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What would you think of a car with a 300 horsepower, supercharged in-line six-cylinder engine capable of speeds in excess of 150 mph? You'd probably consider it quite a performance vehicle-right? Now, what if I told you it was built in 1931?
The Danbury Mint has put out a die cast model of the 1931 Mercedes-Benz SSKL race car that is second to none in quality. It recreates in gleaming white the car Mercedes built to win Grand Prix races and European hill-climbs. The lavishly chromed engine is rendered in exquisite detail, as are the gauges on the instrument panel. The wire wheels look good, considering they are molded-plastic. Three flex-pipes snake out from under a hood that is actually held down by a genuine leather strap-with working buckle, no less! Even the black upholstery is done in real leather. Two spare tires sit behind the driver's seat and a Mercedes-Benz emblem adorns the massive, chromed radiator shell.
I read that the SSKL was fast, but as hard to handle as a wolverine. This 1:24 scale model looks every bit as Spartan and dangerous as the actual car. You can practically hear the whine of the supercharger. This baby's a must for the aficionado of racing hardware! The 1/97 reissue was unchanged from the previous release. The issue price is $109 + $5.80 S&H. (09/25/1998)
(12/01/1998)
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