Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft
Mercedes 115 hp (4.5-litre) Grand Prix racing car

Why it matters

The 4.5-litre Mercedes won the 1914 French Grand Prix at Lyon in the first one-two-three finish in Grand Prix history, a few weeks before the outbreak of the First World War. Its four-valve engine, built with aircraft-engine techniques, also influenced Rolls-Royce engine design.

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 A.C.F. introduced a 4500 cc displacement limit for 1914, and Paul Daimler responded with a long-stroke four-cylinder carried over from aircraft-engine practice. The car debuted at the A.C.F. Grand Prix near Lyon on 4 July 1914, where five works cars plus a reserve were present. Lautenschlager, Wagner and Salzer finished first, second and third.

After the outbreak of war the engine of the winning car, which was on display in London, was passed to Rolls-Royce for testing and dismantling. Ralph DePalma bought Wagner's car and won the 1915 Indianapolis 500 with it. A car was also used in the 1922 Targa Florio, which Count Masetti won in an ex-works car painted red. In 1924 one of these engines received a supercharger and was installed in a Targa Florio chassis, the car later nicknamed "Grandmother".

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.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

The engine, type M 93654, has four individual steel cylinders with welded-on thin-walled steel water jackets on a two-part aluminium crankcase, three spark plugs per cylinder (two on the intake side, one on the exhaust side) and a five-bearing crankshaft. Drive is by cardan shaft, and the car has no front brakes. The identity of the surviving cars is complicated because the winning race number was painted on several cars after the Grand Prix.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Mercedes 115 hp Grand Prix racing car, 1914 – Mercedes-Benz Classic M@RS archive Level A

   • 6 cars taken to Lyon 1914: five racers plus one reserve car

   Accessed 2026-11-11
2. 2
   Mercedes 115 hp Grand Prix racing car, 1914 Level A Mercedes-Benz Group AG, Mercedes-Benz Public Archive (Classic M@RS)

   • Three examples of the 4.5-litre Grand Prix racing car still exist
   • new engine with the designation M 93654
   • long-stroke four-cylinder engine
   • four 43 mm valves per combustion chamber
   • Paul Daimler decided in favour of power transmission via a cardan shaft
   • pressed steel frame with two longitudinal members
   • front and rear axles remained rigid and semi-elliptic
   • decided not to equip the cars with additional front brakes
   • top speeds of over 160 km/h measured there

   Accessed 2026-11-12
3. 3
   Mercedes 1914 GP (spec sheet) Level C Dennis David · Sports Car Digest

   • Water-cooled, inline-4
   • Capacity: 4483 cc
   • 93 mm x 165 mm
   • 85.8 kW / 115.1 bhp at 3200 rpm
   • 115.1 bhp at 3200 rpm
   • Wheelbase: 2845 mm

   Accessed 2026-11-11