THE MERCEDES-BENZ MAXIMUM-READING SPEEDOMETER

Mercedes-Benz used an interesting maximum-reading electrically-recording speedometer during the recent record attacks at Frankfort, built into the cockpit on the near side of the driver. This speedometer was used for scientific observation in connection with the record runs, but how valuable it might prove during a race, to a team-manager who suspects one of his drivers of habitual over-revving ! Or an additional maximum-recording needle on an ordinary speedometer might suffice to bring guilty parties to book, and would probably have been even more useful in the days when racing-engines were more sensitive than now to over-revving. This reminds us of another ingenious idea once suggested to us, namely a mild shocking coil in the steering-wheel rim, energised by a contact at the maximum safe rev.-limit on the rev.-counter dial. The idea was that a driver would then get instant warning of over-revving without having to watch the dial, which might be useful in sprint work, provided the shock did not weld the driver’s hands to his wheel t