Nine Beloved Cars from the Mercedes-Benz Museum
S top number three in our brief tour around Germany is the futuristic Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. After some quality time in the 2019 VW Arteon and a brief stint at the Nurburgring, we had a blast at the Porsche Museum. The latter was wonderful, but rather intimate in size. The Mercedes-Benz Museum couldn`t have been more different – it`s a massive, towering construct packed to the gills with the best four-wheeled objects to wear the tri-pointed starlet. Here are our favorites.
1955 Mercedes-Benz Rennwagen-Schnelltransporter
Looking at historical race photos, it`s apparent that vintage race transport trucks were almost cooler than the race cars they carried. Ferrari and Scarab used hollowed-out, bus-style trucks, while ‘60s haul racers were using equipments with inclined ramps to shuttle their Mustangs and Camaros.
Meantime, Mercedes-Benz did it in style. During the ‘50s, Merc`s racing team designed this fabulously chic 300-based flat-bed transporter for its various race cars. It was powered by a Trio.0-liter inline-six that shoved out around two hundred hp. This, combined with a relatively lubricious profile, permitted the Schnelltransporter to cruise on the Autobahn at one hundred six mph.
The original was lost to history, so this is a ideal replica, with a period-correct SLR in tow.
1928 Mercedes-Benz 27/170 Typ SSK
The name`s fairly the throatful, but you very likely know this luxurious open-wheeler as simply the SSK. Perhaps no other pre-war sporting, road-going Merc represents the marquee`s relentless efforts toward motorsports and sports prowess as the SSK.
It cuts a dramatic figure, with its skinny fuselage and characteristic angled front grille. This was developed specifically for hillclimb dominance, especially with its 220-hp, supercharged inline-six.
Before Pope Francis` moves toward austerity and his eschewing of past Pope`s lavish lifestyles, the Popemobiles were luxurious affairs. And, in the case of this Geländewagen, also interesting to look at.
Somehow, we have trouble picturing any pope ensconced above the aggressive mug of the G-Wagen. This was specially built for Pope John Paul II for his visit to Germany, and was revised in one thousand nine hundred eighty one to incorporate projectile protection.
We have to admit – it`s fairly prescient to see gold adornment on an early G-Wagen, especially considering the truck`s current baller status.
1955 Mercedes-Benz SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe
It doesn`t get better than this, as far as vintage Mercedes go. Think of the Uhlenhaut coupe as a blend of the 300SL «Gullwing» coupe and the superior three hundred SLR roadster race car. After development stalled on a race SLR coupe, Mercedes Motorsports head Rudolf Uhlenhaut requisitioned one of the test mules for private use.
What resulted was a long, lithe gullwing coupe packing the chassis and mechanical bits from the SLR race car. This included the Trio.0-liter inline-eight engine putting down three hundred ten hp. In an era where most cars struggled to go much quicker than one hundred mph, the Uhlenhaut coupe was cruelly prompt, capable of blitzing one hundred eighty mph.
1938 Mercedes-Benz L6500 Pritschenwagen
Let`s slow it down for this Benz. Surrounded by glossy S-Class`, shouty AMGs, and the automaker`s current dominance in Formula 1, it`s effortless to leave behind a large portion of the brand`s success comes from its industrial endeavors.
Here`s an example of what mobilized much of industrial Europe during the pre-war era. This cargo truck was used by all manner of business for hauling, and was capable of managing up to 20,000 pounds of payload in some double-axle models.
This L6500 packs a whopping 12.5-liter six-cylinder diesel engine, draping out in front of the forward axle. With this powertrain, this was capable of transporting up to 14,000 pounds of payload.
1980 Mercedes-Benz five hundred SLC Rallyewagen
Despite a sturdy platform, Mercedes` didn`t take the R107 SL racing very often. This is one of the infrequent moments of SLC competition in the form of a long-distance rally car.
This particular five hundred SLC crushed Trio,315 miles in the African Bandama Rally down the Ivory Coast. After a 1-2 finish, Mercedes ceased its rallying efforts.
It`s hard to believe that at one point in history, two hundred hp was seen as a monumental amount of power. With a massive 13.1-liter four-cylinder pushing out two hundred hp, this white behemoth became the very first European car to reach the one hundred twenty five mph mark, going on to hit one hundred forty two mph on Daytona Beach in 1911.
Oh, what could have been. This voluptuous silver missile is the mighty T80, a stillborn land speed record car developed by Ferdinand Porsche for Mercedes-Benz.
The effort was officially sanctioned by Adolf Hitler himself, who envisioned the T80 as an example of German dominance. Racer Hans Stuck was to drive the car on the record setting attempt, originally predicted at three hundred forty two mph. Eventually, the predicted speed cap was raised to three hundred seventy three mph, and then to a breathtaking four hundred seventy mph record.
The record vehicle was powered by a monstrous 44.5-liter (you read that correctly) Daimler-Benz DB603 V-12 lifted from Daimler`s aeronautics division. The V-12 was strangely inverted, returning a stunning Three,000 hp.
World War II broke out as the project was nearing completion, and the T80 was slammed in an Austrian garage. After the war, it was brought to the Mercedes-Benz museum, where it remains on permanent display. Mercedes could conceivably resurrect the car, but bringing a Nazi-sanctioned speed project to life is likely low on the automaker`s priority list.
Stirling Moss` one thousand nine hundred fifty five Mercedes-Benz three hundred SLR
Let`s end this list with the big one. This silver roadster has long been considered one of the most valuable and significant race cars in existence, thanks to Master Stirling Moss` record-setting win of the one thousand nine hundred fifty five Mille Miglia.
With an average speed of 97.96 mph over nine hundred ninety miles, Moss claimed a stunning victory that will never be hammered, thanks to the discontinuation of the race in total capacity.
See that «722» painted on the front of the car? That represents the time of the embark, 7:22 A.M.
As a bonus, if you peek behind the SLR, you can see the 300SL that won the one thousand nine hundred fifty two Carrera Panamericana.