Letters from Readers, November 1979
N.B. - Opinions expressed are those of our Correspondents and Motor Sport does not necessarily associate itself with them. - Ed. Two Views of Villeneuve Sir, I refer to the…
MERCEDES-BENZ RECORDS
Last month Mercedes-Benz got busy along the new Dessau-Bitterfeld motor road. Caracciola brought out a specially streamlined 8-litre Mercedes-Benz and got the class flying kilo. and mile records up to 247.44 m.p.h. and 248.27 m.p.h. respectively. Then, with a specially faired G.P. 3-litre Mercedes-Benz he put up the standing kilo. and mile records to 108.9 m.p.h. and 123.49 m.p.h. respec
tively. Both cars had fully enclosed wheels, but not entirely enclosed cockpits. The record car is reported to have ice-cooling. an innovation for a car of this size, although used for the Silver Bullet and Railton twin-engined landspeed-record cars. Later, Caracciola set the standing kilo. record higher still, to 110.81 m.p.h., his best run being at 111.019 m.p.h. He also brought out the 5f-litre Mere. but engine trouble ensued. These class D records were previously held by Furmanik’s Maserati, the standing records at 93 and 102 m.p.h., the flying records at 155156 m.p.h.—so Germany has slicked off a nice chunk. Indeed, nearly 250 m.p.h. from 3-litres is truly sensational, although I,ockhart’s 3-litre Stutz did some 200
m.p.h. in its day. The standing start kilo. and both flying start records beat the Auto-Union records in Class D in point of speed. The 5i-litre Mere. should be even faster—so Auto-Union, perhaps even Eyston, must look lively. At the same time a 2-litre diesel Hanomag saloon set up speeds for five miles and five kilos, of 96.59 and 96.9
m.p.h., respectively, and for the standing kilo and mile of 53.97 m.p.h. and 61.18 m.p.h. respectively—these stand as new records in the C.I. class, but are at the mercy of all sizes of diesel-engined record cars as the A.I.A.C.R. has things at present.
A GOOD HOME WANTED
A reader who is buying a closed car because of his wife’s health seeks a good. home for a 1924 10.8 h.p. Riley tourer, which is in very sound order and gives 60 m.p.h. and 32-85 m.p.g. The car is going at breaker’s price and to a breaker
if not sold. Enquiries to L. Keens, 137, Sirdar Road, N.22.