The New Auto Union, designated the P-Wagen, was ready in late fall, 1933, several months before the Mercedes. In January they invited the press to view their new car and the press in their enthusiasm declared the sleek new car as the German race car. Daimler-Benz who had yet to debut their car was not amused by this new upstart.
   Finally the new car designated the Mercedes W25 was ready. Produced under the technical technical direction of Dr Hans Niebel with Max Wagner as head of chassis design, Albert Heess and Otto Schilling in charge of engine development and Fritz Nallinger's experimental department overseeing the building and testing of the actual race cars. After some discussion they decided that unlike Auto Union they would adopt a front engined layout.
   Power was provided by a twin ohc supercharged straight eight. The suspension was all-independent with wishbones and coil springs at the front, swing axle and transverse quarter elliptics at the rear. Stopping power was provided by hydraulically assisted drum brakes. Initially the cars were painted white, the German national racing color, but according to legend the paint was later removed to save weight, exposing the silver bodywork. The press soon began calling the race cars die Silberpfeile (Silver Arrows). The new cars won four major Grand prix races as well as two hillclimbs during their inaugural first year.
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