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Simplex Mercedes D 1902; 408 cu in/6,700 cc, S4; 40 bhp/29.8 kW; unknown; 70 mph/119 kph ——————————————- ‘’On March 29, 1901, German driver Wilhelm Werner entered a 35-bhp (26-kW) Mercedes in the Nice-La Turbie Hill Climb on the Côte d’Azur; he finished forty-tree seconds ahead of his nearest rival after averaging an unheard-of 32 mph (51 kph). Word of Werner’s victory spread like brushfire trough motoring circles. By the time a 40-bhp (29.8-kW) road version of his 1901 stripped-down racer was released the following year, the car was already on its way to becoming a legend. That was before a single unit of the road version had been sold. Designer William Maybach wanted his 1902 creation to provide ‘’comfort by means of simplicity.’’ An extended wheelbase gave the car a lower center of gravity. The addition of the shift lever made automatic declutching possible. A second foot brake was added to keep in check the modified 6.7-liter engine., and a new cooling system made use of vanes to direct air more efficiently through the honeycombed radiator. Trendsetting coachwork and accoutrements such as oversized oxyacetylene brass headlights and a charming brass bulb-horn gave it the Mercedes flourish. The ancestor of generations of Mercedes to come, the Simplex is reconized today as the world’s first authentic automobile, built upon timeless principles such as a four-speed gear shift, rear-wheel (albeit chain) drive, and four-passage seating configuration. In 1902 William K. Vanderbilt Jr. set a world speed record of 69.5 mph (111.8 kph) in a Simplex. Everywhere it went, the car seduced all who laid eyes on it, from commoners to royalty. Remarked Emperor Wilhelm II to Maybach at the 1903 Berlin Motor Show: ‘Am truly beautiful engine you have here, sir.’’ (BS) #1001beforeyoudiecollections #1001beforeyoudiecollection #1001andmore #1transcribedtext #simplex #mercedes

A post shared by Constance-Lillyanne Essco (@1001before_you_die_collection) on Sep 29, 2020 at 10:08am PDT