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1910 Benz 21/80 Prinz Heinrich

Touring Sedan

This 21/80 horsepower 1910 Benz racer comes directly from the Mercedes-Benz Museum collection in Stuttgart, Germany. Newly restored by Mercedes-Benz Classic, the dark green 1910 21/80 Prinz Heinrich car wearing race number '38' is considered by many automotive historians to be 'the first true sports car.' It is one of just ten Prinz Heinrich racers constructed between 1908 and 1910.

With its 5.7-liter, 16-valve, 4-cylinder engine, even in 1910, it was capable of approaching 100 mph. At the dawn of motorsports in the early 1900s, one of the most significant motoring events was the Prinz Heinrich Tour, named after Prinz Albrecht Wilhelm Heinrich of Prussia, brother of German Emperor Wilhelm II and an ardent motoring enthusiast. Fritz Erle won the first race in 1908 in a 50-HP Benz and to commemorate the victory Benz produced a limited run of Prinz Heinrich models with various engine configurations. For the Prince Heinrich Tour in the summer of 1910, Benz entered ten of these special Tourers, four of them with a displacement of 5.7 liters and six with 7.3 liters.

This Benz 21/80, wearing number 38 was driven by Carl Neumaier while carrying two passengers per regulations.

In the early 1900s, at the dawn of the automotive motorsport age, one of the most significant race venues was the Prinz Heinrich Tour, named after Prince Albert Wilhelm Heinrich of Prussia, automotive enthusiast and brother of German Emperor Wilhelm II.

In 1907, the German Imperial Automobile Club organized the first annual Prinz Heinrich Tour which is often seen as a precursor to the German Grand Prix. Among the races' most notable winners were Fritz Erle who won the 1908 race in a 50 hp Benz, and Ferdinand Porsche who in 1910 was successful in this endurance tournament in an 85 hp Austro-Daimler. Commemorating Erle's victory, Benz produced the 'Prinz Heinrich' cars from 1908 to 1910 in various engine configurations. Still running strong, two of the cars from the Prinz Heinrich legacy will drive onto the field at the 18th annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance on Sunday, March 10, 2013.

Both Prinz Heinrich Benz models are presented in museum quality. One, the 21/80 horsepower 1910 racer comes directly from the Mercedes-Benz Museum collection in Stuttgart, Germany. The other, from Bruce McCaw's private collection here in the U.S.

Newly restored by Mercedes-Benz Classic, the dark green 1910 21/80 Prinz Heinrich car wearing race number '38' is considered by many automotive historians to be 'the first true sports car'.

by Mercedes-Benz

by Benz