Celebrating the Silver Star’s Super Sports Cars
Museum to Feature Eight Icons
Photography from Mercedes-Benz
Among the automobiles of the world, few stir the passion of enthusiasts more than lean high-performance racing and road cars. With power to spare and aggressive good looks, the high performance ‘super’ sports car has fascinated us since the dawn of the automobile.
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR 'Uhlenhaut' coupe an example of Mercedes-Benz' road/racing synergy. Fearsome and noisy coupe featured 3.0 liter straight 8 and 302 hp.
Most volume manufacturers have produced super sports cars at some time in their history with varying levels of commitment. Automobile racing, the supreme test of a manufacturer’s technical prowess and financial commitment, serves as a periodic marketing program for many car companies. Few remain eternally committed to both high performance automobile production and auto racing.
C111 project focused on Wankel engine development. This is the 1976 variant fitted with a 3 rotor engine developing up to 280 hp. Wankel development eventually ceased. CLK GTR roadster and new SLS AMG Gullwing follow.
Super Sports Car Fascination in Stuttgart
Few with the exception of Mercedes-Benz. The Silver Star has constructed high performance products since the turn of the last century and competed with few interruptions in auto racing events for over a century. We can’t forget Mercedes triumphed at Indianapolis in 1915 AND 1994*.
A thinly disguised LeMans car, lowline CLK GTR Roadster is piloted here by '70s/'80s touring car ace Dieter Glemser.
With its current spectacular high performance road cars and world beating competition cars, Mercedes-Benz continues this long tradition today. Beginning April 27, the factory’s stylish Museum in Stuttgart will present a glorious display of eight influential ‘Super Sports’ cars.
109 years of high performance road and racing prowess on display here. 1929 SSK leads the glorious group.
Spanning 109 years of sports/racing car production, the new exhibit focuses on ‘extreme performance and innovative technology.’
Super Sports Cars
- 1906 Mercedes 75 hp
- 1929 Mercedes-Benz SSK
- 1954 300SL Gullwing
- 1955 Mercedes 300SLR ‘Uhlenhaut” coupe
- 1976 Mercedes-Benz C11 2-D
- 1991 C112
- 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Roadster
- 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing
To publicize this special exhibit and to limber up cars that will be demonstrated at various 2010 historic racing gatherings, Mercedes conducted an exciting press day at the Unterturkheim plant’s fabled test track. Drivers included current F1 pilot Nick Heidfeld, past and present touring car aces Dieter Glemser and Bernd Schnieder, retired all around racing star Jochen Mass and ’50s era star Hans Hermann.
Wings up tradition in the museum: original Gullwing gazes at obscure C112 and SLR Vision design exercise.
Expect to see superb demonstrations of these cars at these 2010 historic racing events:
If you’re planning to be in Europe over the summer, a visit to the Mercedes-Benz Museum is a must. While the Super Sports Car exhibit would be worth the visit alone, the museum’s breathtaking displays and multimeda presentations could detain you for days.
(*Penkse chassis powered by Mercedes-Benz (Ilmor) pushrod V-8)
Roy Spencer, editor MercedesHeritage.com
Suggested Reading:
The Mercedes-Benz Racing Cars, Karl Ludvigsen ISBN 0-87880-009-3
Mercedes-Benz 300SL, William Boddy ISBN 0-85045-501-4
Mercedes-Benz W196, Michael Riedner, ISBN 0-85429-717-0
Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Racing 1934-1955, George C. Monkhouse ISBN 0-904568-42-3
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One Response to “Super Sports Cars: 109 Years of Performance Motoring”
[...] and are rotated through the Museum as part of dedicated displays. Recent appearances include the ‘Super Sports Cars’ display in Pebble Beach August 2010 and European venues during 2010. The Classic Center in Fellbach [...]
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