1913 Benz 82/200 hp D&E Snutsel Touring

The Blitzen Benz is a race car built by Benz & Cie in Mannheim, Germany, in 1909. In 1910 an enhanced model broke the world land speed record. It was one of six cars based on the Grand Prix car, but it had an enlarged engine, 21,504 cm³ (1,312.3 in³), 200 hp (149.1 kW) inline-four, and improved aerodynamics.

Germany’s Karl Benz might have invented the motor car, the pioneering role in motor racing was taken up, with considerable success, by the French. So it was no surprise, that when Benz decided to get into racing, a team of French engineers were hired to design a Grand Prix car. The fruit of their labours, the Benz ‘Grand Prix’ debuted in 1908. The 12.8 litre four cylinder engine produced a hefty 120 bhp, which was transferred to the wheels through a chain drive system. Impressed by the top speed of 160 km/h, Benz decided to modify the racing cars to try and beat the land speed record. The puny four cylinder engine was replaced by power plant almost twice its size, which was usually only used to power airships. It powered the ‘Blitzen’ Benz to a stunning 228 km/h land speed record; a rather frightening speed considering the only method of slowing down was through one drum brake on the transmission input shaft.

This 1913 Benz 82/200 HP Touring car has a massive, 21.5-Liter engine. In the early days of motoring, before there was limit on displacement size in racing, the best way to increase horsepower was to increase the displacement size. Displacement size grew quickly in the early years of automobile production, until regulations in 1913 had engineers searching for new methods of increasing horsepower. Displacement size was limited to 7.4-liters.

Featured is one of these very rare 200 bhp road going monsters equipped with an impressive four seater convertible body by Belgian coachbuilder D&E Snutsel Pere & Fils. This car was very successfully raced at Brooklands with this body, but without the fenders, running boards, top and windshield. Remarkably much of the original aluminium body was preserved with the exception of the running boards and fenders. After a three year ground-up restoration, the very rare Benz made its ‘debut’ on the lawn at Pebble Beach. It is seen here at the 2006 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance where it grabbed a lot of attention and was received top honours in the class for ‘Antique Through 1915’.

The 82/200HP Benz was among the fastest road-going cars of the day. Top speed was just over 100 mph and only six were constructed. These vehicles were fast and dangerous. Of the six created, only two remain. One is owned by Mercedes-Benz and the other is in the possession of a US collector.