How Racing Cars Were Transported By Mercedes In 1954

How Racing Cars Were Transported By Mercedes In 1954
Only the perfection driven minds at Mercedes Benz could conceive of such a project, much less carry it through to completion. To transport a racing car to events around Europe, you build a magnificent transporter that attracts everyone’s attention and is one of the fastest carriers as well. But why did the company put in such huge chunks of money in designing and constructing a carrier that was obviously non-commercial? Why couldn’t have they used a haulier that was already available?

The tale behind the construction of the transporter involves adherence to one’s principles, zeal for one’s craft, and last of all, common sense. In the days before World War I, there was stiff competition between Mercedes Benz and the other groups in Germany involved in racing.

However, W-154 powered by the V-12 that Mercedes came up with won 12 out of the 17 events right before the war, and stole everyone’s hearts. It was not until 1954 that Mercedes actually returned to Grand Prix racing, with a decision taken by the management in 1952.

To trumpet its comeback, Mercedes Benz decided to build a special truck to haul its all new W 196 racer, a car that was piloted by a famous Argentine ace racer. The carrier had to look unlike any other on the road while being instantly recognizable as a company designed vehicle. They even wanted it to be one of the swiftest cars on the freeways of Western Europe.

If you are one of the initial teams to reach the tracks you automatically got more time to train and plan out your strategies. It also gave you time for repairs and even get the car back to the tracks ahead of time. Technically, Mercedes Benz put in the best of their machinery in to the transporter.

The extended X shaped frame was based on the automaker’s full sized 300 S sedan, while the 3.0 liter six cylinder engine and four speed manual transmission were similar to those installed in the automaker’s 300 SL gull wing sports cars. The braking system was one of power-assistance being provided to the regular hydraulic drums that were used.

But the most remarkable thing was the transporter’s body work. The steel panels used on it were inspired from most of the other panels of the day.

The interior fixtures, the windshield, and the door’s all of them were modelled on the ones used in the 180 S. Between its two fenders, the one up front and the one in the rear, there was enough space for two spare tires, loading ramps, tools and all the equipment for the racer.

The single cab had been placed low and up front, far beyond the line of the front axle, and unconventional was this that it gave a defying, screaming, Mercedes Benz look in the end. It was finished off with a simple, factory blue paint, and this only supplemented its appeal. It was a truck that, despite a fully loaded weight of about 6,600 pounds, was capable of more than 100 mph, fast even by today’s standards.

The transporter was released in the middle of the year 1954 and was a hit not only in Europe but also in the U.S. In reality, the carrier was mostly more surrounded by fans than the racing cars that it was supposed to transport.

When a Mercedes Benz 300 SLR, that had entered privately at the 1955 French 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, took the lives of 80 people in a crash, Mercedes Benz retracted from public racing totally. The racing division was withdrawn along with the transporter before the year ended.

Plans were made that the vehicle should be retained in the company museum along with its cargo, but this idea was given up when it was found that the floors would not be able to take the combined weight. After the demise of the carrier, Mercedes Benz got so many requests that it had to opt to build a replica in 1993. Using an outside fabricator and working only from a few sketches and photographs the vehicle was finally completed in 2000.

Now, this amazing vehicle by Mercedes Benz does not have to sink in to fameless oblivion and shall ever be retained in racing car history in the form of the replica.