Airstream’s four Interstate models offer something for every travel style – and singular luxury no matter where the road takes you.
With Mercedes-Benz® power and performance under the hood and Airstream’s hand-made craftsmanship through and through, the Interstate model line features four motorized touring coaches that let you Roll With the Best®. Each offers its own flavor, with features and décor tailored to a variety of travel experiences. From heading off-grid in the rugged Interstate 24X or taking along friends and family in the 9-passenger Interstate 24GL, to a couple’s adventure in the Interstate 24GT or heading into the city in the nimble 19-foot Interstate 19, Airstream touring coaches.
Shop Golf at the Mercedes-Benz Lifestyle Collection https://www.lifestylecollection.mbusa.com
airstream.com/touring-coaches
Use promo code STAR23 to receive 10% off your purchase excluding gift certificates
Max
Performance Summer
(PZ4)
Utilizing motorsport-derived technology gained while manufacturing tires for the highest level of competition, the P Zero (PZ4) is developed for some of the most powerful and most exclusive automobiles on the road.
The asymmetric tread design features a center section and inside shoulder that focus on wet traction and hydroplaning resistance, while the outer shoulder is designed for dry handling, grip and lateral stability for high speed cornering.
Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season
Designed for the specific vehicle demands of CUVs, SUVs and pickups, the Scorpion WeatherActive is built to keep drivers safe, comfortable and in control in any season, thanks to its deep siping and a multitude of biting edges to support light snow performance worthy of a 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol.
I just acquired this 1956 Ponton 190 earlier this month in Ingolstadt, Germany. At the time of publishing, this Poton has taken me over 6000 km from northern Germany to Denmark to Amsterdam to Saarbruken
FRIDAY AUG 18
SATURDAY AUG 19
LIVE AUCTIONS
OFFICIAL AUCTION HOUSE OF THE PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE®
1958 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ROADSTER Recent Major Restoration in All-Black Livery Including Hardtop and Luggage An Outstanding Example
FRIDAY 1 SEPT I LIVE AUCTION
OFFICIAL AUCTION HOUSE OF THE CONCOURS OF ELEGANCE HAMPTON COURT PALACE
14 ABOUT TURN
The Mercedes F1 team has been courageously open about its failures to the start of the 2023 season and the speculations on Hamilton’s future.
26 THINGS OF BEAUTY: A TRIBUTE TO BRUNO SACCO
Bruno Sacco created several icons that marked automotive history, and we celebrate his impact on the legacy of Mercedes-Benz.
36 WON AND DONE
The Penske team dominated the 1994 Indy 500 through many twists and turns for Al Unser Jr. to win the race with the last Mercedes to ever enter the race.
48
A group of McPherson College alumni set a course to be the center of excellence for students serious about automotive restoration. They are doing so by entering a Mercedes-Benz restored by students into the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
THE BIRTH OF BOOSTING
100 years ago, Mercedes-maker Daimler introduced the first series-built cars to be supercharged.
KATHRYN G. CARRUTH Executive Director
CINDY TUMBLESON Administrative Services Manager
RYANNE DIAS Assitant Business Administrative Manager
NICOLE NOLL Membership Specialist
KEVIN LESNIEWSKI Website Project Manager
MIKE REGENNITTER Publisher
TAYLOR DRAPER Art Director & Layout Design
KARL LUDVIGSEN
SIMON STRANG Euopean Editors
DAVID ROSE Reviews Editor
TIFFANY WISMER
TERRY KIWALA Copy Editors
SUBMITTING
EDITORIAL MATERIAL :
EDITOR The Star ® 1907 Lelaray St. Colorado Springs, CO 80909 editor@mbca.org
Please query The Star ® first regarding possible editorial interest. We regret that we cannot always acknowledge or return materials submitted for consideration. FOR ADVERTISING
INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: thestar@mbca.org
CLASSIFIED ADS : Trading Post ads: www.mbca.org/ classifieds
Did you move? Do you have a different address you want to mail The Star ®? Or still haven’t received your last issue? We are here to help.
PHONE: (800) 637-2360
EMAIL: Ryanne@mbca.org
DAVID ROSE
RUBIN NOWARD
TIFFANY WISMER
DAVID ENGELMAN
TERRY KIWALA
MARJO MILLER
DOUG GEGANTO
BLUE NELSON
TREVOR DALTON
JONATHAN HARPER
The Star ® is the official magazine of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, Inc.
1907 Lelaray Street
Colorado Springs, CO 80909-2872
800.637.2360 • 719.633.6427 www.mbca.org
visit www.mbca.org
Opinions, ideas, and suggestions in The Star ® are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of MBCA. MBCA neither accepts nor bears and responsibility or liability for the accuracy of any such opinions, ideas, or suggestions, or the applications thereof. Any representations or warranties (express or implied) with respect thereto are hereby disclaimed by MBCA.
No inference should be made that the products or services advertised herein have the approval of MBCA, Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz USA, or any other entity.
The trade names and trademarks "Mercedes-Benz," "Mercedes," and three-pointed star in a circle are owned by Daimler AG and authorized for use by its licensees which include MBCA - exclusively.
Feel confident in your coverage.
We’ve had over 100 consecutive years of A ratings for financial strength from AM Best.*
To learn more about Amica or get a quote, scan the QR code or call 877-505-3197.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
TEXT: Kathryn G. Carruth
A GLANCE AT MORE MBCA EVENTS COMING IN 2023
What an exciting start to 2023 for MBCA, and the calendar is brimming with many more thrilling events to come!
I’ve enjoyed meeting members at The Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance, and the CARS Club show in McPherson, Kansas, where their Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance bound 1953 300 S Cabriolet was unveiled to the public. I will be attending a few Section events around the country over the next few months, but there are four national events I’d like to highlight for you:
Legends of the Autobahn is returning to PG Links in Pacific Grove, Cali., on August 17th. We join the Audi and BMW Clubs at this annual Concours, which offers both corral and judged areas, awards for all three featured marques, and an open class for all other Germanmade cars. The show field features displays from manufacturers, sponsors, and vendors, along with lunch and breakfast options. There will be a few fun prizes for people and cars who’ve come the farthest or might even look the “least restored” -sure to be a ton of fun! Thank you to David Abarr and Jon Bernardy for their tireless efforts in making this event great. www.legendsoftheautobahn.org
Mercedes Grande will roll out the red carpet in Indianapolis, Ind., September 7-10th. RUN to your computer and grab tickets NOW! This event is a sure sell-out with four spectacular days of MercedesBenz cars, people, driving, lifestyle, tech tips, track, and culture. Roger Brummett from the Indiana Crossroads Section has done a fabulous job of showcasing the gorgeous city of Indianapolis and ensuring you will have the most GRANDE time ever at an MBCA event. Check out www.mercedesgrande.org for all the details!
Back to Roots in Stuttgart, Germany, September 11-17th. This glorious trip includes six hotel nights with most meals, admissions, taxes, and gratuities included. English-speaking MercedesBenz and MBCA hosts will join in the fun.
Our outstanding members, Cliff Reyle and Chuck Stanford, are graciously organizing all the details. Book your flights and come experience the roots and heritage of Mercedes-Benz in Germany; visit www.mbca.org/travel for the details. Formula One Fans, let’s get together! We have opportunities to join other Mercedes Fans at the track through very bespoke packages, or you can live the excitement through our Fantasy
League at https://fantasy.formula1. com/en/leagues/join/C8QJDZ41V01.
I’m also very keen to see Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 watch parties around the States and Canada in your favorite local venues. If you’re meeting up with your Section or friends, take a lot of pictures, and please use #MBCAf1watch on all your social posts.
Most importantly, celebrate your enthusiasm for Mercedes-Benz at your local and regional events; check out the calendar and get involved with MBCA! We are working hard to upgrade systems and structure, and we appreciate your patience and passion.
On a different note, I’d like to honor and thank Doug Geganto for his service to MBCA. Doug has decided to step down as National President as he focuses on family and health. It has been a pleasure working with Doug; he’s quick to smile and make challenging situations seem surmountable. Thank you, Doug and the staff, and I wish you the very best.
your official hospitality and/or travel packages for the F1 Lenovo United States Grand Prix in Austin on Oct 20th – 22nd. Enjoy the largest gathering of F1 fans on the circuit!
your spot fast before prices go up and hotels are booked! MBCA members can contact James Bryant at 856.403.7340 or james.bryant@elevatesv.com to make your trip easy, fun, and hassle-free!
