Touring the Classic Center in Fellbach

Here we see a whitegray(158) 300SL roadster, the 190SL competition car and a 300d convertible sedan on the rack above the 190SL.

Mint low mileage 107s sitting in storage containers. Could they have delivery mileage only? Are they V-8 cars or the M110 twin cams?

With the fabled original gullwing-engined high speed transporter having been scrapped in 1967, Mercedes created this replica for PR purposes. Seen here with a 1954(?) W196 GP car aboard, the ungainly appearing transporter was capable of sustained 100 mph shuttles with a race car on its back. An idea from the fertile mind of team manager Alfred Neubauer.

A mind boggling group here. Another W196 GP car (#10) fronts a Sauber Mercedes Prototype and sits next to one of the wankel engined C111s. Behind the C111 we find one of the streamlined 1937 W125s specially prepared for the ultra-high speed Avus circuit in Berlin. #36 may have been von Brauchitsch's car in which he won Avus's 2nd heat with an average speed of 160.37 mph only to fall victim to a failed transmission in the final. Forty-three degree banking allowed the astounding average speeds. Note two more orange C111s sitting in storage boxes above the streamliner.

W194 300SL conquered LeMans for Mercedes-Benz in 1952 and provided the platform for the street version (W198) Gullwing introduced to a stunned motoring world in 1954. These early cars were carbureted.

One of one. This is the one and only fiberglass Gullwing constructed. Inspecting it in Pebble Beach circa 2004, I found the experimental coachwork quality quite crude. Note the "ponton" turn signal housings on each front fender.

Under restoration, this 1954 Grand Prix W196 Streamliner was constructed for high speed tracks. The streamliner returned an aerodynamic advantage of 20.5% over the open wheeled W196. Kling, Fangio and Hermann drove these cars in 1954, the Championship going to Fangio. Note massive inboard finned drum brakes sitting behind radiator.

Mercedes-Benz's 250GTO? The Uhlenhaut 300SLR coupes were fearsome street cars based on the Mille Miglia winning 300SLR roadsters. Constructed for racing manager Uhlenhaut's personal use and never sold to private owners, the straight eight coupe's value could rival that of Ferrari's $25m 250GTOs. With center throttle and deafening noise, the SLR coupe would be quite a driving experience.

Where it all began, the circa 1890 Benz "patent motorwagon."

A W29 500/540k Convertible A or B - hard to tell. Constructed from February 1934 to November 1939, these cars represented the pinnacle of prewar automobile design. Total production of 761 units (342 five liter cars and 419 five point four liter cars) guarantee stratospheric values today.

Cabernet Red R129 SL was a gift to Princess Dianna. After the uproar caused by Britain's then most visible personality driving a German sports car, it was quietly returned to Mercedes.

Circa 1991 Sauber C291 long distance Prototype coupe. Michael Schumacher's tenure driving Peter Sauber's Mercedes engined cars groomed him for Formula ! stardom.

1997(?) CLK GTR thrilled endurance race crowds in the later '90s. This author was one of those thrilled watching Ricardo Zonta's qualifying laps at Laguna Seca. The program faded after Peter Dumbreck's harrowing back flip into the trees at LeMans 1999.

Fabulous recreation of the Bohringer 300SE competition car, the ultimate fintail.

Recreation of the Spa-Sophia-Luttich Marathon Rally winning 230SL.

Charming 114/115 "stroke 8" series also represented at the Classic Center. With over one million constructed from 1968-1976, this series represented Mercedes' most successful passenger car range yet. One could drive a good example daily today.

Interesting 1969/1970 mid-engined C111 project featured 3 and 4 rotor wankel engines. Final 370hp 4-rotor versions were potent road cars offering 0-60 times of 4.8 sec and top speeds of 186mph.

Work-in-progress 600 sits on portable dolly. Note bare 300SL frame on wall in background and W196 streamliner's nose under engine hoist.

Two very interesting cars. The car in the lift is likely an open latter '30s 770 and to its left you can just see the tail of a prewar six wheel military parade car. More of Mercedes' storied and today somewhat controversial prewar heritage.

Three liter straight eight powerplant powered Mercedes back to the top of both the Grand Prix and Sports Car Championship world during 1954/1955. A technical marvel with desmodromic valve gear and Hirth type crankshaft, output peaked at 302hp.

Gorgeous 1932 Maybach Zeppelin DS8 convertible was displayed at the sumptuous 2009 Mercedes-Benz Classic Center display at Pebble Beach.

Through the past darkly: rows of Mercedes icons in storage.