A 116-year-old Mercedes with a 17.3-liter engine is to be sold for $ 9 million (16 photos)

The one-of-a-kind Mercedes Brookland sports car will go under the hammer, which auctioneers call one of the most significant racing cars of the early 20th century. It was built in 1908, and a year later it was equipped with a unique 17.3-liter engine. The rarity, which participated in the most prestigious races of its time, is estimated at between 7 and 9 million dollars.





This model was developed by Mercedes in 1906, and it was named after the British race track. The Brooklands circuit is considered the first track in history specially built for car races.

The example put up for sale was originally assembled with a relatively standard power unit (according to some sources, 80 hp) specifically for another race - the Austrian Semmering Hill Climb. In the very first attempt, undertaken by owner Otto Salzer in 1908, the car set a speed record for this event, accelerating to 81.2 km/ h.

After the race, the car was returned to the factory, where, at Salzer's initiative, a huge 17.3-liter engine was installed on it. It developed an impressive 150 hp for those times. In 1909, Salzer improved his achievement to 84.3 km/ h, setting a track record that lasted 15 years.

The sports car subsequently changed owners many times, moving from Europe to Australia, and from there to the United States, until it was bought by the Indianapolis Sports Complex Museum for $30,000 in 1964. The car still has a whole set of original units and traces of the original paint and is capable of moving independently.







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