ABOUT TURN
TEXT: Simond Strang
In the week running up to Formula 1’s showcase Monaco Grand Prix at the end of May, the Mercedes AMG Formula 1 team finally introduced the much-vaunted aerodynamic and mechanical ‘re-set’ to its thus-far recalcitrant 2023 W14 challenger.
It marked a poignant flag in the sand for the Brackley-based outfit.
A physical manifestation of team principal Toto Wolff’s declaration back in March that the unique ‘zero sidepod’ concept Mercedes had pioneered since the onset of the new ground-effect-reliant regulations (at the beginning of 2022), was not going to yield the kind of results expected of it.
Whether the upgrades would save Mercedes’ 2023 season from being victory-free was still being determined when the STAR went to press since we only had the outlier Monaco circuit to gauge it with. But certainly, the team and Wolff were keen to manage expectations of its immediate impact on a campaign thus far dominated by Red Bull Racing in a manner not dissimilar to the Silver Arrow’s recent glory years.
More importantly, though, the update set the foundations for a new Mercedes design philosophy for the foreseeable future.
It’s a Wrap
The changes to the W14, initially scheduled for the canceled Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola following the tragic flooding in the region, were significant. Among the new items on the car were its reshaped side pods with a more traditional undercut (as used by Red Bull and Aston Martin to great effect); new front suspension and geometry; and a redesigned floor – which in modern F1 can account for more than 50% of the overall downforce generation – as well as a new rear wing.
The look and feel of the car’s silhouette now resembled much of the rest of the field, with long side pods (partly enveloping the unique forward-mounted Side Impact Structures previously being used as innovative winglets). The sidepods encapsulate a gulley along the top and an undercut to channel high-pressure air in a more
‘conventional’ attempt to seal air pressure under the car, achieving ground-effect downforce. But as Wolff pointed out in Miami, “We are already more than 12 months behind our rivals”. And not only that, the updates are, to an extent, a compromise.
The fundamental problems with the W14 can be traced back to its problematic predecessor, the W13, the original zero-sidepod pioneer. It was designed to create significant downforce from its surface, using the wide exposed floor to seal the underfloor airflow through a difference in air pressure. The team’s arithmetic was compelling, but that was before the unforeseen ‘porpoising’ phenomenon laid waste to its plans.
Several fixes were hastily built-in to make the car more drivable through 2022. The team even managed to win in Brazil with George Russell. This resurgence, along with the tantalizing data-based oasis on offer should it navigate the myriad issues with a redesign through the winter, encouraged Mercedes to continue with an informed version of the zero-sidepod car into 2023. But by Bahrain this year, it was clear the simulation data had been a cruel mirage, and by removing the inherent issues causing the ‘porpoising,’ the ultimate limitations of the concept were laid bare. Red Bull had stolen a march.
Moreover, Lewis Hamilton revealed that the forward positioning of the cockpit, designed to accommodate the concept, had muted his feel for the car – for a racing driver, that’s like driving blind. The team must continue with the monocoque that hosts the cockpit for the rest of the season. This means upgrades pushing the ‘undercut concept’ can only affect so much change in the short term, and of course, it will take time to build up the required learning that leads to the meaningful development already acquired by Mercedes’ rivals. This is partly why Wolff does not expect these changes to be a “silver bullet” for the team’s 2023 season.
“From my experience,” he said, “they do not exist in our sport. We hope that it gives the drivers a more stable and predictable platform. Then we can build on that in the weeks and months ahead. F1 is
tough competition and a meritocracy. We are not where we want to be, but there’s no sense of entitlement. It’s just about hard work to get us to the front.”
Shuffling the Deck
Since returning to F1 as a works team, Mercedes has been courageously open about its failures. It’s a by-product of the no-blame culture Wolff has engendered within the organization, promoting a fearless sense of responsibility that allows people to hold up their hands without prompting termination. This solution has served Mercedes well through the challenging moments during eight consecutive seasons of championship glory. It has arguably allowed it to identify blind alleys like the one it’s currently reversing out of more quickly.
And it is in this spirit that Mike Elliott voluntarily relinquished his technical director role and handed it back to its former incumbent, James Allision, just before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in the middle of April. Elliott, in turn, took Allison’s role as Chief Technical Officer. Allison is a battle-hardened garage champion. At the forefront of the charge that led Mercedes to several of its 15 world championship titles, having joined the team from Ferrari in 2017, Allison stepped away from the technical director role in 2021. He dovetailed his Mercedes responsibilities while becoming Chief Technical Officer of the Ineos Team UK America’s Cup yacht venture.
“What Mike’s assessment was, and the introspection is really admirable, is that with James, we have a gladiator on the field, and the troops are going to go through the fire for him and with him,” Wolff explained to UK motorsport news brand Autosport. “Mike came to the conclusion that the way he approaches things,
his skill set, is best utilized in developing the organization going forward: from technical capabilities to human capabilities and putting together the structure that can be successful for many years to come.”
Form is Transient; Class is Permanent
Despite these changes and an incalcitrant and inconsistent car that has undermined the confidence of both drivers, Mercedes continued to punch its way through a sequence of grand prix that took place on temporary circuits (Melbourne, Azerbaijan, and Miami), using all its nous and guile to make the most of race opportunities – an area where the impact of some of the W14 deficiencies appeared to be reduced.
The Australian Grand Prix was chaotic and featured three red flags. In the early running, George Russell looked the more likely of the two Mercedes to challenge Red Bull. He started the race on the front row alongside world champion Max Verstappen and even managed to lead the opening laps as the Red Bull struggled to engage its tires quickly. Russell pitted under an early Safety Car to clear up Alex Albon’s crashed Williams, but when that turned to a red flag, all his hard work was undone. He raced back through to fourth before a rare power unit failure forced his retirement. From Australia, F1 moved to Azerbaijan, another street circuit that often produces fireworks – though not in this case for the most part. This year’s edition also featured F1’s first standalone Sprint Race that no longer contributes to Sunday grid positions. Russell demonstrated his feisty side and raced past Verstappen in the opening skirmish of the 17-lap race, now complete with its own qualifying session and points system).
And so to Miami, which surfed the wave of unprecedented F1 popularity in the US. No less than 270,000 people attended the grand prix weekend on a circuit built in and around the Miami Dolphins Hard Rock Stadium complex. That is a phenomenal turnaround for the sport in America, given that Sunday-only ticket prices averaged $645-per-head and that no less than 180,000 feet stepped through the gates. When you consider that pre-Covid 19, CETA’s place on the calendar looked precarious – F1’s position in the States not only seems assured long term, it’s exploding… and we’ve yet to visit Las Vegas!
Loyalty and Honour
When F1 arrived in Monaco, having had an additional week to prepare because of the enforced cancellation of Imola, Mercedes was very much in the spotlight. Not just because the car was expected to look different or because of news of the team’s plans to implement a £70m upgrade to its headquarters that included a new health and wellbeing center, a gateway marketing building at the entrance to the site enabling further expansion of the design office facilities in the main technical center, and a brand-new parking area. It wasn’t even the announced plans to reduce carbon emissions by 60% by using biofuel on its trucks through the European sections of the 2023 season.
No. This time, Hamilton was very much in focus because it was contract renewal time. It’s not unusual to see stories in the media linking him to a switch during these phases of his Mercedes relationship. But in this instance, the links to a £40m Ferrari contract pulsed strongly through the paddock. He is, of course, free to choose his destiny, and neither he nor the Italian marque are particularly happy with their results of late. But all this would be to overlook the obvious.
While it’s now 29 races since Hamilton last won a grand prix or started from pole position, it’s also important to understand that each of his 103 victories and poles, seven world championship
titles, and 62 fastest laps. Indeed, every decimal of his career-total 4474.5 points has been achieved with Mercedes power. That’s astonishing loyalty from statistically the best driver F1 has ever known. Moreover, Ferrari’s competitive position is no stronger than Mercedes’, and there is arguably more rebuilding to be done behind the scenes than at Brackley.
Lewis was quick to shut down the speculation: “Naturally, when you are in contract negotiations, there will always be speculation, and ultimately, unless you hear it from me, then that’s what it is.”
Asked if he was more likely to consider options given the recent results, he replied: “It doesn’t have a bearing because we are still a championship-winning team. It’s just we have the wrong car; some decisions have been made over the past two years that have not been ideal, and we are working our way through that. I have a great team in the background doing all the [negotiating] work so I can focus fully on the job at hand. I say what I want, and that’s what we are working towards, hopefully in the coming weeks.”
