Mercedes Simplex
Encyclopedia
The Mercedes Simplex was an car
produced from 1902-09 by the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
(DMG, Daimler Motor Society, a predecessor of Daimler-Benz
and Daimler-Chrysler). It continued the use of the Mercedes
name as the brand of DMG, rather than Daimler.
The Mercedes Simplex was designed by Wilhelm Maybach
in Stuttgart
, Germany
. It featured powerful engine
s whose power ranged from 40 to 60 hp
). Its large and wide body had a low center of gravity.
enthusiasm for motorsport
. Jellinek was DMG's foreign agent based on the French Riviera
where he was the Austro-Hungarian consul. That car had resulted in the company's early success.
In 1902, Maybach decided to incorporate a series of modifications to the Simplex, anticipating a large number of sales. To suit their basically high society
clients, the new Mercedes would be shown publicly while driving through the most traditional avenues in town or to picnic in a park.
, he rushed to incorporate it into his Mercedes race team, competing in the Nice-La Turbie
hillclimbing
race. He defeated all his opponents again and setting new records.
Also in 1902, in the United States
, a Mercedes Simplex won the 5-mile track race at Grosse-Pointe, Detroit.
In this 1902 campaign, the third step involved William K. Vanderbilt Jr
, a US multimillionaire and race car enthusiast who created in 1904 the American Vanderbilt Cup
. He had already set several records with the previous Mercedes, in some of the most popular races around the turn of the century, usually long distance ones.
Now, with the Mercedes Simplex, Vanderbilt took part in the 600 mile race to Paris
. Later, he broke all records in the Ablis
to Chartres
race with flying start, with a top-speed of 111.8 km/h. One of his Simplex units is the oldest surviving Mercedes car.
Meeting Maybach personally at Berlin's automobile exhibition of 1903 Kaiser
Wilhelm II of Germany expressed his admiration for the car. Congratulating him for all the achievements at the races, he contrasted these with car's name, commenting: "A truly beautiful engine you have here! But it's not as simple as that, you know."
was extended to 2.45 meters (8'1").
Its carefully designed frame was made of pressed steel
. The engine was welded onto it directly keeping it at a low height.
Other general modifications reduced the overall Simplex weight to 942 kg
assuring better results in racing.
s. Later, in 1905, the Mercedes Simplex pioneered cast-steel wheels.
The front and rear axles were modernized progressively, becoming equal in diameter around 1909:
Attached to these were the two powerful brake
systems, one hand-operated and the other by foot:
Both systems were water-cooled
by a sprinkling system over hot zones when braking.
Both axles were rigid, featuring semi-elliptic springs
. The steering-axles
were located at the extremes, decreasing the transmission of road shocks to the driver's hands.
, 60 cm in diameter, transmitting it to the rear drive by a long roller chain
.
The gate gear manual gearbox
featured four speeds and reverse, controlling a coil spring clutch
acting on the flywheel system. A lever produced both declutching and deceleration together.
at 1300 rpm.
Its four cylinders
featured:
It used magneto electric-spark
ignition system
, with single spray-nozzle carburetor
, for all cylinders; featuring a new atomization
system, improved by preheating.
The engine was started up by a hand crank and helped by the use of a decompressor.
Maybach's tubular honeycomb radiator featured a rectangular grill of 8,070 square shaped pipes of 6x6 mm, with improved airflow.
Originally, when launched in 1902, the Mercedes Simplex radiator's did not have a fan
. A set of vanes mounted on the flywheel increased the air-flow throughout the engine/radiator's compartment. Its total water capacity, 7 litre
s, was smaller than the previous Mercedes model by 2 litres.
The engine compartment was covered by metal sheets. Its chassis base was also covered, something imitated by many other car models later.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
produced from 1902-09 by the Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft
Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft was a German engine and later automobile manufacturer, in operation from 1890 until 1926. Founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, it was based first in Cannstatt...
(DMG, Daimler Motor Society, a predecessor of Daimler-Benz
Daimler-Benz
Daimler-Benz AG was a German manufacturer of automobiles, motor vehicles, and internal combustion engines; founded in 1926. An Agreement of Mutual Interest - which was valid until year 2000 - was signed on 1 May 1924 between Karl Benz's Benz & Cie., and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, which had...
and Daimler-Chrysler). It continued the use of the Mercedes
Mercedes (car)
Mercedes was a brand of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft . DMG which began to develop in 1900, after the death of its co-founder, Gottlieb Daimler...
name as the brand of DMG, rather than Daimler.
