Mercedes-Benz W125 Rekordwagen in the German Pavilion at the Exposition Internationale Paris 1937.
This silver streamlined racing car was famously exhibited in a pavilion designed as a monument to “German pride and achievement” by Albert Speer, alongside propaganda designed to project Germany’s industrial and technological prowess and economic strength. The car featured a V12 engine and was specifically built to break land speed records, embodying the pinnacle of 1930s German automotive technology. It reached a speed of 432.7 km/h (269 mph) on a public road in 1938, a record for public roads that stood for nearly 80 years, until 2017.
While the W125 was the centerpiece, other high-profile German vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz 540K were also featured at the Paris Exposition. Known as a "Streamline Limousine," the 540K model was specifically built to suit Germany's newly constructed Autobahn network. It was celebrated for its aerodynamic fastback coupé body and advanced 5.4-liter supercharged inline-eight engine.
Mercedes-Benz also presented more utilitarian and accessible vehicles, such as the 170 V, which was the brand's bestselling passenger car before World War II.
Mercedes-Benz W125 Rekordwagen in the German Pavilion at the Exposition Internationale Paris 1937.
This silver streamlined racing car was famously exhibited in a pavilion designed as a monument to “German pride and achievement” by Albert Speer, alongside propaganda designed to project Germany’s industrial and technological prowess and economic strength. The car featured a V12 engine and was specifically built to break land speed records, embodying the pinnacle of 1930s German automotive technology. It reached a speed of 432.7 km/h (269 mph) on a public road in 1938, a record for public roads that stood for nearly 80 years, until 2017.
While the W125 was the centerpiece, other high-profile German vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz 540K were also featured at the Paris Exposition. Known as a "Streamline Limousine," the 540K model was specifically built to suit Germany's newly constructed Autobahn network. It was celebrated for its aerodynamic fastback coupé body and advanced 5.4-liter supercharged inline-eight engine.
Mercedes-Benz also presented more utilitarian and accessible vehicles, such as the 170 V, which was the brand's bestselling passenger car before World War II.