Mercedes-Benz W 125 432.7 km/h world record stands 75 years on

75 years ago, a Mercedes Benz W125 car set a world speed record of 432.7 km/h that stands till date. Rudolf Caracciola achieved this record on 28th January 1938 during a one kilometer stretch of road from Frankfurt am Main to Darmstadt.

An aerodynamically optimized body for the W125 car made it possible for Caracciola to achieve this feat. The car used to set this world record as based on the W125 Sliver Arrow and boasted of an optimized 5.6-litre V12 MD 25 DAB/3-type engine with two superchargers and a power output of 736 hp. An aerodynamic body design comprising of wedged shaped tapered tail and a totally covered body was used on this car. Test in an air tunnel allowed engineers to reduce coefficient of drag to 0.157 which provided for just enough air for the engine to run smoothly.

The engine was cooled using a radiator immersed in a chest filled with 500 liter mixture of water and ice. The record breaking car now occupies a vertical spot on the wall in Legend Room 7 which has been dedicated to ‘Silver Arrows- Races and Records’.