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The W125 served as a replacement to the highly sucessfull W25 and the last Mercedes-Benz to comply with 750 kg formula regulations. Design elements were largely affected by the formula race regulations at the time. During the years of 1934, 35, 36 & 37 there were no rules governing the size and aspiration of engines. This allowed for cars of extreme power and speed to race during that era. In 1937 the only primary limit imposed on the teams was a maximum weight of 850kgs. This was rasied from the 750kgs imposed in the previous 1936 season.

With little regulations, Mercedes-Benz created an entirely new V8 for the W125. This engine was one of the most powerfull engines to appear in early GP racing.

The W125 pioneered the movement towards solf independant suspension in race cars. Like the 500K & 540K, the W125 features unequal, long wishbones with open coil springs on the front wheels. The long wishbones add over 50 percent more suspension travel than the suspension found in the W25. The rear suspension utilises a de Dion type rear axle. The W125 is one the first race cars to take advantage of the de Dion system. Both the front and rear susensions keep the wheels parallel during hard cornering. This gives the W125 mild understeer yeilding strong driver confidence. Quite remarkable for a car that could spin it's wheels at over 100 mph!

The W125 served as one of the fastest & most powerfull grand prix cars ever. The car reached the tormendous speed of 193 mph on the SPA circuit. The results list for the 1937 season testify to the almost total dominance of the W 125: Victories in the Grand Prix in Tripoli and the Avus Race, double victories in the Grands Prix in Germany, Italy and Brinn, triple victories in the Grands Prix in Monaco and Switzerland.

W125 Victories:

Jul25/37 German GP-N?rburgring, Rudolf Caracciola

Aug08/37 Monaco GP-Monte Carlo, M. v. Brauchitsch

Aug22/37 Swiss GP-Bremgarten, Rudolf Caracciola

Sep12/37 Italian GP-Livorno, Rudolf Caracciola

Sep26/37 Masaryk GP-Brno, Rudolf Caracciola