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Mercedes-Benz W154 Silver Arrow – Car Profile

Mercedes-Benz W154 at Lime Rock A 1939 Mercedes-Benz W154 Silver Arrow was specially featured at Lime Rock Park’s Vintage Festival September 4-7, 2009.

A stellar attraction of the legendary period from 1934 to 1939, the W154 represented the apogee of the supercharger era of Mercedes-Benz’s racing vehicles. Rudolf Carraciola drove a Silver Arrow to the Grand Prix world title in 1938. The car dominated again in 1939, piloted by Hermann Lang.

The W154 was created as a result of a rule change by the sports governing body AIACR, which required supercharged engine capacities to be limited to 3000cc. Mercedes’ previous car, the W125 used a 5700cc engine and was therefore ineligible to be entered. Mercedes decided that a new car, designed from the outset to comply with the new regulations would be preferable to modifying the existing car and thus designed the W154.

Germany’s Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union GP motor racing vehicles between 1934 and 1939 were dubbed “Silver Arrows” by the press, applying later to Mercedes-Benz F1 and sports cars from 1954 onward.

Very few of these cars were built and many were broken up or simply disappeared during the war era 1939-45 war. Audi has commissioned several replicas of their Auto Union ancestors which appear at important vintage events.

The Lime Rock feature was the first time this particular Mercedes-Benz W154 had been on a race track since 1939, when it finished 2nd in the Jugoslav Grand Prix driven by Manfred von Brauschitsch.

Mercedes-Benz W 154 Silver Arrow Photo Gallery

Mercedes-Benz W154 at Lime Rock

Mercedes-Benz W154 at Lime Rock

Mercedes-Benz W154 at Lime Rock

Mercedes-Benz W154 at Lime Rock

The M154 engine was a 2-stage supercharged 2,961 cc V12 engine that produced 476 hp at 7,800 rpm.
The M154 engine was a 2-stage supercharged 2,961 cc V12 engine that produced 476 hp at 7,800 rpm.

Mercedes-Benz W154 at Lime Rock

Mercedes-Benz W154 at Lime Rock

Cockpit of Mercedes-Benz W154 at Lime Rock

Mercedes-Benz W154 featured 5-speed transmission

Mercedes-Benz W154 front suspension featured independent suspension with wishbones, coil springs and hydraulic dampers
Mercedes-Benz W154 front suspension featured independent suspension with wishbones, coil springs and hydraulic dampers

Mercedes-Benz W154 at Lime Rock

Mercedes-Benz W154 at Lime Rock

Mercedes-Benz W154 Silver Arrow Video (Shot and edited by John Godfrey jgatv.com)

[Source: Wikipedia; Lime Rock; photo credit: Al Wolford; video credit: John Godfrey]