The Mercedes-Benz T80 was a six-wheeled vehicle built by Mercedes-Benz, developed and designed by Ferdinand Porsche in the late 1930s. It was intended to break the world land speed record, but never made the attempt, due to the project having been overtaken by the outbreak of World War II.
Background
World-renowned German auto racer Hans Stuck's pet project was to take the world land speed record and he convinced Mercedes-Benz to build a special racing car for the attempt. Officially supported by Adolf Hitler (a race car fan influenced by Stuck), the project was started in 1937. Automotive designer Dr Ferdinand Porsche first targeted a speed of 550 km/h, but after George Eyston's and John Cobb's successful LSR runs of 1938 and 1939 the target speed was raised to 600 km/h. By late 1939, when the project was finished, the target speed was a much higher 750 km/h. This would also be the first attempt at the absolute land speed record on German soil, Hitler envisioned the T80 as another propaganda triumph of German technological superiority to be witnessed by all the world, courtesy of German television. The same Autobahn course had already been proven ideal for record-breaking in smaller capacity classes, Britain's Goldie Gardner having exceeded 200 mi/h there in a 1,500 cc MG.