For Wolff’s part, he was “never in one millimeter of doubt.”
On-track, both drivers expressed their happiness with the improved feel of the refreshed W14, though with the caveat that Monaco was neither the circuit to draw any conclusions from nor necessarily the best place to implement such changes given the tight and bumpy nature of the track. That data would come a week later in Spain.
“Coming into the weekend, I didn’t know where we would stand,” he said. “To come out with fourth and fifth is great. I want to say a huge thank you to everyone back at the factories for pushing and bringing these upgrades. It’s been so much work to bring those here. It was difficult to know how the upgrades were performing. There are lots of bumps, and the car feels very stiff, so it’s tricky. Barcelona, though, is probably the best test circuit we could ask for to learn more about our package. I’m looking forward to seeing how the car reacts.”
Oil Change for Better Performance
During the course of time the performance of every engine decreases. Deposits disturb combustion and increase wear. This is a slow process and often goes by unnoticed by the car owner. Three steps to restore the original performance:
1. LIQUI MOLY Pro-Line Engine Flush. This highly effective cleaning additive for the oil circuit is added right before the oil change and flushed the contaminants out.
2. Use LIQUI MOLY motor oil, officially approved by Mercedes. Find the right oil at www.liqui-moly.com
3. Add Cera Tec after the oil change. This is a high tech additive which protects the engine chemically as well as physically from wear and tear.
This performance oil change gets perceptibly more power out of the engine, while providing exceptional protection. It turns an ordinary oil change into professional tuning.
Things of Beauty: A Tribute to
Bruno Sacco
TEXT: Tiffany Wismer
WWhy, when modern cars are safer, more gas-efficient, and more technologically advanced, are so many of us still drawn to that vintage look? What makes us willing to forgo updated aerodynamics and impressive electronics in favor of analog dashboards and the slightly dangerous romance of a car without airbags? It’s a rhetorical question, and the answer is simple: beauty. In Endymion, the poet John Keats wrote: “A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness.” This definition of beauty certainly applies to Bruno Sacco’s Mercedes-Benz designs, which never seem to lose their appeal.
When it comes to the world of automotive design, few names carry as much weight and influence as Bruno Sacco. With a career spanning over four decades, Sacco played a pivotal role in shaping the iconic design language of Mercedes-Benz. His commitment to timeless elegance and attention to detail revolutionized the automotive industry, leaving an indelible mark on the brand’s rich history. In this article, we delve into the fascinating life and achievements of Bruno Sacco while exploring the specifications of some of the most iconic MercedesBenz cars he designed.
Bruno Sacco was born in Udine, Italy, on November 12, 1933. His passion for design emerged at a young age. In an interview with Mercedes-Benz.com, Sacco revealed that he was eighteen when he first thought of being a car designer. On a bike ride in 1951, he passed a Raymond Loewy-styled 1950 Studebaker Commander Regal in Tarvisio. He described being unable to stop thinking about the car and “knew [his] life had been decided.” He pursued his education, studying mechanical engineering at the Polytechnic University of Turin, and began to seek work as a coachbuilder. Sacco’s creative prowess and technical aptitude soon caught the attention of renowned automotive manufacturers, and he joined Mercedes-Benz in 1958 as a body engineer. Sacco’s exceptional skills and unwavering dedication propelled him through the ranks at Mercedes-Benz. In 1975, he assumed the role of Head of Design at the company, marking the beginning of an era defined by his visionary approach. Sacco
was tasked with modernizing Mercedes-Benz’s design language while staying true to the brand’s heritage and principles.
One of Sacco’s defining characteristics as a car designer was his unwavering commitment to achieving a harmonious balance between aesthetics and functionality. He believed the form should always follow the function, resulting in designs that seamlessly blended style and practicality. Sacco’s attention to detail and pursuit of timeless elegance earned him the reputation of a design maestro.
The iconic Mercedes-Benz cars designed by Bruno Sacco not only inspire car purists but have made their way into popular culture as artistic landmarks that defined an era.
One of Sacco’s most significant contributions to the MercedesBenz lineup was the design of the W126 S-Class, which became the epitome of luxury and engineering excellence. Characterized
by its clean lines, elegant proportions, and sophisticated presence, the W126 set a new standard for executive sedans. The car’s aerodynamic shape, with flush-fitting glass, contributed to its impressive fuel efficiency and reduced wind noise.
The Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class, introduced in 1979, epitomized the luxury and cutting-edge technology of its time. Its graceful lines and understated elegance made it the ultimate status symbol. This iconic car found its way into several notable films, including “Wall Street” (1987), directed by Oliver Stone.
In the movie, the ruthless corporate raider Gordon Gekko, portrayed by Michael Douglas, cruised through the streets of New York City in a sleek black W126, perfectly capturing the essence of power and opulence.
The W124 E-Class was another notable creation by Sacco that left an indelible mark on the automotive industry. Emphasizing
both style and practicality, the W124 boasted a refined, angular design with well-defined edges and carefully sculpted surfaces. The attention to aerodynamics resulted in reduced drag and improved fuel efficiency, making it a benchmark in its segment.
The Mercedes-Benz W124 E-Class unveiled in 1984, combined refined aesthetics with unparalleled engineering. Known for its durability and timeless design, it became a favorite choice for filmmakers seeking a touch of sophistication. One remarkable appearance of the W124 E-Class was in the 1995 film “The Net,” starring Sandra Bullock. Bullock’s character, a computer programmer, embarks on a thrilling adventure while evading her pursuers in a stylish silver W124 E-Class, symbolizing her resilience and resourcefulness.
Sacco’s genius was further showcased in the design of the Mercedes-Benz W201 190E, a compact luxury sedan that exuded elegance and sportiness. The 190E boasted
a sleek silhouette, a gently sloping hood, and a distinctive front grille. Sacco’s keen eye for proportion and his ability to blend curves and angles harmoniously resulted in a timeless design that continues to turn heads today.
Launched in 1982, the Mercedes-Benz W201 190E was a compact executive sedan that blended sportiness with elegance. Its aerodynamic design and advanced technology made it a standout choice for both racing enthusiasts and discerning drivers. In the 1985 action-packed film “Nighthawks,” Sylvester Stallone took the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz W201 190E, chasing criminals through the streets of New York City. This exhilarating car chase added an extra layer of excitement to an already captivating storyline.
The R129 SL-Class, designed under Sacco’s watchful eye, redefined the concept of a luxury sports roadster. Its smooth and curvaceous lines, retractable headlights, and athletic stance
created an iconic presence. The R129 was the epitome of timeless design, effortlessly blending elegance and performance in a way that transcended generations. The Mercedes-Benz R129 SL-Class, introduced in 1989, redefined the concept of a luxury convertible.
Its sleek lines and innovative features captured the hearts of car enthusiasts and moviegoers alike. In the 1999 romantic comedy “Runaway Bride,” Julia Roberts, portraying the free-spirited Maggie Carpenter, drove a stunning white R129 SL-Class.
The car’s allure perfectly complemented Roberts’ charismatic character, adding a touch of glamour to the on-screen romance. According to Sacco, the R129 has “the perfect profile,” especially when the roof is closed.
Throughout the history of cinema, certain cars have become synonymous with luxury, elegance, and sophistication. Among the elite group of automobiles, the Mercedes-Benz models designed by Bruno Sacco hold a special place. From the majestic
Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class to the sleek Mercedes-Benz W124 E-Class, the captivating Mercedes-Benz W201 190E, and the timeless MercedesBenz R129 SL-Class, Sacco’s masterpieces have graced the silver screen alongside Hollywood icons and renowned celebrities. Let’s embark on a star-studded journey through the famous films that feature these exceptional Mercedes-Benz cars.
Aside from their appearances in films, Mercedes-Benz cars designed by Bruno Sacco have also found favor among real-life celebrities. Renowned Hollywood stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Clint Eastwood, and Michael Caine have been avid Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts. These iconic vehicles have become a symbol of success and style in the entertainment industry, adorning the garages of numerous stars.
The R-129 held a significant meaning for Princess Diana, representing her newfound independence following her separation from Prince Charles in 1992. The purchase of the car was seen as a statement of her individuality and departure from traditional royal protocols.
