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The arduous route of the Targa and Coppa Florio, the "race of 7,000 curves" lead through tight mountain roads through the mountain villages of Sicily. The Targa Florio included four rounds, the Coppa one additional round. Each covered a distance of 108 km or just under 70 miles. Winning the Targa did not automatically mean winning the Coppa, for the chances of forfeiting all on the road – or off it – on the last lap were still enormous.
In 1924 Christian Werner won both - supported by his co-pilot Karl Sailer – in the compressor Mercedes that CMC has chosen to lavish such extraordinary detail on. Sailer's major job was to keep the gas tank manual pump under pressure and monitor the grease lubrication. While they were at it, the team established a new track record with 1 hour and 35 minutes for one round. In the team competition Mercedes placed 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
This was the only race in which the works Mercedes team ran with their cars painted red. During practice the local Sicilians, who were very patriotic, rolled boulders down in front of any passing race car that was not painted the familiar Italian red. So Neubauer, the team manager, had all the cars repainted red between practice and the race.
This model is hand crafted from over 1,000 individually cast parts. The #10 Mercedes has been recreated in historic detail… from the compound springs of metal to the aluminum wheels with filigrane spokes to the spare wheel with realistic leather-belt fastening. The bonnet opens with a piano-hinge operation to reveal a miraculously detailed 2-litre twin overhead camshaft four cylinder engine with a large supercharger. Even the handbreak lever moves with functional catch and leather covered grip.
More details… filler-neck with bayonet catch tank flap of stainless steel; functional multi-layer compound springs (6 lays) on the front and rear axle; rock-protection on the cooler made of meshed wire netting; friction shock absorber with movable lever. The undercarriage is actual copper.
(03/21/2005)
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