Silver Arrows (German: Silberpfeil) was the name given by the press to Germany's dominant Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Grand Prix motor racing cars between 1934 and 1939, and also later applied to the Mercedes-Benz Formula One and sports cars in 1954/55.
For decades until the introduction of sponsorship liveries, each country had its traditional color in automobile racing. Italian race cars are still famous for their rosso corsa red color, British ones are British racing green, French blue, etc.
German cars like the Blitzen Benz were white, as were the three Mercedes that won the 1914 French Grand Prix 1-2-3. On the other hand, in 1922 (Giulio Masetti) and 1924 (Christian Werner), Mercedes won the Italian Targa Florio with cars painted red, blending in with the local competitors. The big supercharged 200 hp Mercedes-Benz SSK with which Rudolf Caracciola won the 1931 Mille Miglia was called White Elephant.
Read more about Silver Arrows: Performance, Other Car Companies, Further Reading
Famous quotes containing the words silver and/or arrows:
“Silver bells, silver bells,
It’s Christmas time in the city.”
—Ray Evans (b. 1915)
“‘Tis chastity, my brother, chastity.
She that has that is clad in complete steel,
And like a quivered nymph with arrows keen
May trace huge forests and unharbored heaths,
Infamous hills and sandy perilous wilds,
Where, through the sacred rays of chastity,
No savage fierce, bandit, or mountaineer
Will dare to soil her virgin purity.”
—John Milton (1608–1674)