Monterey 2009: Lawn Darts - Silver Arrows hit target at Pebble Beach

Mercedes-Benz has had more than their share of entrants in the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance over its 59 years. The classic Teutonic automaker has even had an overall winner or two in the Best of Show judging. This year the marque was honored in another special class, with a twist. The organizers invited Mercedes to bring a sampling of their Silver Arrows race cars, and the company obliged.

For fans of Grand Prix racing, the legend of the Silver Arrows is a memorable one. When the team showed up at a race way back in 1934, the new W25 GP cars were a bit over the maximum allowable weight. To save a few pounds, the team stripped off the white paint and ran the cars through tech again with just the bare metal skins. The cars met the weight requirements and raced on to a win. The press dubbed the cars "Silver Arrows" for their color and speed, and the name stuck.

One of those original 186-mph W25 race cars was on hand along with two of the 1939 W154 Grand Prix racers, a 1952 W194 Coupe (which led to the development of the 300SL Gullwing road cars) and the amazing 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196R Streamliner that the likes of Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio drove back in the day. It was a truly spectacular gathering of priceless historic race cars.

Check out our gallery below and the press release from Mercedes-Benz after the jump.

Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Press Release:

MERCEDES-BENZ CREATES HISTORICAL SILVER ARROW DISPLAY TO MARK 75TH
ANNIVERSARY

• Five Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows Take Center Stage at Pebble Concours d'Elegance
• The Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR Stirling Moss Honors One of the Greatest Silver Arrow Drivers
• Nine Generations of E-Class Exhibit Spans from the First Generation Model
• 170 through the Ponton and Fintail Models, to the All New 2010 E-Class
• A 1932 and 2010 Maybach Zeppelin Showcase International Luxury from Past to Present

Montvale, NJ – Mercedes-Benz marks the 75th anniversary of its famed Silver
Arrows at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance when five original
competition racecars, the largest historical display of Silver Arrows in the
United States, take center stage at the Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge and the
Concours' famed 18th fairway from August 13-16, 2009.

The first races in which the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows competed, in Berlin
and at the Nürburgring in late May and early June of 1934, marked the birth
of the Silver Arrow legend and signaled a new era in chassis and engine
innovation.

Between 1934-1936, the Mercedes-Benz W 25, borrowing from the luxury car
model 380, set new automotive standards with its independent suspension and
supercharged eight-cylinder in-line engine that produced 354 hp and in
further development phases was boosted to 494 hp. The Mercedes-Benz W 25
Silver Arrow scored 16 victories in Grand Prix and other major international
races setting off a new era in racing history.

The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge feature
five authentic Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows including the W 25, two W 154s, a
W 194 and a W 196 R Streamliner.

A viewing of the limited-edition 650-hp Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR Stirling
Moss at the Concours honors one of the greatest drivers of the Silver Arrow
era, Sir Stirling Moss and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Silver Arrow he piloted
to numerous victories including the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio. The SLR
Stirling Moss V8 supercharged engine accelerates from zero to 60 mph in less
than 3.5 seconds, and has a top speed of 218 mph.

In addition to the Silver Arrows display, the Mercedes-Benz Star Lounge at
Pebble Beach features an exhibit of nine generations of the E-Class,
starting with generation one, the series 136 model 170 from 1947, to the
Ponton of the 1950s and Fintail from the 1960s, up to the current ninth
generation 212 series – 2010 E-Class and E63 AMG.

The E-Class heritage display demonstrates the long and successful evolution
of Mercedes-Benz safety, comfort and quality innovations that culminate in
the 212 series including Attention Assist – standard drowsy driving
detection system – and options such as Lane Keeping Assist and Pre-Safe
brake system.

In another comparison of vintage to modern luxury, a 1932 Maybach Zeppelin
DS 8, one of the most famous models in the line-up of international luxury
cars – a twelve-cylinder car that was built between 1930 and 1937 – is set
along side a 2010 Maybach Zeppelin, equipped with a V12 engine that produces
631 hp. This luxury saloon is one of only 100 production models available,
making it one of the world's most exclusive vehicles on the market.

"As the company that invented the automobile, Mercedes-Benz proudly
celebrates its heritage each year at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance,"
said Mike Kunz, manager of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine,
California. "This year's Silver Arrow and E-Class displays are supreme
examples of Mercedes-Benz historical significance and major contributions
within the automotive industry."

The Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, California, plays an important
role in preparing customers' vintage Mercedes-Benz vehicles for the Pebble
Beach Concours d'Elegance through its world-class workshop that provides
parts and restoration services.