In late 1910 the American Automobile Association (AAA) took the step of excluding Barney Oldfield from all racing activities. The fourth vehicle, built in England, is a replica of the blue Hémery car. This project was carried out in close cooperation with the collection of the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center. In 2004 another enthusiast for the brand in the US completed a private project to build a replica copy using many original parts. Of these, four have survived to this day: one Lightning Benz is in the possession of the Mercedes-Benz Museum, a second original vehicle, the only four-seater version, is in the hands of a collector in the United States. Six examples of the Lightning Benz were built in total these were used in Europe and the United States. A land-speed record which remained intact for eight years represents a suitable legacy for this era-defining vehicle.
No other road-going vehicle could compete, whilst the world’s fastest trains and even the aircraft of the time were left gasping in its wake. Powered by a quite awe-inspiring 21.5-litreġ47-kW engine, the “Blitzen-Benz” reduced the then mythical 200 km/h landmark to a footnote in history. 1909 was a special year in the history of Benz& Cie, crowned by the achievements of a record-breaking car which has sealed its place in automotive folklore as one of the most inspirational models ever made.
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