Fastest Lorry in the World
Page 40
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
I AST 'week there was seen in this
country for the first time a truly remarkable commercial vehicle. This was the Mercedes-Benz racing-cae transporter—undisputed bolder of the title, " Fastest lorry in the world "----en route to last Saturday's Grand Prix Race at Aintree.
Slung as low as a private car, with a small frontal area and a 5-ft. front overhang, its 240 b.h.p. petrol-injection engine (as used in the 150 m.p.h. 300SL saloon) is mounted. to the rear of, but intruding into, the cab, which is appointed in luxury-car fashion.
The radiator is mounted at the rear with cooling air ducted from a position forward of the rear axle. The chassis is independently sprung at the front and rear, the rear axle having swinging arms directly derived from the factory Grand Prix car.
Heavily ribbed brakes are also taken from the 300SL production saloon, with the addition, in view of the greater weight, of a disc transmission brake and an exhaust brake on the engine. In its laden state (and the purpose of the design is limited, at the moment, to the carrying of one racing car of approximately 15 cwt.) this 3-ton, 17-ft. projectile will cruise at approximately 100 m.p.h. (with a maximum of about 112 m.p.h.) on the Continental motorways, for which it was designed.