Car India – May 2019

W154 chassis was 30

per cent more rigid

than the W125 before

it. This example, in

Mercedes’ museum, is

the last in 1938 trim

seamanwasburiedinputneyValecemetery,south-

westLondon.thewell-tendedgraveisstillthere.For

years,Mercedespaidforitsupkeep.

tall,lean,rugby-andCambridge-educated,

seamanwastheupper-classenglishmanwhodrove

andwonforthenazis.Keentopromotegerman

superiorityandtopioneernewautomotivetechnology,

Hitlerenthusiasticallyembracedgrandprixracing.in

1934,justaftercomingtopower,hebackedtwoteams:

longestablishedMercedes-benzandnewcomerauto

Union(nowaudi).

the ensuingsilverarrows, named after their

unpaintedaluminiumbodywork,dominatedgrand

prixracingfrom 1934 untiltheoutbreakofwarin

1939.partfundedbythenazisandoverseenby

Hitler’smotorsportflunky,Korpsführeradolf

Hühnlein,thetwogermanteamsinvestedmillionsof

reichsmarkstoproducethefastestandmost

technicallyprogressiveracingcarsoftheirday.with

Hitler’spatronageandnazimoney,theirgerman

driversbecamenationalheroes.

afewtalentedausländerwerealsocourted.better

tohavethemwinninginagermancarthanachieving

victoryinsomethingmadeinitaly,Franceorbritain.

onesuchforeigndriverwasdickseaman.

seamanjoinedMercedesin1937,aftersuccessin

eras,delages,alfas, and Maseratis. His

appointment was approved by the Führer in February

http://www.carindia.in May 2019 car india 95