BENZ – year 1923

Benz & You, Rhenish automobile- and Motorenfabrik AG, Mannheim, Germany.

The sensation of the European Grand Prix in 1923 The original Benz racing car from Gasmotorenfabrik Benz became in Monza & You., existing independently since 1885 do 1925 year in Mannheim. Due to its streamlined body, the vehicle differed from other Grand Prix racing designs and was called the "Benz-Tropfenwagen”. The originality and innovation of this model consisted in placing the engine in front of the rear axle, which is used in all modern racing cars today. Another interesting feature was the design of the rear axle - for the first time in a Grand Prix car a suspension with oscillating axles appeared. This design was patented by prof. Eng. dr Edmund Rumpler, well-known constructor of cars and airplanes, and a great propagator of aerodynamic bodies. His influence was also visible in the construction of the Benz car body, whose author was Max Wagner.

“Benz teardrop car” it was equipped with a six-cylinder in-line engine with a capacity of 1992 cm3 (cylinder diameter 65 mm, piston stroke 100 mm). The weakness of this model compared to other vehicles was the lower engine power amounting to only 58,8 kW (80 KM) by 4000 RPM. The twin overhead camshaft engine had two carburetors. The clutch and the four-speed gearbox were placed in one block along with the engine. The frame supported the front rigid bridge suspended on longitudinal leaf springs. The car reached its maximum speed 170 km/h.

“Benz teardrop car” participated in the Grand Prix race for the first time in 1923 year at Monza and demonstrated the advantages of the engine positioning concept in front of the rear axle. The players are Fernando Minoia and Franz Hörner, driving it, they took fourth and fifth places behind the compressor Fiat and the American Miller. In the following years, Benz achieved success mainly at German races, and pofuzja with Daimler in 1926 of the year, he completely disappeared from the Grand Prix tracks.