Bruno Sacco with a Mercedes-Benz series 201 compact class car model, produced from 1982 - 1988. Mercedes-Benz AG
The films featuring Mercedes-Benz cars designed by Bruno Sacco have left an indelible mark on cinematic history. The Mercedes-Benz W126 S-Class, W124 E-Class, W201 190E, and R129 SL-Class have become cultural icons, epitomizing luxury, performance, and elegance. As Hollywood icons and celebrities embraced these vehicles on and off the screen, they further solidified the Mercedes-Benz brand’s association with wealth and prestige. Bruno Sacco’s remarkable designs continue to captivate audiences and remind us that these cars are not just means of transportation but also works of art that have become part of our collective imagination.
We continue to be obsessed with Bruno’s designs, and that love is perhaps part of a larger phenomenon. As Artificial Intelligence permeates every area of consumable culture—film, music, writing, fashion—we are wistfully looking backward toward a time when everything was more human.
The Millennial generation (of which I am part) is notoriously fascinated with storytelling, imagination, and things humans build with their own two hands. From craft gin to vintage clothing to a return to small farming and folk music, we are a generation (like many others before us in history) that has responded to burgeoning modernism with stubborn romanticism.
Technology is a practical beauty. She can do anything--and do it faster and better than her older sisters. But she’s lost some panache. In modern cars, we find so many truly good things, things we genuinely need. But something of the charm, character, and danger of cars has gone. Something undefinable has gone, and we feel it.
Later in the same poem, Keats writes that despite all the “unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways made of our searching,” a shape of beauty “moves away the pall from our dark spirits.” Bruno Sacco, riding his bicycle through the streets of Italy and dreaming about car design, saw that shape of beauty and communicated it to us. His unique designs gave us something joyful that can’t be replaced by convenience, safety, and sleekness.
We are living on a knife’s edge of history. Most of us still remember an analog world with curly telephone cords and roll-down car windows while simultaneously learning to accept the positive benefits of the digital world. We are standing between those two worlds—or perhaps driving a road between them—and our chosen vehicle is a Bruno Sacco-styled Mercedes-Benz.
Bruno Sacco retired from Mercedes-Benz in 1999, leaving a profound legacy and an enduring impact on the brand’s design philosophy. His meticulous attention to detail, emphasis on aerodynamics, and ability to create designs that stood the test of time influenced generations of car designers worldwide. Sacco’s designs continue to be celebrated and revered as automotive masterpieces. His remarkable journey as a car designer revolutionized how we perceive automotive aesthetics. Through his timeless and elegant designs, he redefined the identity of Mercedes-Benz and solidified the brand’s position as a beacon of luxury and sophistication. Sacco’s passion, creativity, and commitment to excellence continue to inspire designers, ensuring his legacy lives on in the future of automotive design.
“To me, driving a car means total freedom,” says Bruno. But he still uses a map.
WON & DONE
TEXT: Kate Shoup
PHOTOS: Motorsports Images
The “Gray Ghost.” That nickname was given to the Mercedes Grand Prix racing car piloted by Ralph De Palma in 1912. That year the steely machine dominated the second-annual Indianapolis Motor Speedway International Sweepstakes 500-Mile Race. After leading 196 out of 200 laps, and with the second-place car—driven by Joe Dawson—trailing by more than eleven minutes, De Palma no doubt believed victory was certain.
You probably know where this is going: Victory wasn’t certain. With just four laps remaining, a connecting rod inside De Palma’s Mercedes engine snapped. De Palma coaxed the convulsing car a few more miles. But on the second-to-last lap, as it rounded turn four onto the main straight, the Gray Ghost expired. The Gray Ghost did cross the finish line (one lap short)—powered not by its Mercedes motor but by De Palma himself. Assisted by his riding mechanic, the distraught driver pushed the ruined roadster the rest of the way to the tape, watching helplessly as Dawson paraded past for the win. This memorable finish highlights two valuable lessons. One, dominating is great, but winning is what matters—and you can’t win if you don’t finish. (De Palma and Mercedes would finally
accomplish this at Indy in 1915.) And two, sometimes you have to push—really push—to achieve a difficult goal.
Apart from De Palma, perhaps no figure in Indianapolis 500 history has digested these two lessons as fully as Roger Penske.
Penske attended his first Indianapolis 500 in 1951 at the age of 14. “I came to the Speedway with my dad when I was a young guy and had a chance to see the cars and be here at the racetrack and see the spectacle,” Penske told motorsports journalist Bruce Martin. “I guess I was bitten at that point.” (Martin, Roger Penske Feeling Hale at Another Indy 500 as Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Owner 2023)
During the early 1960s, Penske raced sports cars. He was good at it—so good he earned an invitation to drive in the Indianapolis 500. But he turned it down. (“It’s too dangerous,” he told Sports Illustrated in 1963.) (Rogin 1963) He preferred to compete at Indy in a different capacity: as team owner of Penske Racing (now Team Penske).
Between 1969 and 1993, Penske Racing won Indianapolis nine times. But Penske wanted more. He wanted to dominate—to win at Indy in such a decisive fashion that his competitors would be crushed. But how?
“From his first foray into racing,” writes Jade Gurss in his book Beast, “Penske had a finely tuned eye for the rulebook.” Constantly seeking what he called the “unfair advantage,” Penske scrutinized every word “for a loophole or gray area to exploit in search of victory.”
(Gurss 2014) Eventually, he found one.
Back then, IndyCar—an open-wheel racing series with several events, of which the Indianapolis 500 was by far the most consequential—was governed by an organization called Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART). CART mandated the use of turbo V8 overhead camshaft (OHC) engines. But for various complicated reasons, the Indianapolis 500 had a different governing body: the United States Auto Club (USAC). To tempt more automobile manufacturers to compete at Indy, USAC permitted the use of turbo V6 pushrod engines—if they contained mass-produced parts designed for passenger vehicles. These “stock-block” motors were cheaper to manufacture than purpose-built racing engines and often yielded innovations that applied to standard road cars.
Compared to the V8 OHC engines mandated by CART, these V6 pushrod motors lacked power. To compensate, USAC developed an equivalency formula to allow the pushrod engines greater displacement (209.31 cubic inches versus 161.71 cubic inches) and higher turbo boost (55 inches versus 48 inches) than their CART counterparts. Greater displacement plus higher boost equaled more oomph. This equivalency formula enticed Buick to develop a stock-block pushrod engine for use at Indy during the mid-1980s. Buick-powered cars were crazy fast and usually qualified well—like in 1985 when Buick drivers Pancho Carter and Scott Brayton qualified for Indy one and two. But the Buicks lacked durability. Mechanical issues sidelined both Carter and Brayton by lap 20 of that year’s race.
To resolve these durability issues, Buick lobbied USAC to eliminate the requirement to include production-based parts in their Indy-bound pushrod engines. That way, Buick engineers could make improvements to the existing engines that were not possible using mass-produced parts. In 1991 USAC quietly struck the “stock-block” language from its rulebook.
This small modification—intended to assist Buick—had a secondary effect: It opened the door for everyone else to develop a superior purpose-built pushrod racing engine from the ground up—one that capitalized on USAC’s equivalency formula but was durable enough to cover five-hundred miles. If they noticed the subtle rule change, most CART teams ignored it because developing a purpose-built pushrod engine for use only at Indy didn’t make financial sense. But Penske Racing wasn’t like most teams. Penske did notice the rule change—and he knew what it meant. Penske Racing could develop an engine that could both dominate and finish. This was precisely the type of “unfair advantage” Penske was looking for.
In June 1993, Penske met Mario Illien and Paul Morgan for dinner. Illien and Morgan owned a British racing engine manufacturing company called Ilmor, in which Penske held a stake. The men had gathered to celebrate their success at the Indianapolis 500 the previous month—won by Penske Racing pilot Emerson Fittipaldi powered by an Ilmor engine. During the meal, Penske floated his “unfair advantage” idea by Illien and Morgan. As it happened,
Illien and Morgan had already entertained a similar thought. Even before the check was paid, the trio had agreed: Ilmor would develop a new pushrod engine for the 1994 Indy 500, and Penske Racing would run it.
