Grand Touring through Alpine Mists

Silvretta Classic Rally Montfon
Mercedes Classics well represented in Austrian Rally

Photography from European Car Magazine

Winding through 450km of scenic roads in the ski country surrounding Austria’s Montafon valley, the 2009 edition of the Silvretta Classic Rally brought together an eclectic group of cars that included a spectacular group of glorious Mercedes-Benz classics. With full support of the Mercedes Classic Center in Fellbach the event brought out a number of cars normally found sitting comfortably at the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Among the gems from the factory were the clone Bohringer 230SL Rally car, a lightweight, alloy bodied 300SLS clone, a Gullwing, a standard 300SL roadster, a 1958 220s Cabriolet and another ex-Bohringer car, the impressive 1963 300SE “Fintail” rally car. Mercedes products comprised 20 of 156 cars entered.

Each day's section began in the Alpine village of Partenen. Rally prepared Ford Escort dives off the starting ramp here to start the day.

While the red 230SL rally car was an exact clone of the Spa-Sofia-Liege marathon rally winner in 1964, the thundering white roofed 300SE was the actual car that carried Eugen Bohringer to two consecutive Argentine Grand Prix (a 4,000 km cross country road/off-road race) wins.

Fabulous 230SL rally clone began life as a rusty US model sent to the Classic Center for "minor" rust repairs. Bohringer pushed Mercedes to create a duplicate of his long-lost rally champion for the Museum.

Each day of the rally began and ended at the Alpine Village of Partenen with the cars flagged off each day in alphabetical order according to make. The lucky pilot of the Factory 230SL rally car, Patrick Paternie, posted a journal of this fascinating event and we quote a few sections below amongst the images.

Former Argentine Grand Prix winner proved to be a handful for twisty sections of the often wet Silvretta.

“We were billeted a few miles down the road from Partenen in the village of Gaschurn at the Posthotel Rossle. Besides looking like a set from the “Sound of Music,” the hotel was notable for hosting a young Ernest Hemingway on more than one occasion in 1922 when he was learning to ski on the nearby slopes. About those slopes: The Silvretta Mountain range is roughly 2,200- to 3,200m high; the Piz Buin is the tallest peak at 3,312m (10,866 ft). Despite its early July date, the Silvretta Classic has been snowed on in the past. Fortunately, this year Mutter Natur dished up only occasional rain showers for us.”

Pausing amid spectacular scenery, three SL driver's savor the misty beauty of the Austrian peaks.

“The Hochalpenstrasse is a 14-mile stretch of Austria highway 188 just south of Partenen. It consists of a tightly coiled series of switchbacks (the route book claims 32 hairpins, but I was too busy working the steering wheel to count) that climb a 14% grade perched high above green valleys, surrounded, in the distance, by the iced serrations of snow-coated mountain peaks. When you dare flick your eyes away from the road, the view is spectacular. The downhill run unravels in a much straighter, 10% decline, but its negotiation is complicated by herds of contented cows that leisurely stroll, or even snooze, on the road.”

Lucky American, Patrick Paternie, roaring through the Alps in the Factory's rally 230SL!

“By day three, Peter and I had become a well-oiled rally machine. Too late to erase our early deficit, but we saw no shame in boasting about our best of the U.S. status. We were welcomed on the finish stand with a glass of champagne and the hearty appreciation of the organizers, who were truly happy that they had Americans in their event. And, other than the Austrian penchant for the worst of American oldies music (the polka band’s rendition of Volare was much preferred), this American enjoyed the chance to experience the Austrian hospitality, scenery and, of course, the fabulous roads.”

“Peter suggested we skip the awards banquet to take the SL and the 300SE out for one last blast over the Hochalpenstrasse. I agreed. After all, it is not every day you get to be Eugen Bohringer.”

Two unlikely heroes of Mercedes' '60s racing exploits pose for a parting shot.

Interior of racing 230SL an interesting mix of standard features and race/rally equipment. Deep seats with substantial side bolsters a must for competition driving.

Roy Spencer, editor MercedesHeritage.com

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