Mercedes-Benz W25
Nürburgring, 2 June 1934. At the Eifel races (Eifelrennen) "Mercedes" comes to the start with a brand new car. It is called "W25" and to match what was entered in that season the formula limiting the maximum permissible weight up to 750 kg. By tradition for the German teams both car "W25" is painted in white color and weigh in result for three pounds more than the norm. The team is at a loss: tomorrow's race and it is unclear what else can be removed from the car, and already extremely lightweight? "Well, now we are fools, for nothing that in the varnish," concluded one of the mechanics, unwittingly throwing a saving idea. One night-according to the common "Mercedes" legend — with cars scraped off all the varnish to the aluminum, thereby removing unnecessary pounds. As a result, the car won a landslide victory. The people respectfully called him" Silver arrow", because in the future," Mercedes " performed only in this color. Silver cars of the concern "Auto Union" in may started in the race on the track AFUS (Avus-Rennen).
Whether the W25 was the first Silver arrow or not, it was anyway the beginning of the legend of the brand's excellence and fame, which is still admirable. It is silver-shiny cars from Germany was destined to dominate in the future in international Grand Prix tournaments.
An excursion into the background of the economically tense 1930/1931: large automobile factories practiced restraint in racing. Until 1932, Mercedes-Benz was to participate in a number of races with "White elephants" weighing almost 1.6 tons — "SSK" or "SSKL". Their six-cylinder compressor with a volume of 7065 cm3 was designed by Professor Ferdinand Porsche. In 1931 Rudolf Carraciola won on one of these cars in the Berlin race on the track, APUS; he won the competition "Mille Miglia". Next year on the track, AFUS "SSKL" (with a streamlined body of Baron Reinhard Koenig-Fachsenfeld) was the leader von Brauchitsch with an average speed of 194 km/h, however, surrounded by weak opponents. In 1932, the company "Alfa Romeo "with designer Vittorio Jano created" Tour RZ " weighing only 700 kg with an eight-cylinder engine capacity of 2.7 liters. It Tazio Nuvolari immediately secured a victory at the Grand Prix of Italy. However, at the end of the year, the Milanese left racing and handed over in 1933 all their rally material to the "Scuderia Ferrari" unit from Modena.
A different situation has developed on the "Mercedes". After years of crisis, the company decided to return to the track. Taking into account the regulations of 1934 in the Stuttgart area Untertürkheim under the leadership of Dr. Hans Nibel appeared a modern racing car with open wheels and eight-cylinder in-line engine with supercharged, designed by albert Hess. The volume of the engine with a compressor and two supercharged carburetors originally amounted to 3360 cm3, but soon increased to 3710, and then — to 3990 cm3. The power unit had four valves per cylinder driven by twin overhead camshafts.
The boost was provided by the compressor roots blower. Under the 750 kg formula, the chassis has also undergone significant structural changes since the stagnation of the twenties. Then designers still focused on the constant increase in power by increasing the boost. Now outdated, the principle of stationary axes gave way to independent suspension all wheels: front — wishbones and coil springs, rear swing axle and transverse leaf springs. The suspension is generally softer and the shock absorbers tougher. To balance the transmission together with the differential installed in the form transaxle in the center of the rear axle.
In January 1934, Mercedes-Benz performed the first test drives on the Milan-Como motorway on the finished W25 car and then continued them on the nürburgring. On may 27, the AFUS track was to host the first long-awaited meeting with Auto Union cars, designed under the guidance of Professor Porsche, for the whole of Germany. Their V-shaped 16-cylinder engine was installed in front of the rear axle — a revolutionary solution for the time. But a few days before the race, "Mercedes-Benz" decided to abandon the use of "W25" because of the unavailability of the car. At the same time, the concern "Auto Union" has achieved success already at the first performance of the car with a capacity of 295 horsepower on the track "AFUS", which was announced as a presentation and as an acceptance race.