This bordered on lunacy. “Keep in mind the sheer amount of work to get from a blank piece of paper to an engine,” Ilmor engine designer Philip le Roux told Gurss. Apart from the major components, “every nut, bolt, washer, and O-ring must be decided, and calculated for size.” (Gurss 2014) This explains why shepherding a brand-new racing engine from the drawing board to the dyno typically consumes at least nine months. From there, six or more months of on-track testing is needed. But a short and immutable deadline loomed over the group responsible for developing the 265E (the engine’s original name): the 78th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 29, 1994—just over 11 months away. To hit this target, the 265E team would have to push as hard as De Palma had when he heaved the Gray Ghost to the line all those years before.
They’d have to keep mum about it, too. If other teams or engine manufacturers caught wind of the 265E, they might launch similar projects. Worse, if USAC found out, it might ban the engine altogether. Those few trusted employees who were in on the project could speak of it to no one—not even their own families. (“If you say anything to anyone,” Penske told them, “it’s like cutting your paycheck in half.”) (Gurss 2014) To maintain secrecy, Penske even
installed the crew responsible for assembling the 265E in a clandestine garage away from team headquarters, where they worked through the night in semi-darkness.
Then there was the cost. Developing a new engine is a costly undertaking. When presented with the price in September 1993, General Motors (GM)—which, like Penske, maintained a stake in Ilmor—balked. So, Penske and the Ilmor partners invited Mercedes-Benz to buy GM’s stake in the company and bankroll the development of the 265E.
It might have seemed an odd choice. A Mercedes-powered race car had won Indianapolis only once (in 1915, with De Palma behind the wheel), and no Indy 500 entry had run a Mercedes engine since 1948. But to Mercedes-Benz Motorsport executive Norbert Haug, “Winning the Indy 500—that means something.” So, “It was easy to say yes when Ilmor suggested [the partnership] to us.” (AMG Petronas Formula One Team 2019)
In just 26 weeks, Ilmor and Penske Racing designed and built its first specimen of the 265E—eventually rebranded the MercedesBenz 500I. The engine met USAC’s specifications to the letter. But its first turn on the dyno revealed a problem: Illien had calculated that the engine would generate 940 horsepower (Hp), but the 500I peaked at 850 Hp. Some innovative improvements quickly fixed the issue. Soon the 500I surpassed Illien’s predictions, delivering 970 Hp on the dyno. Adjusted for “real-world” conditions, this
amounted to a whopping 1,024 Hp—200-plus horsepower more than the competition.
The 500I had power. But was it reliable? More specifically, could it cover a full five-hundred miles? To find out, the team mounted the engine into a Penske PC-23 chassis and commenced on-track testing.
The first on-track test occurred on February 20, 1994, at Nazareth Speedway—a tri-oval short track just outside Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Penske chose Nazareth not because it offered ideal conditions (when the crew arrived for testing, it was freezing cold, and snow blanketed the track) but because he owned it and could therefore guarantee privacy. Well, almost.
Mario Andretti lived a mile from the Speedway—close enough to hear on-track activity. Years later, he claimed to have heard this test but that he “never put that much weight in it.” (Gurss 2014)
Day-one driving duties fell to Al Unser, Jr. Unser had signed with Penske Racing in the fall of 1993 after winning the Indianapolis 500 the previous year. First, Unser—cold as a Sno Cone in the car’s nose cone—completed several installation laps. Then he pressed the throttle. “It had a lot of power,” Unser recalled. “It was a strong engine.” But “We couldn’t put any real lap times together because it was so cold.” (Gurss 2014)
More test days followed. Between late February and early May, all three drivers in the Penske Racing stable—Al Unser, Jr., Paul Tracy, and Emerson Fittipaldi—repeatedly pushed the 500I to its limits. And each of those drivers shared the same view: From a power perspective, the engine was awesome. Fittipaldi was so impressed with it that he dubbed it “the Beast.” Like with the Gray Ghost, the nickname stuck.
But the Beast had problems. The most common was the failure of the gudgeon pins that attached the piston to the connecting rod. Others pertained to the Beast’s extreme torque. And the electronic control unit (ECU)—responsible for coordinating engine functions—frequently went on the blink. As a result, the Beast still hadn’t completed five-hundred miles in one go. Eventually, the engineers at Ilmor and Penske Racing vanquished these and other gremlins. And finally, on May 7, Unser turned five-hundred miles while testing at Michigan International Speedway (MIS).
Incredibly, for all this time, during all this testing, the Beast had remained secret. No one had leaked the news. Penske unveiled the engine on April 13 to a flabbergasted paddock. “We knew we had no chance,” Andretti recalled. (Gurss 2014) Team owner Dick Simon agreed, telling one reporter, “I know that engine will run away with everything.” (Gurss 2014) But few argued that Penske and Ilmor had violated the spirit or the letter of USAC’s rule. “Roger and Ilmor took full advantage [of the rule],” Andretti conceded. “And kudos to them for it.” (Gurss 2014)
The Beast’s supremacy was not a foregone conclusion, however. Sure, the Beast-powered Penske PC-23s sliced down the straightaways “like a hot knife through butter,” Illien said. (Howard n.d.) But they sawed through the corners like a blunt blade at best. Would the Beast ultimately fail at Indy the way the Gray Ghost had?
Yes and no. Paul Tracy’s performance at the Speedway was underwhelming. After qualifying twenty-fifth, he retired from the race before the halfway point due to a blown turbo. But Al
Unser, Jr. and Emerson Fittipaldi fared better. They qualified first and third and positively dominated the field on race day. With fewer than 20 laps to go, a one-two finish—with Fittipaldi leading by nearly a lap—seemed certain.
You probably know where this is going.
On lap 185, Fittipaldi learned the same painful lesson De Palma did, the one that Roger Penske had long since digested: Domination be damned, you can’t win if you don’t finish.
While attempting to lap Unser, Fittipaldi went low, got loose, and smacked the outside wall in turn four. Unser easily cruised to the win. Only one other driver—Jacques Villeneuve—finished on the lead lap. “For us to come here with that engine and win the race was absolutely amazing,” Penske later told Martin. (Martin 2019) For only the second time in history, a Mercedes engine won Indy.
The feat would not be repeated. Under pressure from other teams and manufacturers, USAC revised its regulations around pushrod engines. V6 stock-block pushrod engines that contained production parts would still be allowed 55 inches of turbo boost. But USAC reduced the boost for purpose-built pushrod motors like the Mercedes-Benz 500I to 48 inches. Soon after that, pushrod engines were banned outright. Penske’s “unfair advantage” was gone.
The Beast slayed the field in the biggest race of all. But it would never roar again.
See Al Unser Jr. in Indianpolis
Al Unser Jr., the only person to ever win the Indy 500 in a Mercedes car, will be speaking at Mercedes Grande Indianapolis on Thursday, September 7th at 9 am. Al Unser Jr. will be addressing the crowd at the Indianapolis Downtown Hilton Inn & Suites. His talk will kick off the Tech Talk events.
Don’t miss the chance to see Little Al speak this year at Mercedes Grande. MBCA’s unprecedented four-day national event will be unlike any you’ve experienced before. Register today for the Tech Talks—including Al Unser Jr.’s talk—and prepare to spend a fun and relaxing weekend celebrating all things Mercedes-Benz. Register with your family and friends today and get ready for a memorable time together. For more information, visit mercedesgrande.org or flip to page 69.
MCPHERSON COLLEGE
1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Roadster
TEXT: David Engelman PHOTOS: McPherson College
FFor over 40 years, the McPherson College automotive restoration program has been a virtual launching pad for students interested in turning their love for the automobile into a career.
First chartered in 1887, McPherson College has a distinguished history of providing career-oriented liberal art degrees for over 135 years. Situated on 27 acres in McPherson, Kansas, the campus can be found located 50 miles north of Wichita and features a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio with approximately 50 full-time staff. The private, not-for-profit college is shaped by the fundamental values of its founding denomination, the Church of the Brethren. It welcomes students of all cultural, economic, and religious backgrounds.
From the beginning of the restoration program, McPherson has had the good fortune of having skilled and passionate faculty dedicated to sharing their craft with students. Many early graduates continue to be involved in the field, some even returning to McPherson to become staff members.
“In the late 1990s, Jay Leno took notice of what we were doing and introduced us to the larger automotive world,” said Amanda Gutierrez, McPherson College vice president for automotive restoration. “That encouraged us to establish an advisory board, move the program from an associate’s to a bachelor’s degree, and establish valuable partnerships with organizations such as Hagerty and Mercedes-Benz Classic Center. Those early relationships have gone a long way towards the expanded awareness of the program and increased opportunities for our students.”
