Benz
120 hp / 150 hp Grand Prix racing car

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

The 150 hp Grand Prix car of 1908 became the starting point for Benz's 200 hp record car of 1909. Its four-cylinder engine was enlarged by widening the bore while the 200 mm stroke stayed the same. Private owners also ran the 150 hp cars: Barney Oldfield traded his in to the Benz importer Froehlich when he bought the first record car, and L. G. Hornsted had considerable success with one at Brooklands.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Benz 150 hp racing car, 1908 – Mercedes-Benz Classic M@RS archive Level A

   • 4 original 120 hp cars (three later converted to 150 hp)

   Accessed 2026-11-11
2. 2
   Benz 200 hp "Lightning Benz" record car, 1909 – 1913 Level A Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Mercedes-Benz Public Archive (Classic M@RS)

   • four-cylinder engine of the 150 hp racing car
   • probably had the 15.1-litre four-cylinder engine of the 150 hp racing car
   • retaining the stroke dimension of 200 mm

   Accessed 2026-11-12