Mercedes Benz W154 1938

[Pete05]

Nurburgring Nordschleife 1939

Indianalopis 500 1947

This was the most sophisticated front engined car of the prewar era, a distinction it shared with it's little W165 brother until the W196 appeared in 1954. For it's 3-litre power unit, Mercedes turned to a V12, with it's supercharger compressing the fuel/air mixture rather than just air to the carburettor as had previously been Mercedes practice, and with two-stage supercharging in 1939.
The M154 initially produced 425 bhp, rising to 470 bhp in it's highest state of tune in 1938. Piston trouble was prersistent, however, and this engine did tend to ooze oil. It was still used in 1939, together with the interchangeable M163 which had a new block and crankcase, numerous beefed up details and in-series two stage supercharging, with the larger of the two Roots-type units blowing into the smaller. The peak power of the M163 was 483 bhp.
The W125 chassis and suspension were carried over to the W154 which was notably soft by previous racing standards. With the intention of reducing overall height, the engine was mounted at an angle to the centreline of the car and canted down towards the rear, from where the transmission ran alongside the driver to a five speed gearbox/final drive (transaxle). In 1939, the brakes were 'turbo-finned' to assist cooling and so remedy another 1938 deficiency. The 1938 bodies were neither handsome nor outstandingly effective, and the 1939 version (dubbed, but not designated W163) had much sleeker lines, which concealed a revised weight distribution achieved by using two small, side fuel tanks as well as the saddle and tail tanks of 1938.

ENGINE

Configuration
M163 60 degree V12

Location
Front, longitudinally mounted

Weight
253 kg / 557.8 lbs

Construction
Forged steel block and heads

Displacement
2962 cc / 180.8 lbs

Bore / Stroke
67 mm (2.6") x 70 mm (2.8")

Compression
7.5:1

Valvetrain
4 valves per cylinder, DOHC

Fuel feed
2 x Mercedes Carburettors

Aspiration
Two Stage Roots-Type Superchargers

Power
483 bhp / 360 kW @ 7800 rpm

Torque
490 Nm / 361 ft lbs @ 5000 rpm

DRIVETRAIN

Chassis
Aluminium body on a nickel-chrome molybdenum oval tube frame

Front suspension
Double wishbones, coil springs, hydraulic shock absorbers

Rear suspension
DeDion axle, longitudinal torsion bars, hydraulic shock absorbers

Steering
Worm and nut

Brakes
400 mm / 15.7" Hydraulic alloy drums, all round

Gearbox
5 speed manual

DIMENSIONS

Weight
980 kg / 2160.5 lbs

Length
4600 mm / 181.1"

Width
1850 mm / 72.8"

Height
1250 mm / 49.2"

Wheelbase
2720 mm / 107.1"

Track
1470 mm / 57.9" both front & rear

Tyres
(F) 19 x 6.5" / (R) 22" x 7.0"

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z17671/Mercedes-Benz-W154.aspx

http://www.grandprixhistory.org/mercedes1.htm

http://www.grandprixhistory.org/merc154.htm

http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/c9.htm

http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/f1/history/w154-back-on-track-after-70-years/

http://revs institute.org/the-collection/mercedes-benz/

http://www.sportscardigest.com/mercedes-benz-w154-silver-arrow-car-profile/

http://www.stasher.us/mercedes_survivors.html

http://www.supercars.net/cars/1269.html

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/361/Mercedes-Benz-W154.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_W154

 

[Grand Prix]

The W154 was very bad-ass looking in both its body shapes. Here's an earlier 1938 W154 at Tripoli:

It also had a fantastic sounding 3 litre supercharged V12:



Not as powerful as the W125 before it, due to changes in regulations, but still had a pretty crazy amount of power (well over 400hp) for the time. Was just as fast around a track as its predecessor with its lower center of gravity and much improved road-holding.

 

[Pete05]

The different looks over the models lifespan, have been tricky to get my head around.
I love the vision you're adding, not to mention the audio that comes with it

So, in a silver arrows dream, Auto Union or Mercedes-Benz, which one do you want for a day at the Nurburgring?
I'll take this one thanks

 

[Grand Prix]

The different looks over the models lifespan, have been tricky to get my head around.
I love the vision you're adding, not to mention the audio that comes with it

So, in a silver arrows dream, Auto Union or Mercedes-Benz, which one do you want for a day at the Nurburgring?
I'll take this one thanks

From what I have read, when Mercedes put the updated engine and bodywork on the W154 chassis for 1939, they still referred to the car as the W154. Some people call the 1939 car the W163, because of the engine code (M163), hence the confusion.

BTW, I think the image in the original post is of the W165, a 1.5 litre V8 car which competed in just one race, I know it's confusing.


I'd be happy to try out any of the Silver Arrows, would probably be marginally safer in a Mercedes though. Unless it was the 646hp W125.

 

[Pete05]

W154, W163 & W165

Oh my head hurts

One thing is for sure, they're all a masterpiece.

 

[Pete05]

OP has been updated with background information, technical specifications and links to other detailed articles including picture galleries.

Enjoy