One of the best things about the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed is that it invites manufacturers and collectors to exercise the machinery that is usually only featured in static display. This year was no exception as both Mercedes-Benz and Fiat brought and fired up two of their finest machines.
The German manufacturer handed one of the two W165 'Voiturette' racers still in existence to racing legend John Surtees. This V8-engined machine was built specifically to compete in the 1939 edition of the prestigious Tripoli Grand Prix. A change to the regulations intended to favour the local, Italian manufacturers had left the mighty Mercedes-Benz without a suitable entry. Using the vast resources available, the German engineers quickly created a scaled down version of the all-conquering W154 'Grand Prix' racers. The result was the W165, which duly won the race in the hands of Hermann Lang. It would turn out to be the type's only race. The Tripoli Grand Prix winner was completely restored in 1995 to take part in that year's Festival of Speed and is still in immaculate condition.
At several events this year, we had already seen the mighty Fiat Mephistopheles stationary we had to wait until the Festival of Speed to see all the power of its airplane engine unleashed. Built as a top speed record chaser, the massive machine must have been a handful on the narrow road up the Goodwood hill. Not in the least because of the 320 bhp produced by the big but highly sophisticated six cylinder engine. Displacing nearly 22 litre, it is equipped with four valves and no fewer than three plugs per cylinder. In 1923 the purpose-built Fiat was clocked at 235 km/h at Arpajon in France, which was fast enough to set a new land speed record. Understandably, the still very brave Michele Lucente piloted Mephistopheles up the hill at a slightly more modest speed.

Enjoy the links:

1923 Fiat Mephistopheles - Images, Specifications and Information

1939 Mercedes-Benz W165 - Images, Specifications and Information

1951 Ferrari 340 America Touring Berlinetta - Images, Specifications and Information