Mercedes Benz 150H W30 Origin

The Mercedes – Benz 150H was birthed in 1935 from the Mercedes-Benz 130H which was the backbone chassis by which the 150H was built. These Models of cars are rear-engined and the production rate and sales of these cars were low compared to the classical front-engine cars. The Benz 150H has a more powerful engine than that of the 130H but it has only two seats, which are the driver’s and front passenger’s seats. The predecessor of this super classic chassis was the Mercedes – Benz 130H which ran through 1923 – 1926. After the production of the 150H, another powerful chassis known as the Mercedes 170H succeeded it in 1936.

Mercedes Benz 150H W30 Overview

The Mercedes Benz 150H, also known as the W30, was a sports racing prototype built by the Mercedes Benz in Germany in 1935. The inspiration for this super classic automobile came from Edmund Rumpler’s Tropfen-Auto, which was then designed by Mercedes-Benz chief engineer Hans Nibel. It was the successor to the Rumpler Chassis Tropfenwagen racers built between 1923 and 1926. The 150H, like the Benz 130, was rear-engined, but with a more powerful engine, measuring 1498 cc and producing 55 PS (40 kW).

Keep watching and I will give you more interesting facts about this chassis. 

The Benz 150H had a top speed of 125 km/h. The rear suspension on the Benz 150H was a coil-spring swing axle, and the front suspension was a transverse leaf spring. A water-cooled 1,498 cc (91.4 cu in) OHC four-cylinder engine producing 55 hp (41 kW) was installed in the back, which explains the “H,” which stands for heck in German and means “rear.”

The radiator was installed behind the vehicle, above the transaxle, with a squirrel-cage blower (similar to the VW Type 1) feeding both the radiator and the carburetor. The roadster has disc wheels, a DuVal-style windshield, a side-mounted spare tire (secured with straps), and three headlights, the third of which is mounted on the hood’s lip above the bumper.

The Mercedes Benz 150H was only offered as a Sports Roadster. The gas tank was transferred to the front region of the vehicle which was not the case in Mercedes-Benz 130 where the tank was installed over the engine. Because of the repositioning of the gas tank in the 150H, there was no space for luggage.

Mercedes Benz 150H W30 Production

Building the 150H was quite an interesting adventure for Nibel and Wagner, six of the 150H were built as coupes, they were raced and showcased in several rallies, and it displayed much better handling than the 130H. Not long after the display of the 150H, Nibel and Wagner found another passion which was the Grand Prix cars. Only twenty units were produced before the 150H was abandoned in 1936.

In 2010, the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center USA in Irvine, California mechanically restored the last car standing from the 150 Sport Roadster model.

Mercedes Benz 150H W30 Price

The practicality of the 150H that was produced was very limited, and the price of the car was quite high, in 1935, it was sold at $1,576.68, which would be equivalent to $32,804 in today’s market. The 150H was discontinued in 1936 due to poor sales.

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