Discover the Vehicles | Supercars of the 1910’s & 1920’s
Originally published Feb 1, 2021.
1913 MERCER RACEABOUT
HORSEPOWER: 60
TOP SPEED: 90 mph (est.)
ENGINE: 5.0-liter inline-4
NUMBER BUILT: 250 (est.)
PRODUCTION YEARS: 1913-1914
The Mercer Raceabout is widely considered to be the most legendary American automobile of the Brass Era and one of the United States’ first sports cars. It features an imposing T-head four-cylinder engine and a well-balanced chassis, which made the low-slung Raceabout a road-going automobile that could also be raced with very few modifications. Believed to be the most original Mercer Type 35-J in existence, this car was delivered to Mr. and Mrs. John F. Gray, in whose family it remained for over 30 years. After changing hands during the mid-1970s, it was purchased by famed race car driver Phil Hill.
COLLECTION OF THE PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM
Mercer vehicles gained a reputation for their legendary four-cylinder T-Head engine design, in which cylinders were cast into two separate blocks with two spark plugs per cylinder.
1924 MERCEDES 28/95
HORSEPOWER: 95
TOP SPEED: 87 mph (est.)
ENGINE: 7.2-liter inline-6
NUMBER BUILT: 600 (est. total 28/95s)
PRODUCTION YEARS: 1914-1924
Introduced in 1914, the 28/95 was one of the last models to be produced by Mercedes before the merger with Daimler-Benz. Having suspended most civilian vehicle production during the First World War, Mercedes resumed production with a renewed focus on racing. Following an impressive second place finish of the 28/95 in the 1921 Targa Florio, Mercedes created a small run of roadster versions informally known as the Targa Florio model. With a versatility that allowed it to be used as either a race car or daily driver, depending on coachwork, the 28/95 represented the transition to more refined post-WWI designs.
COLLECTION OF THE PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM
