Mercedes Knight 16/45 PS Tourenwagen

Year of manufacture: 1918
Power: 50 hp
Displacement: 4,084 cm³

Weight: 1,750 kg

Condition: restored
Catalog number: 218

Since 1911, the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) company equipped some passenger car models with Knight engines. The engines, invented by American Charles Knight, operate with sleeve valves instead of conventional valves, offering exceptionally smooth operation. The company acquired a license for this engine in 1910 and used it in some of its cars since then. With more than 5,000 vehicles produced, the Mercedes-Knight with a power output of 16/45 PS became the most successful Mercedes model by 1926.

This three-door, five-seat car featured a front engine and rear-wheel drive. It had a spark ignition, water-cooled inline four-cylinder engine (I4) with sleeve valve (Knight) valve timing, displacement of 4,084 cm³, carburetor, naturally aspirated, producing 50 hp, and a mechanical four-speed manual gearbox. The curb weight was 1,750 kg, and the top speed reached 80 km/h. The front axle was solid with longitudinal leaf springs; the rear axle was also solid with longitudinal leaf springs. The car had no front brakes and drum brakes on the rear wheels.

This particular car in our collection is the oldest vehicle bearing the Mercedes name. Originally manufactured in 1918 in green, it still saw service at the end of World War I as an officers’ vehicle. After many vicissitudes, it was purchased for our collection and restored to its current condition.