The 1939 Mercedes-Benz W154 stands as a testament to the zenith of pre-World War II racing car design, a machine of stunning sophistication and power. This Grand Prix car, with its sleek lines and formidable two-stage supercharged V12 engine, represents the final and most potent iteration from the legendary Daimler-Benz Rennabteilung before the world descended into war.
This particular model is not just any W154; it is the last Grand Prix car completed and raced by the Mercedes-Benz factory team before the war halted motorsport. It survives in its ultimate specification, boasting the definitive ‘K’-series, or ‘M163’ type, two-stage supercharged, four-cam V12 racing engine. This engineering marvel produced a staggering 483 horsepower at a screaming 7,800 rpm, enabling it to reach speeds exceeding 190 mph, contingent on gearing and wheel diameter.
The history of road racing is often categorized into distinct periods, and the “Age of Titans,” spanning 1934 to 1939, remains the most captivating. During this era, the German state-backed Grand Prix teams of Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union achieved unparalleled dominance. This period, however, concluded with engine regulations limiting supercharged engines to a maximum of 3-liters capacity after the earlier 6-liter behemoths of 1934-37. Despite the shift from a maximum weight limit of 750 kg to a minimum of 850 kg for these 3-liter cars, it was machines like the 1939 Mercedes-Benz W154/39 that proved to be the fastest around the classic Grand Prix circuits of Europe.
This exceptionally significant vehicle participated in only one works-team race – the Belgrade Grand Prix, officially named the ‘Beograd City Park Race’. Held in Kalemegdan Park, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, on September 3, 1939, this race occurred on the very day Great Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany.
Driven by Manfred von Brauchitsch, nephew of the highest-ranking German Army officer, Feldmarschall Walter von Brauchitsch, this very car, chassis ’15’, demonstrated its prowess immediately. Von Brauchitsch secured pole position and led the race at a blistering pace. However, an unfortunate spin in front of the French Embassy caused him to rejoin the race against the flow of traffic, narrowly avoiding a collision with Tazio Nuvolari’s Auto Union, who then seized the lead. Ultimately, Tazio Nuvolari won this final race of the ‘Age of Titans’, with Manfred von Brauchitsch finishing second in this iconic machine. This 1939 Mercedes-Benz W154 is truly the ultimate “Silver Arrow,” representing the pinnacle of its era.
