MERCEDES-BENZ W 165 – year 1939

Daimler Benz AG, Stuttgart, Germany.

The Italians tried to break the hegemony of German cars at Grand Prix races by introducing regulations favoring their own cars in national races. The greatest hopes were pinned on Alfa Romeo models 158 with power 165,6 kW (225 KM) i Maserati 4 CL with power 161,9 kW (220 KM). These cars had an engine capacity 1,5 And therefore only vehicles smaller than 1500 cm3. However, Daimler-Benz's racing department has coped with this limitation as well. Within a few months, a project was created and soon after that, a new car - Mercedes-Benz W 165.

It looked like a miniature copy of the W163 model, so he was popularly called "baby” Mercedes. Hidden under the aerodynamic body was an eight-cylinder V-engine with a capacity 1493 cm3, for the first time with a bore larger than the stroke of the piston (∅ 64 x 58 mm). Compressors connected in series pumped the mixture into the cylinders under high pressure 345 kPa, making the engine power 186,9 kW (254 KM) by 7800 RPM. The engine concept remained unchanged: four camshafts in cylinder heads, driven via gears, folding crankshaft with rolling bearings and steel cylinders with a welded sheet water jacket. Five-speed gearbox, positioned transversely, was locked to the rear axle differential. The front wheels were independently suspended on transverse wishbones attached to the tubular frame by means of coil springs. Torsion bars are used in the de Dion rear axle. The widened central part of the aerodynamic body protected two fuel tanks, located on both sides of the driver. The sideburns were so arranged, that as they empty, and it housed 250 liters of fuel, the weight of the car was constantly evenly distributed over both axles. The car reached its maximum speed 280 km/h.

In the Tripoli Grand Prix race in 1939 of the year, the German players of the Daimler-Benz company: Hermann Lang and Rudolf Caracciola finished first and second. Lang hit record time, driving at an average speed 196,6 km/h. He overtook dozens of Alfa Romeo and Maserati cars. In total, only three Mercedes W were produced 165, one of which is today in the company's museum in Stuttgart.