Blitzen Benz

The Blitzen Benz is a race car built by Benz & Cie in Mannheim, Germany, in 1909. In 1910 an enhanced model broke the world land speed record. It was one of six cars based on the Grand Prix car, but it had an enlarged engine, 21504 cm3, 200 hp inline-four, and improved aerodynamics.

Of the six Blitzen Benzes ever made, only two survive—Mercedes-Benz owns one, while the other belongs to an American collector.

At Brooklands on 9 November 1909, land speed racer Victor Hémery of France set a record with an average speed of 202.7 km/h over a kilometre.

At Brooklands on 24 June 1914, land speed racer British driver Lydston Hornsted, in Blitzen Benz No 3, set a record with an average speed of 200.7 km/h with 2 runs over a 1-mile course, under the new regulations of the Association International des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR).

On 23 April 1911, Bob Burman recorded an average of 228.1 km/h over a full mile at Daytona Beach, breaking Glenn Curtiss's unofficial absolute speed record, land, sea or air, set in 1907 on his V-8 motorcycle. Burman's record stood until 1919.

After 1914 the car was rebuilt for circuit racing, undergoing a number of revisions before it was broken up in 1923.