{{Infobox automobile | image = FoS20162016 0625 095939AA (27801477272).jpg | name = Blitzen Benz | aka = | manufacturer = [[Benz & Cie]] | production = 1909 | assembly = [[Mannheim]], [[Germany]] | predecessor = | successor = | class = [[Racecar]] | layout = [[Front engine, rear-wheel drive layout|Front engine, rear-wheel drive]] Dual-chain drive<ref name="Specifications">{{Cite web|url=http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/default.aspx?carID=14215&i=2|title=1910 Benz 200HP Blitzen-Benz Specifications|access-date=2013-10-08|work=conceptcarz.com}}</ref> | body_style = [[Roadster (automobile)|Roadster]] | engine = {{convert|21504|cm3|in3|1|abbr=on}} [[Straight-4|I4]]<ref name="Specifications" /> | transmission = 4-speed [[Manual gearbox|manual]] gate-type shift<ref name="Specifications" /> | weight = {{convert|1450|kg|lb|1|abbr=on}}<ref name="Dimensions">{{Cite web|url=http://www.carsession.com/car-specs/1909-benz-200hp-blitzen_benz.html|title=1909 Benz 200HP Blitzen-Benz Specs|access-date=2013-10-08|work=carsession.com}}</ref> | wheelbase = {{convert|2800|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref name="Dimensions" /> | length = {{convert|4820|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref name="Dimensions" /> | width = {{convert|1600|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref name="Dimensions" /> | height = {{convert|1280|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref name="Dimensions" /> | related = | designer = }}
The '''Blitzen Benz''' is a racing car that was 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, {{convert|21504|cm3|in3|1|abbr=on}}, capacity {{convert|185|x|200|mm|in|abbr=on|2}} with {{convert|200|hp|kW|1|abbr=on}}, [[inline-four]] and improved [[aerodynamics]].
==History== Of the six Blitzen Benzes made, only two survive—[[Mercedes-Benz]] owns one, while the other belongs to an American collector.<ref name=blitz>{{cite news|title=The Blitzen-Benz|url=http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&title=The-BlitzenBenz&A=2745|work=AutoSpeed|issue=360|date=December 6, 2005|access-date=March 26, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170426022457/http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&title=The-BlitzenBenz&A=2745|archive-date=April 26, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[File:Paris - Retromobile 2013 - Blitzen Benz - 1909 - 006.jpg|thumb|Blitzen Benz 4]] At [[Brooklands]] on 9 November 1909, [[land speed record|land speed racer]] [[Victor Hémery]] of France set a record with an average speed of {{convert|202.7|km/h|mph}} over a kilometre. [[File:Paris - Retromobile 2013 - Blitzen Benz - 1909 - 001.jpg|thumb|Rear view]] [[File:Techno Classica 2017 IMGP2121 (34671621460).jpg|thumb|left|A 1909 Benz 200 ''Blitzen Benz'']] On 23 April 1911, [[Bob Burman]] recorded an average of {{convert|228.1|km/h|mph}} over a full mile at [[Daytona Beach]],<ref name="daimler"/> breaking [[Glenn Curtiss]]'s unofficial absolute speed record, land, sea or air, set in 1907 on his [[Curtiss V-8 motorcycle|V-8 motorcycle]].<ref name=Garson2010>{{cite news |title= Top 10 Weirdest Custom Motorcycles; Dimensionally challenged motorcycle mavericks |author =Paul Garson |date= September 15, 2010 | work = Motorcycle.com |url= http://www.motorcycle.com/how-to/top-10-weirdest-custom-motorcycles-89959.html }}</ref> Burman's record stood until 1919.<ref name="daimler">{{cite news|url=http://media.daimler.com/dcmedia/0-921-657482-1-1374883-1-0-0-0-0-1-13469-614318-0-1-0-0-0-0-0.html|title=The fastest car in the world: the 228.1-km/h "Blitzen-Benz"|date=17 March 2011|publisher=Daimler AG|access-date=2011-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303195349/http://media.daimler.com/dcmedia/0-921-657482-1-1374883-1-0-0-0-0-1-13469-614318-0-1-0-0-0-0-0.html#|archive-date=2016-03-03|url-status=dead}}</ref>
At [[Brooklands]] on 24 June 1914, [[land speed record|land speed racer]] British driver [[Lydston Hornsted]], in Blitzen Benz No 3, set a record with an average speed of {{convert|200.7|km/h|mph}} with 2 runs over a 1-mile course, under the new regulations of the ''[[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|Association International des Automobile Clubs Reconnus]]'' (AIACR).<ref name="Northey1163">Northey, Tom (1974). "Land Speed Record: The Fastest Men on Earth". Tom Northey. ''World of Automobiles''. Vol. 10 (London: Orbis), pp.1163.</ref>
After 1914 the car was rebuilt for circuit racing, undergoing a number of revisions before it was broken up in 1923.<ref name="daimler"/>
[[File:1909 Benz 200 'Blitzen Benz' (19786031611).jpg|thumb|left|A 1909 Benz 200 ''Blitzen Benz'' at the 2015 [[Goodwood Festival of Speed]]]] {{Clear}}
{{Commons category|Blitzen-Benz}}
==Technical Data==
[[File:Blitzen-Benz Motor.jpg|thumb|left|300px]] {| class="wikitable" style="width:70%" ! style="text-align:left"|Benz | Racing car engine |- ! style="text-align:left"|Working process | Four-stroke Otto |- ! style="text-align:left"|Cylinders | 4 / in-line |- ! style="text-align:left"|Displacement | 21,504 cm<sup>3</sup> |- ! style="text-align:left"|Bore × stroke | 185 × 200 mm |- ! style="text-align:left"|Power | 200 hp at 1600 rpm |- ! style="text-align:left"|Torque | over 875 Nm |- ! style="text-align:left"|Compression ratio | 1:5.8 |- ! style="text-align:left"|Maximum speed | 1650 rpm |- ! style="text-align:left"|Valves | hanging, 2 per cylinder, side camshaft, drive via gears |- ! style="text-align:left"|Mixture preparation | 1 horizontal round slide carburetor |- ! style="text-align:left"|Fuel supply | Pneumatic hand pump, operated by the passenger |- ! style="text-align:left"|Lubrication | Initially splash lubrication, later pressure circulation lubrication via gear pump and fresh oil addition |- ! style="text-align:left"|Starter | Starting crank, starter buzzer ignition |- ! style="text-align:left"|Ignition | High-voltage magneto ignition, 2 Bosch D4 magnetos |- ! style="text-align:left"|Ignition adjustment | by hand using a lever on the steering wheel |- ! style="text-align:left"|Fuel tank | 73 l |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==See also== *[[Land speed record]] *[[Motorcycle land-speed record]] *[[List of Mercedes-Benz vehicles]]
{{Benz}}
[[Category:Benz vehicles]] [[Category:1900s cars]]