On March 6, 1934, Hans Set three world records on a new model with an engine in the middle. On both straight roads with a length of ten kilometers, "Auto Union Type A" has reached a speed of 265 km/h. However, the race itself "FAS" was won by Frenchman guy moll on "Alfa Romeo RZ" with the engine capacity increased to 2905 cm3, and with a streamlined body. Two car "Auto Union" (Units/background Linsingen) was eliminated from the competition, while the third (Momberger) drove the route faster than anyone. The meeting of the two opponents was postponed to the already mentioned aifel races — and, thus, we are again in the beginning. 15 races, 342.15 kilometers-and Manfred von Brauchitsch wins, leaving behind Hans Piece on " Auto Union "and Louis Chiron on"alpha Romeo RS". The second pilot "W25" Luigi Fagioli was eliminated because of problems with the ignition, and Rudolf Caracciola did not speak because of injuries received as the result of a severe accident in Monaco.
The further course of the season meant for "W25" UPS and downs: on the Grand Prix club "ACF" in Montlhéry near Paris, the German cars were defeated, eliminated from the competition. The victory was won by Louis Chiron of Monaco at the "Alfa Romeo RS "division" Scuderia Ferrari". The Grand Prix of Germany was held once again at the Nurburgring in mid-July, the first finished Pieces on "Auto Unión", followed by Fagioli in the Mercedes and "Chiron" by "Alfa Romeo". German cars claimed for the Belgian Grand Prix were recalled; the triumph went to the French rené Dreyfus on "Bugatti".
Between these competitions, several of the best pilots performed on August 5 at the famous races across the pass Clausen (Klausenrennen). The participants competed on a 21.5 km long section with crushed stone covering, finishing at an altitude of 1948 meters. For the victory in the conquest of the peaks was still struggling not recovered after the accident, Rudolph Carraciola on "Mercedes-Benz W25" and Hans Pieces on "Auto Union Type A". "Karrach" (starting number 65) sets a new record — 15'22,2", Pieces (starting number 66) runs the track for 15'25,4". For that time, a barely perceptible difference of 3.2 seconds. This race of giants went down in the history of Motorsport.
At the Coppa acerbo Pescara under ten days later won another pilot of the Mercedes — Luigi Fagioli, ahead of the car "alpha Romeo" with Nuvolari and Brivio. On August 26 in Bern, in the rain, the Swiss Grand Prix took place, which won Hans Pieces on his "Auto Union". Behind him finished his team mate Momberger and Dreyfus on "Bugatti". At the Grand Prix of Italy in early September in Monza racers have succeeded each other at the wheel due to the length of the route in km. 500,2 Carraciolo/ Fagioli in the Mercedes ahead of the Thing/comm Leiningen on "Auto Unión". They were followed by "Alfa Romeo", Trossi/Comotti and Chiron/Nuvolari.
Power eight-cylinder unit (factory code M25S) with a volume increased to 4310 cm3, reached at the end of 1934 as much as 462 horsepower. After the death of Dr. Nibel in 1935, Max Seiler took over the technical leadership. Mercedes-Benz W25, improved in all major respects, became almost invincible and experienced a season of absolute success with nine victories, five of which were won at the classic Grand Prix. Carraciola won the Grand Prix of Monaco, France, Spain, Belgium and Switzerland, as well as for the Eifel races on "Grand Prix" in Tripoli. This allowed him to become European champion in 1935. Luigi Fagioli won the first place on the track, and UFOS in Barcelona. The best racing season in Untertürkheim is hard to imagine and it will remain one of the most successful.
Mercedes-Benz W 25 will perform in 1936 in the version of "W25K" with a shortened body, increased to 4740 cm3 engine capacity and more sensitive control. He won only two victories before Mercedes recalled the First silver arrow and concentrated on The W125 in the 1937 season. This car also brought victories, as well as" W154 " of 1938. However, the legendary " W25 " eclipsed both models: between 1934 and 1936 years released only 15 copies. Of these, three survived, reaching a high cost, although on the move today only the factory car. It is necessary to thank Mercedes for the fact that this car-a member of the "Grand Prix" is kept in good condition and even actively used. Anyone who has ever seen and, especially, heard it in the case, will never forget it!