“It was in 2013 when a group of alumni, advisory board members, and administration set a newly defined mission to be the center of excellence for students serious about automotive restoration,” Gutierrez continued. “And we set a lofty, bold, and audacious goal: to compete at Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance – the Super Bowl of the restoration world – with a car restored by students. We call it our moonshot.”
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance first made a charitable contribution to McPherson College in the early 2000s and was among several schools considered by Pebble Beach as possible partners for a scholarship honoring racer Phil Hill.
Hill, the 1961 Formula One World Champion and famed automotive restorer, was a longtime supporter of the Pebble Beach Concours and had judged at the world-renowned event 40 times. Soon after his death in 2008, Concours Chairman Sandra Button and the Hill family worked to establish scholarships honoring his legacy.
Derek Hill, Phil’s son, visited the McPherson campus and was impressed with what he saw. “McPherson is about much more than classrooms and lectures,” Hill said. “The students are actively at work on a variety of cars and car-related projects—and they are eager to talk about them. The education is hands-on. My father would have loved it.”
“We were looking for a program where students really gain the knowledge and skills needed to care for historic cars,” Concours Chairman Button said. “We wanted a program that offered a solid introduction to our automotive history—and then went beyond that to offer the tools and training to maintain the world’s great cars. We wanted to be certain the students would be able to gain real experience working with great cars. And we found that in McPherson.”
The resulting partnership between McPherson College and Pebble Beach has benefited students for over a decade.
Additionally, the Pebble Beach Concours has partnered with McPherson College to offer scholarships honoring Jules “J.” and Sally Heumann, who were involved in leading the Concours for over three decades, as well as automotive journalist and historian John Lamm.
Over the years, the Pebble Beach Concours has helped encourage over 20 McPherson College students with direct support, allowing them to join the Concours in August. Scholarship recipients have not only had the experience of attending but have also had the opportunity to shadow judges, participate in expert panel discussions, and prepare and present show cars for the field.
Finding the Right Project
The idea to compete with a car restored entirely by students began in 2013, and the search for the right vehicle took almost two years.
After several unsuccessful attempts at securing a project, the 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S appeared almost serendipitously.
“Paul Russell (of Paul Russell & Company in Essex, Massachusetts), the chair of our advisory board, was contacted by a man looking to sell a few cars from a collection,” Gutierrez
The Grand 600 Silver Arrow weaves many interesting parts together as a rich combination of brand history.
In its simplest form, the car combines a 2002 SL roadster and a 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 (W100), also known as the Grosser.
added. “Richard and Mary Hopeman owned the 300 S and kept the car in a beautiful old stone building. The car was complete, only had 35,000 miles on it, and included a wealth of spare parts, including an additional engine.”
Russell traveled to meet with the Hopemans and told them about the students at McPherson College and the bold vision for a student-restored car to compete at Pebble Beach. Richard and Mary were intrigued. Richard had a long career in engineering and project management, and both had worked in higher education, so they were understandably excited that their Mercedes-Benz, which had given them so much joy, could be the signature project for the McPherson program. Unfortunately, Richard passed away shortly after the transfer of the MercedesBenz to McPherson. Still, the Hopemans, and their beloved roadster, will forever intertwine with the story of McPherson College and its students.
The Rocket Ride
Originally designed to challenge the build quality of Roll Royce, the hand-built 300 S sports tourer was introduced at the Paris Motor Show in October 1951 and entered production the
following summer. Available in three configurations: a coupe, a cabriolet, and a roadster, with the latter featuring a lighter, fully retractable soft top without the cabriolet’s coach bars.
Apart from the Bosch mechanical fuel injection system, power is generated by the same 3.0-liter SOHC M188 inlinesix-cylinder engine found in the 300 SL Gullwing. Utilizing an aluminum cylinder head, triple downdraft Solex carburetors, oversized intake, and exhaust valves with a 7.8:1 compression ratio, the powerplant produces a factory-rated 150 horsepower at 5,000 rpm. Backed by a synchromesh four-speed manual transmission, the 300 S, with its Gullwing-shared chassis and suspension, can achieve a 110-mph top speed.
Praised by the automotive press for its impressive performance and remarkable list of standard equipment, such as reclining seats and vacuum-assisted brakes, the 300 S proved worthy of leading the burgeoning Mercedes-Benz product lineup of the early 1950s.
The McPherson College Mercedes-Benz 300 S, one of only 141 Roadsters produced during its three-year run, was unveiled by students at a private event during the 2016 Pebble Beach car week.
The Grand 600 Silver Arrow is the ultimate Restomod featuring a 6.0 liter V12 engine.
The lines successfully pairs the bold fenders of the 600 with the extra sleek lines of the panoramic roof.
Hands-On
“When we set out to do this, we knew it was going to be a 10-year commitment,” said Brian Martin, Senior Director of automotive restoration projects for McPherson College. “It is a complete, frame-off, top-to-bottom restoration by our students. This was not going to be a one – or two-year focused restoration. We planned for it to become the cornerstone of our entire program and an example of the kind of skills our students develop while they are here.”
Cars accepted for the Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance are judged not only on originality and authenticity to ensure they were properly preserved or restored but also on their presence and elegance.
“Making our effort a bit more challenging, we actually have very little history on our Mercedes-Benz 300 S. We do know the car was originally sold in Great Britain, and an older restoration was done sometime in its past,” Martin explained. “Pebble Beach represents the best cars in the world. It is the oldest concours in the United States and is considered one of the best. Only the top one percent of the classic cars in the world are invited to show there.”
Of course, the team encountered other challenges, according to Martin. “Like any restoration project, you find areas of concern during the process that you were not anticipating. Overcoming and solving those challenges has been a valuable learning experience for the students. The project has helped them understand the standard of excellence that is required of this level of restoration.”
“The same type of additional complexity that many professionals encounter while restoring classic cars meant that the student team couldn’t simply copy what it found during disassembly,” Martin further explained. “They had to confirm what was correct for the car when it was original in 1953. Each step of the restoration was a true learning process for the team members ensuring our restoration was accurate as possible.”
“Considering that Pebble Beach is widely regarded as the top Concours d’Elegance in the world, we are beyond thrilled that our 300 S has made the cut for this year’s show,” Martin said. “While
we are an educational partner with the Concours, we have been assured the invitation is on the merits of the student restoration.”
“Another great facet of our program at McPherson is how rewarding it is to see our students have jobs in the industry lined up as they near graduation,” Martin notes. “Many came into the program with little automotive knowledge and leave with countless applicable life lessons and career options.”
Connection with Mercedes-Benz
“My connection to McPherson College is really one of necessity,” said Mike Kunz, Managing Director of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Long Beach, California. “We must build a talent base in order to service and care for these cars. We had a student from McPherson College in Germany when I took over the Classic Center project in 2003, and I saw that it was vital from the outset to build a component of the business in order to find the talent to run the business - a really critical need.”
“We serve on the McPherson College advisory board, along with a group of industry experts and known parties,” Kunz explained. “We provide guidance on their programs and their overall strategy to help elevate their program. And you also have a kind of two-way communication there, so it’s interesting to see where students’ interests lie and to help develop the future for us. We usually have a regular intern every summer, and often interns become regular employees. So, it’s been a proven program for us to build talent and staff. Simply put, we would not have gotten to our recently opened new classic center if we didn’t have the talented people that the program provides.”
With former scholarship recipients now working as archivists, historians, restorers, preservationists, auction specialists, and collection technicians nationwide, it is easy to see what McPherson College brings to the vintage car world. Many former students have key roles with organizations or companies on the field at Pebble Beach. Thanks to these partnerships, McPherson College students and alums are active participants and future leaders in the automotive endeavor.
BIRTH OF BOOSTING
The First Supercharged Production Cars
One hundred years ago, Mercedes-maker Daimler introduced the first series-built cars to be supercharged. They took advantage of the expertise gathered by their supercharging of airplane engines during World War 1.
TEXT: David Engelman PHOTOS: Denis L. Tanney
A“Although the special needs of the aviation engine directed attention to the supercharger,” mused The Autocar in 1923,” and although the problems of engine power at high altitudes do not arise in motor-car engines, yet the conventional limits set by the classification of automobiles by cubic capacity and the artificial limits enforced to a great extent by taxation make it necessary to consider how more power can be obtained from a given size of engine. Though supercharging in England has not been considered extensively, the German designer has been busy. For over ten years, experiments have been carried out.”