The Mercedes Simplex was designed by Wilhelm Maybach
Wilhelm Maybach
Wilhelm Maybach was an early German engine designer and industrialist. During the 1890s he was hailed in France, then the world centre for car production, as the "King of constructors"....
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It featured powerful engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
s whose power ranged from 40 to 60 hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
). Its large and wide body had a low center of gravity.
The name
The car's predecessor, the Mercedes 35hp of 1901, had broken with the previous primitive automotive standards. Now, DMG and Maybach intended to improve this further by providing "comfort by means of simplicity", hence the name Simplex. A complementary explanation for the name is that, by the standards of 1901, the car was very simple to operate.DMG, Maybach and Jellinek
The creation of the previous model, the Mercedes 35hp, predecessor of the Simplex, was due to DMG's industrial might, the know-how of its industrial designer Wilhelm Maybach and Emil Jellinek'sEmil Jellinek
Emil Jellinek, known after 1903 as Emil Jellinek-Mercedes was a wealthy European entrepreneur who sat on the board of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft between 1900 and 1909. He specified an engine designed there by Wilhelm Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler for the first 'modern' car...
enthusiasm for motorsport
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
. Jellinek was DMG's foreign agent based on the French Riviera
French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
where he was the Austro-Hungarian consul. That car had resulted in the company's early success.
In 1902, Maybach decided to incorporate a series of modifications to the Simplex, anticipating a large number of sales. To suit their basically high society
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
clients, the new Mercedes would be shown publicly while driving through the most traditional avenues in town or to picnic in a park.
Mercedes Simplex as a racecar (1902)
When Jellinek received his first Simplex on 1 March 1902 at NiceNice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, he rushed to incorporate it into his Mercedes race team, competing in the Nice-La Turbie
La Turbie
La Turbie is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.-History:...
hillclimbing
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
race. He defeated all his opponents again and setting new records.
Also in 1902, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a Mercedes Simplex won the 5-mile track race at Grosse-Pointe, Detroit.
In this 1902 campaign, the third step involved William K. Vanderbilt Jr
William Kissam Vanderbilt II
William Kissam Vanderbilt II was a motor racing enthusiast and yachtsman and a member of the prominent United States Vanderbilt family.-Biography:...
, a US multimillionaire and race car enthusiast who created in 1904 the American Vanderbilt Cup
Vanderbilt Cup
The Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing.-History:An international event, it was founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II in 1904 and first held at a course set out in Nassau County on Long Island, New York. The announcement that the race was to be held caused...
. He had already set several records with the previous Mercedes, in some of the most popular races around the turn of the century, usually long distance ones.
Now, with the Mercedes Simplex, Vanderbilt took part in the 600 mile race to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Later, he broke all records in the Ablis
Ablis
Ablis is a commune in the Yvelines department in north-central France.-History:During the Franco-Prussian War, when a German unit moved to take Ablis on October 7, 1870 they were ambushed and routed by about 1,500 French militia soldiers who were supported by the citizens of Ablis. In revenge, a...
to Chartres
Chartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
race with flying start, with a top-speed of 111.8 km/h. One of his Simplex units is the oldest surviving Mercedes car.
The German Emperor was a simple fan
Mercedes-Simplex 's prowesses were resonating all around the world. More than ever DMG obtained clients among the most important social figures .Meeting Maybach personally at Berlin's automobile exhibition of 1903 Kaiser
Kaiser
Kaiser is the German title meaning "Emperor", with Kaiserin being the female equivalent, "Empress". Like the Russian Czar it is directly derived from the Latin Emperors' title of Caesar, which in turn is derived from the personal name of a branch of the gens Julia, to which Gaius Julius Caesar,...
Wilhelm II of Germany expressed his admiration for the car. Congratulating him for all the achievements at the races, he contrasted these with car's name, commenting: "A truly beautiful engine you have here! But it's not as simple as that, you know."
