Mercedes 150 mid-engine Sports Roadster 1935

This is the story of a mid-engine Mercedes roadster produced between 1934 and 1936. Against the backdrop of the generally difficult economic situation at the time the Mercedes 150 was created with the intention of completing the lower end of the product portfolio. In 1934 appeared the four-seater Mercedes-Benz 130 (W23), the first series-produced car of the brand with a rear-mounted engine. In February 1935 the then Daimler-Benz AG presented the Mercedes-Benz 150 Sports Roadster (W 30 series) at the International Automobile and Motorcycle Show (IAMA) in Berlin. The new car was positioned in the model range as a compact sports car with the potential for a bigger series - but in the end only a very few examples were actually built. The exact number is unknown. The example illustrated in this article is considered the unique remaining today and is the property of Daimler Benz.

The two-seater Mercedes-Benz 150 Sports Roadster presented in 1935 is based on the engineering of the 150 Sports Saloon. In order to improve axle load distribution the drive unit engine and transmission is rotated through 180 degrees; the engine is in front of the rear axle while the transmission is behind it. Compressed air cooling enables the use of a smaller radiator since an engine-driven encapsulated fan forces the cooling air through the radiator. The small rectangular radiator is located behind the engine, over the rear axle.

The engine can be regarded as a high performance unit for the time: with a displacement of 1,5 litres (1498cc), this four cylinder unit produces 54 hp (40 kW) at 4.600 rpm, a very remarkable figure which even many a bigger displacement engine of the time could not deliver. The top speed was claimed for 125 kph which is unusually fast for the 1930's.

A sales brochure praises the vehicle as a "spirited sports car" and emphasizes the qualities of the sports car engine and the excellent power-to-weight ratio. " One horsepower carries the burden of only 19 kg! This explains why the 150 has an acceleration in all gears that is almost a match for that of a supercharged car." The Mercedes-Benz 150 Sports Roadster remained in the official sales line-up until 1936.

Its body design shows typical features of the open-top sports cars of its period. For example, the backswept, divided windscreen and the two externally mounted spare wheels, which are fitted on the sides behind the doors. A main-beam headlamp is fitted into the middle of the front end. A striking feature is the boattail, which tapers to a point and has two number plates holders. The Mercedes star on the front end stands upright on the hood. Both the light, roaster soft top and small items of luggage can be stored behind the seats. There is space under the front bonnet for a large suitcase and the fuel tank.

So the ingredients promised an exciting sports car, which also had relatively moderate price of 6.600 Reichsmarks -preconditions for a larger unit volume. But the production numbers remained extremely limited. The existing figures differ: one statistic shows 20 units; the statistics for the bodies built in Sindelfingen on the other hand cite five manufactured units- one in 1934, four in 1935. Finally, the delivery of only two units can be proven with the commission books. In any case, the Mercedes-Benz 150 Sports Roadster is one of the rarest automobiles of the Mercedes-Benz brand.

Texte Paul Damiens - Photos Daimler Benz

wallpapers of the Mercedes 150 mid-engine Sports Roadster 1935 click to enlarge