Watch Jay Leno drive an original Silver Arrow automobile, a 1932 Mercedes-Benz SSKL

Racing legends usually have questionable histories rooted in myth and fact in equal measure.

Not so with the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow, a 1932 Mercedes-Benz SSKL, a car that was built in the 1930's and 1940's by the same race car manufacturer.

The racer featured in this episode of "Jay Leno's Garage" is a replica of a 1932 SSKL built from the original SSK racer. The car is accompanied by Michael Kunz, manager of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center.

The SSKL was a lighter, more aerodynamic version of the then road-going SSK, which meant "Super Sport Short" The SSKL was 275 pounds lighter than the SSK thanks to a drilled chassis The SSKL's nose was an aerodynamic part of the process, and a longer, more sculpted hood with a 2-foot dimple to feed the radiator that was responsible for cooling the massive engine The SSKL was powered by a supercharged 7.0-liter inline 6-cylinder that produced about 300 hp.

According to Kunz, top speed was around 150 mph, mostly limited by the tire technology of the time.

The SSKL's bare metal finish was born of necessity, and with no time to paint the body white, the race car was finished in time for a race in Germany The SSKL competed in and won the Abbas race, which was contested on a nearly straight line. The radio broadcaster at the time called it the "Silver Arrow," a name that stuck.

Twin carburetors fed by a huge supercharger boosted the engine.

Jay and Kunz cut deep into the car's history. With only four built, the car became a legend in its own right.

In the last few minutes, Jay gets to drive this car on the streets of Los Angeles (I doubt it is titled) and we get to hear the legend at work; SSKL howls in the video above and is well worth a watch.