In 1906, Mercedes developed a competition car that not only earned a legendary nickname, but would prove painfully competitive decades after its introduction...
Text: Gerben Bijpost Photography: Shooterz.biz ©2024 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were hardly any cars, let alone racetracks. If the lucky and usually wealthy owners of a four-wheeler wanted to compete against each other, they mainly did so on public roads. Except in England, where it was forbidden. And so a businessman soon came up with the idea of creating a race track near the picturesque town of Weybridge. He christened his racetrack -a 4.45 km oval equipped with steep fairing bends- Brooklands.
There were strict rules on the track regarding overtaking (which was only allowed on the right) and how high you could drive in the corners. Because too little speed with the downforce of the cars in those days quickly meant a tumble downhill.
Record after record
A lot of downforce will be the Mercedes in these photos either, but there is no doubt that it was allowed to go high into the corner. Indeed, by 1906 Mercedes had developed a new competition platform that would soon make its mark on motorsport. In its inaugural year at Brooklands in 1907, the Mercedes set speed records there of 143 km/h over 10 miles with a standing start and 154 km/h over a flying half-mile. Another record was set in 1911: an average speed of 109 mph 175 km/h over a full lap. Impressive feats that soon earned this Mercedes its nickname: the Brookland.
The development of the 'Brookland' did not stop there. What you see on these pages is commission number 5871 and workshop order 336, dated 16 June 1908; a 'one-off' model, intended for pure racing performance. This 'Brookland' had a four-cylinder engine with bore and stroke of 175 by 180 millimetres, representing an impressive displacement of almost 11 litres - larger than allowed for Grand Prix cars of the time. The car was developed specifically for participation in the illustrious Semmering Hill Climb in Austria, then one of the most prestigious competition events on the European continent, a no-limits clash of the titans with virtually no rules. The car claimed victory with a new record speed of 81.2 km/h, extremely fast for a hill climb.
17.3-litre monster
But at Mercedes, they saw a bit more potential in this car and so they returned it to the factory in July 1908, where it was fitted with a brand new engine. This became a completely absurd 17.3-litre (!) four-cylinder, good for 150 hp. This engine, numbered 820, was so big that it was almost visible from the front of the car, emerging menacingly from the front cross member! It was a unique engine, the only one of its kind ever built. A brutal power source that turned the car into something of a mechanical wrecking ball - raw, uncompromising, but also exceptionally effective. So in September 1909, the car returned to Semmering and won again, this time with an improved record time of 7 minutes and 7 seconds, averaging 84.3 km/h -a record that remained for no less than 15 years.
Failed stunt
It made this factory racer one of the most successful chain-driven, large-cylinder Grand Prix and competition cars of its time. But 'its time' did not appear to be at an end. Indeed, after its impressive career in Europe, this Mercedes was sold and shipped to Australia, where it had a whole string of owners, at one point even being fitted with aircraft seats and competing in various races. Until a remarkable event took place in 1953: during a racing event at Fisherman's Bend near Melbourne, the local Mercedes-Benz dealer put a brand new Mercedes 300 against this then 45-year-old Brookland.
He thought that would be a nice promotional stunt. But oh, how that dealer must have regretted it. Because to everyone's surprise - and great hilarity among the audience - the modern car was painfully beaten by this roaring pre-war racing monster, which showed its impressive muscle once more...
FACTS
In 1964, the Brookland was sold for the whopping price of $ 30,000 and ended up in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum (USA). There it stayed for the past 60 years. Until recently, in preparation for a sale through Sotheby's, he was allowed out again for the first time in a long time. Still easy to start and fantastic to drive. Also incredibly original, including the original numbered radiator and carburettor, presumably the original external exhaust system, the original gauges, remnants of factory paint on the inside of the frame and a gearbox stamped 'S', perhaps for Semmering. Even the cylinders are individually dated and the original identification plate appeared to remain there after all these years - unheard of in a vintage competition Mercedes! Consequently, this unique Brookland was hammered down to an impressive USD $8,255,000.
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