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Mercedes-Benz W154, 1938 by John Elwell

Price Code: SOLD

Reference: 6802

John Elwell (English, born 1949)

A beautifully created, unique, large-scale sculptural aluminium model of the 1938 W154 Grand Prix Mercedes-Benz by John Elwell. The W154 was preceded by the W125, the all-conquering, 600 horsepower car in which Rudolf Caracciola and his team mates decimated the opposition and claimed the top 4 positions in the 1937 European Championship. The governing body of the sport, realising the complete dominance of Mercedes-Benz’ cars, moved to a formula governed by engine capacity, not weight. This rendered the W125 obsolete, so Mercedes-Benz set about creating its successor, the W154, with a supercharged 3-litre, V12 engine. This too proved indomitable in 1938 and was used by Rudolf Caracciola to win the 1938 European Championship.

Slightly modified in 1939 (as seen here), the W154 again brought victory to Caracciola, and his teammates Hermann Lang and Manfred von Brauchitsch in the Grands Prix of France, Italy and Switzerland. This model in Elwell’s signature construction style of carefully hand-formed aluminium panels, all riveted over a space frame, features cast, patinated tyres with spinners, side exhausts and vents, and full dashboard detailing.

Length: 45 inches (114 cm)
Depth: 16 inches (41 cm)
Height: 11 inches (28 cm)







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