Engine speed: 18,000 rpm (max. under FIA rules)