How right the writer was. The German designer emerged from the Great War with a bulging portfolio of supercharger designs, tests and findings. Of those engine builders who could exploit their airborne supercharging know-how after the war, the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG) stood out. Under the terms of the Versailles Treaty, the DMG could no longer build big aero engines, but it could bring its boosting knowledge down to earth.
Engineering director Paul Daimler set up the program, continuing under the direction of Walter Schwerdtfeger, chief of the experimental department in Stuttgart. One of Daimler’s key decisions before the war had been the acquisition of a license to produce cars with the sleeve-valve system invented by
American Charles J. Knight. Instead of poppet valves, Knight’s design used two concentric ported sleeves between the piston and the cylinder wall to control inlet and exhaust apertures.
Paul Daimler’s first thought was to try supercharging a Knight engine. Problems with hot exhaust valves—a supercharging bugbear—would be avoided. If successful, boosting would make it easy to offer variations in the Knight models, whose sleeve-valve constraints made alterations in bores and cylinder capacity inconvenient. With poorer wartime lubricants, the MercedesKnight engines had dimmed the luster of the Stuttgart star; Daimler hoped to implement supercharging to enhance the Knight engine’s power range and reputation.
Chosen for boosting trials was the 2.6-liter four-cylinder engine of the 10/30 model, the smallest of the series of three Knight-equipped engines, both larger and smaller than the original 16/40, in the Mercedes-Knight product range. As well, the little 10/30 could use added power.
On September 2, 1919, Walter Schwerdtfeger wrote the work order for the construction of a Roots blower for the 10/30. His assistant Karl Schopper detailed its design. Research conducted toward the end of the war led to the design of a distinctively high-speed Roots charger. “Heretofore, such blowers were driven at 500 revolutions per minute at the most,” the DMG
Two views picture the first Roots blower installation on a Daimler 16/45 sleeve-valve engine in a test car. Its carburetor is in an enclosure.
stated. “High power therefore involved large dimensions and great weight, so that these blowers could not be employed in cases where lightweight and small dimensions with relatively high efficiency were required”—like automobiles as well as aircraft.
Daimler’s Roots chargers were designed to run at a minimum of 2,000 rpm and as high as 20,000 rpm, “at which speeds the specific power required by the blower is the least.” So groundbreaking was this that Daimler filed for a patent on the principle on June 21, 1918. The company’s research showed that with the Roots blower’s fixed gaps between rotors and walls, the efficiency of a unit running at moderate speed to deliver a specific gas volume fell precipitously below that speed. However, if a smaller unit were made to run at a higher speed, it reached and held a constant pressure for the same delivery.
Materials played a role. Karl Schopper’s design fabricated the compressor’s rotors and housing from sheet steel to suit them to run up to and beyond 10,000 rpm. Schopper made an enclosure for the updraft carburetor, placing the blower just below it. A gear train along the right side of the engine, shared with the dynamo, stepped up the speed and included a cone clutch that could be used to shift the blower in or out of action. Bench tests of the engine started at the beginning of September 1919.
With senior mechanic Jakob Kraus, Schopper joined Schwerdtfeger for the first test run in the blown 10/30 Mercedes along the road between Degerloch and Echterdingen, south
of Stuttgart, on October 17, 1919. For Daimler, the Pallas firm produced a new updraft carburetor with a concentric float bowl specially designed to operate under pressure. Karl Schopper used one of these in a rework of the Mercedes-Knight installation that placed the blower horizontally at the front of the engine with its shafts in the vertical plane. In December 1919, Paul Daimler filed for a patent on this layout that incorporated a multiple-disc clutch for blower engagement.
Second thoughts soon surfaced about the suitability of the double-sleeve Knight design for supercharging. Instead of lubricating, the oil around the exhaust ports caught fire, resulting in seizures that often broke the sleeve drive. Heat dispersal from the piston through the double sleeves to the block was meager. Nevertheless, the benefits of supercharging to the engine’s output were so great that Paul Daimler carried on, shifting the emphasis from his Knight designs to Daimler’s poppet-valve engines.
Daimler and Schwerdtfeger remained true to their concept of a blower that pumped air through the carburetor. This was the only modus operandi that allowed them to have a part-time blower, one that gave the engine both atmospheric and forced induction to choice. When properly designed, it reduced the problem of the blower’s lubricant being drawn into the mixture by negative pressure downstream of the carburetor. A bonus was that backfires affected only the mixture from the carburetor(s) to the engine. In contrast, the alternative, drawing the
Charles Knight, right, showed Paul Daimler and his colleagues his sleeve-valve system at a motor show. They decided to adopt it.
Paul Daimler introduced supercharging on wartime aero engines.
Looking lithe and lovable, this Mercedes 6/25/40 roadster had great appeal. Its owner could fully exploit the excitement of supercharging.
A British drawing explained the blower’s pipework.
mixture into the blower, meant that the latter contained an ample explosive charge.
The DMG researchers also signed up to the concept of parttime blower operation. On a touring car, this has the advantage of reducing to near-zero the amount of parasitic drag caused by the blower, with its attendant loss of performance and increased fuel consumption, when the full performance provided by the blower isn’t needed. It also meant that the engine could be lighter than would have been necessary if it had to stand up to full-time blower use. A subtle advantage was that the compression ratio could be fractionally higher for better off-boost performance and fuel economy than would otherwise have been the case.
The DMG engineers created ingenious linkages to operate the valves and clutch that implemented the part-time operation, working out through experiment the best way to achieve a smooth transition into and out of blown operation. In 1920 the Daimler men adopted the engagement method of a linkage to the accelerator pedal, which assured the robust engagement of the blower’s clutch. That year also witnessed the decision to mount the Roots charger vertically with its shafts in the longitudinal plane, driven by bevel gears.
Special care, demanding high precision, had to be taken to ensure a good fuel supply to the carburetor. Needing to avoid putting the fuel tank under surface pressure to deliver fuel to the float chamber against blower boost, Walter Schwerdtfeger invented and patented a rotary pump. It was expressly designed with loose clearances, which allowed the fuel to flow freely through the pump when boost was absent. As soon as the charger was engaged, an extension from the top of its input shaft set the pump spinning to ensure high-pressure delivery of fuel to the carburetor. Ingenious in its simplicity, this was adopted for production.
I n 1920 Daimler laid down a new series of four-cylinder engines for a fresh range of smaller road cars that would replace the Knight-valved models. Forced induction was to be an integral part of their design. These were the first engines designed by Daimler expressly to be supercharged. In this decision, Paul Daimler had strong support from DMG’s sales chief Hermann Gross, also an engineer. With capacities of 1.6 and 2.6 liters, the fours were designated 6/25 and 10/40, respectively, after their taxable and unblown brake-horsepower ratings.
Vee-inclined overhead valves operated by rocker arms were a clear indication that Daimler’s Great War aero engines inspired the new fours. Major design features were shared by both engines. Rocker arms operated the overhead valves from a single overhead camshaft driven by a vertical shaft at the rear. Bevels from that shaft drove the water pump on the left and magneto on the right. A take-off at the rear drove a generator along the left side of the crankcase with the starter motor below it.
Daringly and perhaps even rashly, in terms of volume-production methods of the day, these engines used aircraft-type cylinder blocks with four steel cylinders surrounded by a welded
sheet-steel water jacket. This was ideal for supercharging, having an integral cylinder head with no potentially troublesome head gasket. Lower portions of the cylinders were left exposed. An aluminum crankcase carried their three main bearings, lubricated by a reciprocating oil pump that had a smaller piston that topped up the sump’s supply from a dash-mounted tank.
Although the engines were designed for supercharging, the DMG managers hedged their bet by offering them in unblown form as well. If the unsupercharged fours were not to be disproportionately heavy and bulky for their size, the argument went, they could not be designed to cope with sustained use of the
Finally, this expert integration of the Roots with an aero engine was achieved by the Daimler engineers.
The first supercharged car to be put into series production was the Mercedes 10/40/65.
A star of the Mercedes-Benz collection is this 10/40/65 sports car, which begs to be restored and driven as its rakish looks suggest.
supercharger. By the same token, early adopters of forced induction might well prefer to have access to spirited supercharged performance only when desired instead of constantly with the associated penalties of noise and fuel consumption. Here were the rationales for the aforementioned decision to place charging at the driver’s disposal by full pressure on his accelerator pedal.
