Mercedes and Auto Racing in the Belle Epoque, 1895-1915

The history of the Mercedes provides the thread for this book that narrates the early history of automobile racing. The sport had its origins in Paris, and French marques and the Automobile Club de France dominated the early scene. But in 1901 a foreign troublemaker emerged, the Mercedes. This German machine was to play a leading role, its career and evolution becoming an image of the whole period. The individuals who built and drove these early racers laid the foundation of a new industry, conceived the modern, high-performance engine, and gave magic to a series of thrilling races.

This richly illustrated history answers many questions from this time. Early chapters discuss the marketing of the original Daimler engine in France, the influence of Emil Jellinek and Wilhelm Maybach, and the great town-to-town and Gordon Bennett races. Later chapters focus on the French Grand Prix, the great crisis of 1909, the voiturette movement, the Mercedes and Benz successes in America, and the role of Ernest Henry in the development of the revolutionary Peugeot. Final chapters describe the career of the 4.5-litre Mercedes and its impact on future designs.