Best In Show Pre-War went to the 1913 Mercedes 37/95 owned by The Nethercutt Collection. Photos courtesy San Marino Motor Classic.
The idea of a supercar, developed without regard to cost to produce the maximum performance attainable from a road-going automobile, is nothing new. While today the term is defined by the now out-of-production Bugatti Veyron, in 1913 the Mercedes Model 37/95 would have been considered the ultimate supercar. At last weekend’s fifth-annual San Marino Motor Classic, a Labourdette-bodied Mercedes 37/95 Double Phaeton-Torpedo from the Nethercutt Collection took Best-in-Show Pre-War honors, besting an impressive array of contenders for the title.
The 1913 Model 37/95 was the evolution of the 1911 Mercedes Model 37/90. As was the case in the early days of the automobile, numerical designations generally had more meaning than simple marketing, and in the case of the Mercedes the first number represented taxable horsepower, while the second number represented actual horsepower.
More impressive, perhaps, was the 581-cu.in. four-cylinder engine that produced that 95 horsepower. Calling it massive is a bit of an understatement, with each cylinder having a bore slightly wider than five inches and a stroke just over seven inches. Fuel was fed via a Mercedes-designed sliding piston carburetor through a single intake valve that measured nearly 3.4 inches across; the engine exhaled through a pair of exhaust valves that each measured two inches across.
A gated four-speed shifter sat outside the cockpit, delivering a top speed of 70 MPH for most 37/95 variants. Those fitted with lightweight bodies (and, perhaps, different gearing) could reportedly achieve a speed of 100 MPH, a terrifying prospect given the roads and tires of the day. To ensure the Mercedes was capable of slowing from such velocities, the dual transmission brakes were water-cooled.
This particular 1913 37/95 was delivered new to a buyer in Paris, who contracted with Parisian coachbuilder Henri Labourdette to craft a dual phaeton-torpedo body. The car was reportedly used throughout World War I, escaping serious harm, but was buried in the buildup to the Second World War to ensure its safekeeping.
Acquired by the Nethercutt Collection in 1984, the car was completely restored from 2000 to 2001, when it debuted with a class win at Pebble Beach. In the years since, it’s been shown at numerous concours events across the United States, frequently capturing awards with each appearance. In 2015 alone, the Mercedes has earned Best-in-Show at March’s Benedict Castle Concours d’Elegance, followed by a class win at the 2015 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
Best in Show Post-War went to Don Williams’s 1950 Ferrari.
Best in Show Post-War honors at this year’s San Marino Motor Classic went to a 1950 Ferrari 195 owned by Don Williams of Danville, California. For a complete list of 2015 winners by category, visit SanMarinoMotorClassic.com.
More gadget review in www.mamaktalk.com
