Mercedes Benz 300 Slr

A limited edition of 1500 copies. This book chronicles the development and racing career of a car regarded as the ultimate example of the purebred sports car of the 20th century and the epitome of functional beauty and extraordinary performance: the 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. Taking second place at its 1952 Mille Miglia debut, it went on to win every one of its races that season. Dramatic photos, vivid descriptions, and dramatic recollections from the drivers ensures this book will be a joy to read and enjoy for years to come.

When Mercedes-Benz returned to motor racing in the 1950s it did so with an aggressive attack across the board. The magnificent 300SLR took Stirling Moss to a record-shattering victory in the Mille Miglia and (with Peter Collins) in the grueling Targa Florio. Other track victories took Mercedes-Benz to the World Manufacturers Championship that year. Tragedy struck as well: a 300SLR went into the crowd at Le Mans, resulting in 82 deaths and many injuries. With unique and rarely seen images, Karl Ludvigsen presents the dramatic story of these racers with their tubular space frames, inboard brakes and fuel-injected desmodromic-valved, eight-cylinder engines. Covers the secret tests at Hockenheim, the never-raced coupe version of the 300SLR and the model prepared for 1956 - a season that these cars never experienced.

Born 1906 in London as the son of an English mother and a German father, Rudolf Uhlenhaut was an engineer and designer for Daimler-Benz. He became famous for his achievements regarding the Silver Arrows, the 300 SL with the famous gull wing doors, the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, known as the?Uhlenhaut Coupé? and the various experimental C 111 versions well-known for several speed records. -- Uhlenhaut joined Daimler-Benz in 1931 after finishing his studies of mechanical engineering in Munich. In 1936 he took over as head of the racing department and conducted the Silver Arrows and Rudolf Caracciola to their 1937 European championship. Based upon the 300 SL?Gullwing?, initially a thoroughbred racing sports car, he created the road versions W198 and the smaller open-topped W121, both launched at the International Motor Sports Show in New York 1954. Though Uhlenhaut never owned a car of his own, his official company car, a 300 SLR with a top speed of 290 km/h became famous as the Uhlenhaut Coupé? the fastest car of its day authorized for road use! -- This first ever comprehensive biography of Rudolf Uhlenhaut, illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs, depicts his life and technical achievements, presenting a complete compilation of all the patents he filed and exploring their significance. It also draws a vivid picture of the person behind the technical innovations and tries to explore his character and motivation.

In 1955, Mercedes-Benz wins the sports car world championship with the racing car 300 SLR (W 196 S). In addition to the titles achieved that same year in the formula 1 world championship and the European touring car championship, this success is proof of the unprecedented dominance of a single manufacturer on the stage of international automobile racing. Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio, the most successful drivers of their era, celebrate impressive double victories in the 300 SLR at the most demanding road races in the world, triumphs that continue to afford this unparalleled racing car lasting fame to this day. Based on extensive research in the archives of Mercedes-Benz Classic, this book provides exhaustive and authentic documentation of the technical development of the W 196 S. All of the races as well as the biography of each individual vehicle are presented with the aid of images and illustrations, some of which have never before been published. Its high-quality design and exquisite features make the book a true collector's item. (German edition ISBN 978-3-7757-4000-5)

In 1952, Mercedes-Benz astonished the world with its 300SL sports-racing cars, sleek coupes with startling, gull-wing doors. Based on the 300S production model but installed in a radical, tubular space frame, the 300SL was a tour de force of lightweight aerodynamic design. The later production 300SL has been well chronicled, the 1952 racing model has not, until now. This book portrays the amazing achievements of these tough cars and their epic victories at Le Mans and in the Carrera Panamericana. Extensive, unpublished photography superbly and intimately captured by Rodolfo Mailander show the 300SL at the Mille Miglia, Berne, Nurburgring and Le Mans. Rare Daimler-Benz archive photos also show the prototype, designed and built for the 1953 season and never raced. Every fan of racing and Mercedes-Benz will relish the pictorial revelations of this book.

In 1952 Mercedes-Benz astonished the racing world with the successes it achieved with its 300SL, exploiting an advanced space-type frame and aerodynamic body with gullwing doors. Already the subject of a Ludvigsen Library Series book, the racing 300SL inspired the creation of a production version, which first took flight in 1954. The 300SL stunned critics and experts alike with its fabulous performance-more than 150 miles per hour-exotic looks and superb build quality. Not just a pretty face, the 300SL was also extremely successful in competition on both sides of the Atlantic. The original coupe was followed by a roadster version in 1957; in all, 3,258 were made. Drawing on his unmatched archive of Mercedes-Benz photos, including coverage by Rudy Mailander and Edward Eves of the 300SL production line, Karl Ludvigsen presents the 300SL in all its glory. He also draws on his own experience as an owner of one of these great cars.

A lavishly illustrated tribute to one of the most beloved European cars of all time. For nearly seventy years, no car has moved the lovers of classic cars more than the 300 SL. A legend since its launch in 1954 as a gullwing coupe, the 300 SL has been seen as the very model of what a sports car can be, its style and beauty perfectly matched to its power and handling. This beautifully illustrated tribute volume brings together Hans Kleissl, one of the world's leading experts on the 300 SL, and former Daimler historian and Mercedes-Benz archive manager Harry Niemann. The resulting book captures the magic and mystique of the car through history, photographs, insights into its technological breakthroughs, and firsthand accounts of its storied run. There's no better gift for the passionate fan of the 300 SL.

The 300 SL (W 194) is the first racing car with which Mercedes-Benz renewed its participation in international automobile racing in the postwar period. Top-ranking positions and triumphs, such as at the legendary twenty-four-hour endurance race in Le Mans or the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico, are not a long time in the coming and as early as 1952 secure a place for the Stuttgart-based make in the worldwide motor sports scene. The racing car achieved particular fame for its unusual gull-winged doors, which turn the production sports car 300 SL, introduced in 1954 and directly derived from the W 194, into one of the lasting icons in automobile history. The book provides exhaustive and authentic documentation of the technical development of the W 194 based on extensive research in the archives of Mercedes-Benz Classic: all of the races as well as the biography of each individual vehicle are presented with the aid of in part unpublished images and illustrations. Its high-quality design as well as its exquisite features make the book a true collector's item. (German edition ISBN 978-3-7757-4002-9)