I nside a housing finned for cooling, Daimler followed up its research findings by fitting a Roots blower whose steel rotors were of small dimensions running at high speed. The first of the two models to be finalized was the smaller 6/25. A pair of bevel gears gave it a 1:3.4 step-up ratio so its rotors would attain 9,500 rpm at the peak engine revs of 2,800 rpm when 40 bhp were produced. Unblown power of 25 bhp was reached at 2,400 rpm. Identical technology was fitted to the larger 10/40, whose Roots had longer rotors of the same diameter as those of the smaller engine to provide the needed air capacity. Its blown output rose to 65 bhp from the naturally aspirated 40. The multiple-disc clutch that engaged the blower was between the crankshaft nose and the driving bevel gear in both engine
types. Operated by the accelerator pedal, the blower-clutch linkage also controlled other transitions from unblown to supercharged when the pedal was pressed to the limit. Lubrication of the Roots was done by a separate pressure-regulated oil supply from the engine.
Air entering the blower came through a large duct from a brass muff around the exhaust manifold on the left side, providing the warmth needed for better vaporization of the fuels of the era. Control under the fascia adjusted the amount of warming by admitting unheated air below the manifold as needed. A smaller duct from the muff ran between the middle cylinders to the updraft carburetor on the right side, delivering the air that the engine breathed when it was unsupercharged. The blower linkage closed a butterfly valve in this duct when boost was demanded. Although the 6/25 was first shown with a conventional exhaust, production cars had twin exposed pipes on the left-hand side of the bonnet.
Normal fuel delivery was by air pressure in the fuel tank generated by a pump driven from the rear of the camshaft. In the
supply to the carburetor was a four-bladed impeller in a bronze chamber driven from the top of the Roots blower’s input shaft. Normally fuel simply flowed through this chamber. However, when the compressor was engaged in Walter Schwerdtfeger’s patented design, the rotor whirled to boost the fuel pressure and volume delivered to the carburetor. Below the latter was a springloaded pressure-relief valve to cope with backfires. Delivery from the carburetor was to the engine’s two Siamese inlet ports.
Neither the 6/25 nor its larger sister was conceived as a sporting car. Instead, the concept was that of a light and lively family car of advanced technology that was available in a wide variety of body styles. Its chassis, however, was not up to the times with its rear-wheel braking, quarter-elliptic rear springs, and lack of dampers. Painfully evident was the DMG’s effort to compensate for the high manufacturing cost of the new aerotech engine by cutting back on the componentry of the rest of the vehicle.
In unblown form, the engines had a different sump casting and, in the 6/25, a nose extension to a crank handle. A belt from
the crankshaft turned a four-bladed fan behind the radiator. When supercharged, however, the vertical Roots blower and its ancillaries blocked the space that a fan needed. The charging equipment also intruded into the deeply veed radiator, a style that Daimler adopted with its Knight-engined cars. Yet road tests of the supercharged versions gave no hint of overheating. The secret was that the DMG had retained a longstanding feature of its early engines, which had bladed fans as spokes in their flywheels. With tightly fitting bonnet panels, these sucked cooling air through the radiator and past the engine. Between April and July of 1921, the Untertürkheim Works delivered five pre-production 6/25 models to the experimental department for testing. One was equipped with the new Kompressor. Accompanied by Walter Schwerdtfeger, Paul Daimler took its wheel to demonstrate its performance to Ernst Berge, the DMG’s general director. Here was a new kind of motoring that would demand the finest arts of sales chief Hermann Gross if its advantages were to be fully realized in the form of profitable deliveries.
Front brakes made an appearance on this later version of the Mercedes 10/40/65, a well-equipped sporting model.
By the summer of 1921, Germany’s motor trade was rampant with rumors about the “Mercedes secret” being engineered at Untertürkheim. “Like wildfire, this news ran through all the dailies,” said the in-house Daimler-Zeitung, “and both experts and laymen scratched their heads about the nature of the innovation. It was clear to all circles that when the DMG presents an innovation, it could not be of negligible technical significance.”
“You may have gathered from notes in the newspapers,” Hermann Gross advised his dealers on July 21, “that we have succeeded in raising the performance of automobile engines in a quite substantial manner. We can advise you that we have hitherto restricted our experiments in the increasing of performance to the [6/25] model and therewith have achieved outstanding results, so we have decided to bring the relevant improvement to this [6/25] type in general.”
All eyes were now on the Berlin Motor Show, set to run from September 23 through October 2, 1921—the first such exhibition in ten years. One example of each of the new 6/25 and 10/40 models was on show, a sports phaeton of the smaller model and a sports six-seater of the larger. Also exhibited was a 10/40 engine, but none was equipped with the much-rumored performance-increasing device. That no such engine was shown on the Mercedes stand prompted a catty comment by The Autocar’s William Bradley: “Rivals claim that the special engine only exists in the mind of the Mercedes advertising manager.”
“These new creations,” said the Allgemeine AutomobilZeitung (AAZ), “are equipped with a device for occasional overloading, which required the creation of a special carburetor. The constructive delineation of the overloading device is not externally recognizable. It is evidently still secret, but its effects will be shown to the press in demonstration vehicles.” The cars in question were open tourers, one of each model completed eight days earlier, then driven from Stuttgart to Berlin by racing drivers Otto Salzer and Christian Lautenschlager, the latter the fêted winner for Mercedes of the 1908 and 1914 French Grands Prix.
Fully laden with motoring correspondents and accompanied by two other Mercedes, both cars were driven on a test route from the Kaiserdamm Palace and returned on Saturday, October 1. Although the cars’ hoods were not lifted to permit inspection, their principle was disclosed, said the Berliner Zeitung: “Our earlier suppositions are confirmed: it is a blower motor. An air pump that delivers compressed air to the cylinders is applied at the front of the engine. The air pump substantially increases the degree of filling and raises the motor’s effectiveness by up to 50 percent.
“In the Tiergarten,” the Berliner Zeitung continued, “where our group was split apart by the traffic, Salzer had an opportunity to put the air pump in action. It is connected to the accelerator, which has a hindrance halfway down its travel which, when it is pressed through, brings the pump into action. The effect made itself immediately evident: the car pulled
powerfully forward and was quickly attached again to the group ahead.”
Chasing the others in the group, said the man from the Berliner Tageblatt, the smaller of the two cars, “reached 90 [km/h] with insouciant ease, then a step down on the accelerator, a remarkable singing noise and the kilometer needle passed 100 and climbed up to 110, 115 and swung toward 120.” Equivalent to 75 mph, this was a performance right out of the ordinary for a 1.6-liter automobile in 1921. Daimler had indeed engineered a stunning advance.
The design of the “Mercedes secret” remained just that for many months while pundits speculated about its details. The comment of the AAZ that ‘the first production cars cannot be delivered for eight months’ was close to the truth. In fact, an accounting from the experimental department in December 1921 said that they had 35 ‘6/20’ models under test, of which five had superchargers. Only one had the final vertical mounting that would be produced. Similar totals applied to the “10/35”.
Though it started life later than its smaller sister, the 2.6-litre 10/40 caught and passed its sibling. Customer deliveries began with one car each in August and September 1922, followed by a dozen cars in November and December. Thus the 10/40 PS Mercedes captured the laurels as the first series-production car to be supercharged. In April 1923, half a year later, deliveries of the 6/25 PS began, gathering pace to number some 30 units by the end of July. From 1924 the cars officially had designations of 6/25/38 and 10/40/65, the new third digit giving their boosted horsepower.
Continuing through 1924, annual production of these entry-level Mercedes models remained at three-figure levels, thanks in no small part to their prices. The company’s policy of constraints in chassis equipment to compensate for the high cost of the engines still left its blown cars dangerously exposed. Of the two, the larger model proved the more marketable. After 1924 the phasing out of both supercharged models as a consequence of an agreement that year between Daimler and Benz to coordinate their production and sales activities, a precursor to their amalgamation in 1926. The smaller car proved to be the less attractive proposition. After its high point of 190 units in 1923, sales tapered off, ending with 360 produced, not including 25 sports specials. Offering a higher performance/price ratio, the 10/40/65 attained 504 deliveries in 1924. The total production of this 2.6-liter model is estimated at 1,050 units.
Uniquely among automakers, the newly formed MercedesBenz would continue to offer supercharged models from these years until their production was terminated in 1943—a 20-year span. Fifty years later, in 1993, it commenced the supercharging of some of its production models with its charming SLK roadster. Boost was back and very welcome.
