Small piece of history: 1936 Mercedes 260D, the first successful diesel passenger car
1936 Mercedes 260D - Click on image for full high-resolution gallery
Rudolf Diesel filed the patent for his signature engine in 1893. However, its installation in a passenger car didn't occur until 1933, when Citroën installed a diesel engine into a Rosalie bay, although this car was never authorized to run on roads. Not until 1936, when Mercedes showed off the 260D, can we talk about the first successful diesel car on the road. Based on the 200 model, the 260 used a 2.4-liter I-4 engine named OM 138 mated to a Bosch mechanical injection pump. The ensemble allowed the car to produce 45hp of power at 3,200 rpm. Almost 2,000 units were built through 1940. The car initially has a 3-speed gearbox; and was upgraded with electric coil ignitors in 1938.
One of the diesel powerplant's main benefits – then as now – was reduced fuel consumption. The 260D burned 9 l/100 km (26 mpg U.S.) compared to 13 l/ 100 km (18 mpg U.S.) in the gasoline counterpart. Another bonus: at the time, diesel was half the price of gasoline, so the motorists saved a lot of cash at the pump.
Gallery: 1936 Mercedes 260 D
[Source: Mercedes-Benz via Diariomotor]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sam 8:10AM (11/20/2009)
Interesting piece of history, thanks for that.
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NeilBlanchard 10:11AM (11/20/2009)
26mpg, huh? Not bad for a large heavy car with really crappy aerodynamics!
Neil
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My_SS_RX8 10:48AM (11/20/2009)
This mentions 1938/1940 numbers and motorist saving on fuel prices. Given the political conditions at the time, I'm just guessing that not too many of these were being exported or available to ordinary customers throughout Europe. Those who were buying them were probably Nazis, Nazi sympathizers and wealthy Nazi industrialists or politicians, who wouldn't be too concerned about fuel costs at any price. The late 30's and early 40's not being exactly ordinary times in Europe.
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ToroQ3000 3:28PM (11/20/2009)
Someone is stumbling blindly into Godwin's Law and Reductio ad Hitlerum. Sad.
My_SS_RX8 11:17PM (11/20/2009)
you'll like this even better Sparky.... Panzer tanks, powered by diesel engines, when hit by shell fire tended to burn rather slowly...the Sherman powered by a gasoline engine tended to explode violently. obviously + one for diesel crews.
the authors comment on fuel mileage and cost seems to me to irrelevant in context to the time and place.
as to your comment about me...meh! like I care lol
Laurens 11:39AM (11/20/2009)
The amount of CO2 diesel engines have reduced thanks to their high thermal efficiency is huge!
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conejo 12:21PM (11/20/2009)
Nasty Nazi politics aside, does that look like a direct-injection design from the schematic?
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pauln 4:12PM (11/20/2009)
No, its the classic pre-combustion chamber design all pretty much all passenger cars used until Audi/VW pioneered the direct injection TDI.
EV-1 7:13PM (11/20/2009)
Father! Forgive them!
For they knew not better
in those days.
We do now.
So PLEASE give politicians, and people in power, the
Wisdom and the Urge to Change the direction we've chosen!!
Amen.
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who 6:04AM (11/21/2009)
@pauln, Fiat was the one who pioneered diesel direct injection:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_Croma
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