Stuttgart - The classic racing "Silver Arrows" by Mercedes-Benz are icons of the 1930s. Racing cars such as the W 25, the W 125, the W 154 and the W 165 have all acquired the status of legends, as have drivers like Manfred von Brauchitsch, Rudolf Caracciola and Hermann Lang. They were right at the forefront of the motor racing world in those days.

Little thought, however, is often given to the hard-working and reliable workhorses which brought such famous racing cars to Grand Prix circuits of the day.

During the 1930s, the Mercedes-Benz racing transporters certainly did their bit. They contributed to the well-documented successes of the Silver Arrows by bringing the cars to the Grand Prix racetracks on time, ensuring a reliable supply chain from the German factories, and acting as mobile workshops.

Wherever these unique blue trucks with their "Mercedes-Benz Racing Department" signage appeared, they not only indicated their role as the freighters of the legendary “Silver Arrows”; they emphatically underlined the brand’s will to win.

Sometimes they were also used for ceremonial purposes: after major victories, with their tarpaulins lowered, they would display the winning Silver Arrows to the adoring public.

At the time, there was quite a fleet of them on the roads – and yet none have survived.

Under the supervision of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre one such racing transporter from the 1930s has now been built true to its original design.

To mark the 75th anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows which had their racing debut at the Eifel race on 3 June 1934, the Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre has resurrected a racing transporter according to original design and patterns, taking only six months to complete the amazing project.

The vehicle is based on a model Lo 2750 Mercedes-Benz truck which was built in 1936. It is fitted with a petrol engine developing 70 hp of power (51 kW) from a displacement of just under five litres.

By virtue of their low-floor construction, this model, and the models Lo 2000, Lo 2500 and Lo 3750 were the ideal platforms for racing car transporters during the 1930s.  

This uniquely restored racing transporter is as impressive as the original. Proudly wearing its fresh blue paintwork, it looks ready to take a classic Silver Arrow to a Grand Prix circuit for the season’s next race.