1902-1909: Remarkable races
| Date | Event | Circuit | Driver | Country | Result | Car |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 31, 1902 | Frankfurt Circuit Race | Oberforsthaus | Wilhelm Werner | Germany | 1st | Mercedes Simplex 40hp |
| April 1, 1903 | Nice-La Turbie | Otto Hieronimus (Mercedes team) |
Germany | 1st | Mercedes Simplex | |
| April 1, 1903 | Nice-La Turbie | Wilhelm Werner (Mercedes team) |
Germany | 2nd | Mercedes Simplex | |
| April 1, 1903 | Nice-La Turbie | Count Zborowski | Poland | Crashed | Mercedes Simplex | |
| April 7, 1903 | Mile Race of Nice | Promenade des Anglais | Hermann Braun | Germany | 1st | Mercedes Simplex |
| May 25, 1904 | May Ostend (Belgium) | land speed | Pierre de Caters | Belgium | 97.25 mph (World record) |
Mercedes Simplex 90hp |
| June 19, 1904 | Frankfurt Circuit Race | Oberforsthaus | Willy Pöge | Germany | 1st | Mercedes Simplex 60hp |
Simplex Models
In 1903, Maybach designed a second version of the Mercedes Simplex, of 60 hp.| Simplex Model | Starting | Ending |
|---|---|---|
| 40 hp, 26/45 hp | 1902 | 1910 |
| 28 hp, 21/35 hp | 1902 | 1909 |
| 20 hp | 1902 | 1903 |
| 18/22 hp | 1903 | 1904 |
| 60 hp, 36/65 hp | 1903 | 1909 |
| 18/28 hp | 1904 | 1906 |
Dimensions
Mercedes Simplex ' framework was long, wide and with a low center of gravity giving an improved stability at high speeds. The wheelbaseWheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
was extended to 2.45 meters (8'1").
Its carefully designed frame was made of pressed steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
. The engine was welded onto it directly keeping it at a low height.
Other general modifications reduced the overall Simplex weight to 942 kg
Kilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
assuring better results in racing.
Axles
The original 1902 wheels were wooden, with 12 non-removable spokes and pneumatic tireTire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
s. Later, in 1905, the Mercedes Simplex pioneered cast-steel wheels.
The front and rear axles were modernized progressively, becoming equal in diameter around 1909:
- 1902: 910x90-1020x120. Rear 10% bigger.
- 1909: 915x105-935x135. Roughly equalized.
Attached to these were the two powerful brake
Brake
A brake is a mechanical device which inhibits motion. Its opposite component is a clutch. The rest of this article is dedicated to various types of vehicular brakes....
systems, one hand-operated and the other by foot:
- the main hand brake acted on the rear wheels, with drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
brakes - the secondary foot brake acted on the chain driveChain driveChain drive is a way of transmitting mechanical power from one place to another. It is often used to convey power to the wheels of a vehicle, particularly bicycles and motorcycles...
's intermediate driveshaftDriveshaftA drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, propeller shaft, or Cardan shaft is a mechanical component for transmitting torque and rotation, usually used to connect other components of a drive train that cannot be connected directly because of distance or the need to allow for relative movement...
Both systems were water-cooled
Watercooling
Water cooling is a method of heat removal from components and industrial equipment. As opposed to air cooling, water is used as the heat conductor. Water cooling is commonly used for cooling automobile internal combustion engines and large industrial facilities such as steam electric power plants,...
by a sprinkling system over hot zones when braking.
Both axles were rigid, featuring semi-elliptic springs
Spring (device)
A spring is an elastic object used to store mechanical energy. Springs are usually made out of spring steel. Small springs can be wound from pre-hardened stock, while larger ones are made from annealed steel and hardened after fabrication...
. The steering-axles
Steering
Steering is the term applied to the collection of components, linkages, etc. which will allow a vessel or vehicle to follow the desired course...
were located at the extremes, decreasing the transmission of road shocks to the driver's hands.
Drive system
The Mercedes Simplex ' engine was mounted over the front axle. The engine's power was taken from a sprocket flywheelFlywheel
A flywheel is a rotating mechanical device that is used to store rotational energy. Flywheels have a significant moment of inertia, and thus resist changes in rotational speed. The amount of energy stored in a flywheel is proportional to the square of its rotational speed...
, 60 cm in diameter, transmitting it to the rear drive by a long roller chain
Roller chain
Roller chain or bush roller chain is the type of chain drive most commonly used for transmission of mechanical power on many kinds of domestic, industrial and agricultural machinery, including conveyors, wire and tube drawing machines, printing presses, cars, motorcycles, and simple machines like...
.
The gate gear manual gearbox
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
featured four speeds and reverse, controlling a coil spring clutch
Clutch
A clutch is a mechanical device which provides for the transmission of power from one component to another...
acting on the flywheel system. A lever produced both declutching and deceleration together.
Engine
The engine produced 44 hpHorsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
at 1300 rpm.
