1920 Topic Hub

Racing Icons – 1954 Mercedes-Benz ‘Blue Wonder’ Race Transporter in 69 RARE Photos

Part publicity stunt, part engineering exercise — and all fun and playful. The 1950s Mercedes-Benz Racing Division needed a rapid transport vehicle to supplement the big trucks with closed canopies that typically moved racecars and teams among the European circuits. Lower, faster and far more nimble than the big trucks, the Blue Wonder could navigate under any bridge or within any narrow city streets — areas typically off-limits for a heavy heauler. Powered by a race-ready engine from the 300SL and plopped into Mercedes sedan chassis, the ‘Blue Wonder’ was billed as the fastest transporter in the world. A top …

Keep reading

Feb 24, 2015 Read more

RM London Highlights – 1920 Bugatti Type 23 Was First Rally Supercar + RARE Archive Photos

When racing in a straight line, the key attributes you want are a long wheelbase and huge power. But when racing up tight mountain roads, with switchbacks every few hundred metres, you want the shortest wheelbase possible. Still with the huge power, but in a nimbler and pointer package. Bugatti has always chased the extremes of performance, and this Type 23 is no different. Chopped short like a Sport Quattro — this Type 23 is hilarious at first. We can see in these extremely rare archive photos a T11 racer and an the enclosed-shell Bugatti T32 ‘Tank’ sharing this same …

Keep reading

Oct 28, 2014 Read more

Gooding Pebble Beach Highlights – 1920 Mercer Series 5 Raceabout Is Charming and Innovative

With a sale price of $308,000, this handsome yellow Mercer Raceabout was very well bought. There are charming details all over this 1920 classic, including the very deep honeycomb of the grille, twin spare tires in back, and a brake light with illuminated ‘Stop’ letters. Other safety innovations include a rear-view mirror just to the left of the drivers seat, which was an uncommon feature in this time period. Also cool are the manually-tilting headlamps. A form of highbeams 30 years before that was a feature in most cars. But perhaps the most lovely is the steering wheel. This wood-rimmed …

Keep reading

Oct 23, 2014 Read more