History Comes Alive With 110-Year-Old Mercedes-Benz
The Goodwood Festival of Speed recently celebrated its 25th anniversary in Goodwood House, UK. Known the world over as the largest and greatest celebration of car culture and motorsports, the festival draws spectators and drivers from across the globe. Of all the thrilling and delightful events to take place during the three day festival, one of the most notable was the reveal of a fully functional, 110-year-old Mercedes Benz.
A Car Out Of Time
It is recommended to consult your Mercedes Benz owner’s manual to keep your vehicle in top condition; apparently, whoever owned this car has done a lot of reading. This genuine Mercedes Benz grand prix racer was built in the same year that Ford’s Model T was released — 1908 — and it sure looks it. The front-heavy vehicle holds a massive 17.3 liter four-cylinder engine and generates around 150 horsepower, which is simply astounding considering its size. It boasts some truly historic machinery, such as artillery wheels made from high-strength wood, and a dual-chain drive that spins at 90 mph while the driver shifts outsidethe car. The two seated design seems odd physically but it was necessary: a co-driver was needed to manually pump fuel into the engine.
The tiny yet powerful beast was driven by racing driver Ben Collings, who expertly handled the vehicle as it flew through the course while his partner pumped fuel into the engine. The excessively loud, roaring engine managed to run Goodwood’s hillclimb trial — which provides an elevation change of 92.7 meters for added difficulty — in just under 80 seconds (78.84, to be precise), and clocked an average speed of 55.5 mph. It appears that age really is just a number.
Although you may not be able to purchase this historical car at any of your local Mercedes dealerships, you can still be the proud owner of a beautiful Mercedes Benz (and, almost definitely at a much cheaper price). Your Mercedes may not be 110 years old but it is still yours; take good care of it by routinely bringing it to a Mercedes shop for tune ups, and maybe somebody will be showing it off 110 years from now!