Its four cylinders
Cylinder (engine)
A cylinder is the central working part of a reciprocating engine or pump, the space in which a piston travels. Multiple cylinders are commonly arranged side by side in a bank, or engine block, which is typically cast from aluminum or cast iron before receiving precision machine work...
featured:
- water cooling
- lubricationLubricantA lubricant is a substance introduced to reduce friction between moving surfaces. It may also have the function of transporting foreign particles and of distributing heat...
by driver-controlled pressure - 120 mm bore and 150 mm stroke
- valves mechanically timed by enclosed camshaftCamshaftA camshaft is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which a cam forms an integral part.-History:An early cam was built into Hellenistic water-driven automata from the 3rd century BC. The camshaft was later described in Iraq by Al-Jazari in 1206. He employed it as part of his automata,...
mechanically - engine displacementEngine displacementEngine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...
of 6786 cc
It used magneto electric-spark
Electrostatic discharge
Electrostatic discharge is a serious issue in solid state electronics, such as integrated circuits. Integrated circuits are made from semiconductor materials such as silicon and insulating materials such as silicon dioxide...
ignition system
Ignition system
An ignition system is a system for igniting a fuel-air mixture. Ignition systems are well known in the field of internal combustion engines such as those used in petrol engines used to power the majority of motor vehicles, but they are also used in many other applications such as in oil-fired and...
, with single spray-nozzle carburetor
Carburetor
A carburetor , carburettor, or carburetter is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. It is sometimes shortened to carb in North America and the United Kingdom....
, for all cylinders; featuring a new atomization
Atomization
Atomization or Atomizer may refer to:* The conversion of a vaporized sample into atomic components in atomic spectroscopy* An apparatus using an atomizer nozzle* Atomizer Geyser, a cone geyser in Yellowstone National Park...
system, improved by preheating.
The engine was started up by a hand crank and helped by the use of a decompressor.
Maybach's tubular honeycomb radiator featured a rectangular grill of 8,070 square shaped pipes of 6x6 mm, with improved airflow.
Originally, when launched in 1902, the Mercedes Simplex radiator's did not have a fan
Fan (implement)
A hand-held fan is an implement used to induce an airflow for the purpose of cooling or refreshing oneself. Any broad, flat surface waved back-and-forth will create a small airflow and therefore can be considered a rudimentary fan...
. A set of vanes mounted on the flywheel increased the air-flow throughout the engine/radiator's compartment. Its total water capacity, 7 litre
Litre
pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...
s, was smaller than the previous Mercedes model by 2 litres.
The engine compartment was covered by metal sheets. Its chassis base was also covered, something imitated by many other car models later.
Surviving cars
- Between November 2005 and March 2006, the Mercedes-Benz MuseumMercedes-Benz MuseumThe Mercedes-Benz Museum is an automotive museum housed in Stuttgart, Germany. Stuttgart is home to the Mercedes-Benz brand and the international headquarters of Daimler AG. The current building, which stands directly outside the main gate of the Daimler factory in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, was...
, built over the original site of DMG Stuttgart-Untertürkheim factory of 100 years ago, exhibits 13 original Mercedes Simplex units. The oldest one is the vehicle owned by Vanderbilt. There is also, an ArgentineArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
unit preserving its specifically enlarged wheels to drive over the muddy Pampas' roads. All 13 cars are functional, taking part in several annually nostalgic competitions such as the London to Brighton Veteran Car RunLondon to Brighton Veteran Car RunThe London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is the longest-running motoring event in the world. The first run was in 1896, and has taken place most years since then. To qualify, the cars must have been built before 1905...
and Gordon Bennett Revival.
See also
- Daimler Motoren GesellschaftDaimler Motoren GesellschaftDaimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft was a German engine and later automobile manufacturer, in operation from 1890 until 1926. Founded by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach, it was based first in Cannstatt...
- Mercedes 35hp
- Wilhelm MaybachWilhelm MaybachWilhelm Maybach was an early German engine designer and industrialist. During the 1890s he was hailed in France, then the world centre for car production, as the "King of constructors"....
- Mercedes (car)Mercedes (car)Mercedes was a brand of the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft . DMG which began to develop in 1900, after the death of its co-founder, Gottlieb Daimler...
- Mercedes-BenzMercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
External links
- William K. Vanderbilt Jr's Mercedes Simplex (VanderbiltCupRaces.com)
- Mercedes-Benz
- Mercedes Simplex off Battlefield 1918Battlefield 1942Battlefield 1942 is a 3D World War II first-person shooter computer game developed by Swedish company Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh . The game can be played in singleplayer mode against the computer game AI or in multiplayer mode...
mod http://www.bf42.de/index.php?module=news&news_id=1605 (German board)