A Mercedes 150 PS Brookland Rennwagen with a giant 17.3-liter engine was put up for auction by RM Sotheby’s. The 1908 car is expected to fetch over $7 million.
In 1908-1909, this racing car successfully competed in hillclimb races. There were only three such cars. The giant 17.3-liter engine with 150 horsepower allowed it to reach speeds of up to 175 km/h.
The Mercedes 150 PS Brookland Rennwagen got its name because it reached the aforementioned speed on the British oval track in Brooklands. At that time, most aircraft were slower.
As for the car put up for auction, Otto Salzer won the hillclimb races in Semmering, Austria, in 1908 and 1909. And Camille Genazzi took third place in the prestigious Champion du Monde competition in Belgium. Later, the Mercedes 150 PS Brookland Rennwagen was sold to Australia, where it also participated in the race.
After numerous changes of ownership in private collections, the car moved to the USA in the 1950s. And since the 1960s, the sports car has been exhibited in the car museum on the track in Indianapolis.
Source: rmsothebys.com
