1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR W196 S

• The 1955 Mercedes‑Benz 300 SLR W196 S boasts a 3.0 L straight‑8 engine pushing around 310 hp (228 kW), capable of over 300 km/h.

• Built on a spaceframe with Elektron alloy body, it weighs roughly 900 kg and sprints to 0–100 km/h in under 5 s.

• Only nine built—with two road‑legal “Uhlenhaut Coupés”—and one sold for €142 million, cementing its rarity and value.

Racing Roots Meet Road-Legal Form

The 1955 Mercedes‑Benz 300 SLR W196 S arrives in photos like a silver bullet. Low, fluid, purposeful. It wears the classic long bonnet and low greenhouse of its grand prix cousin, but with headlights, a full cockpit, and two seats. This was race tech dressed for public roads—gull‑wing doors and all.

Power That Feels Bold

At the heart lies a 2,981 cc straight‑8 M196 S engine with mechanical direct fuel injection. It produces around 310 hp (228 kW) at 7,400 rpm and roughly 317 Nm of torque at 5,950 rpm. With a kerb weight just over 900 kg, it punches ratio of nearly 350 hp/tonne, delivering 0–100 km/h in under 5 seconds and a top-speed beyond 300 km/h. That kind of punch still surprises—even modern drivers say it “treats centrifugal force with disdain.”

Lightweight Sculpting

This car isn't just fast—its presence is compact and intense. A space‑frame chassis wrapped in Elektron, a magnesium alloy, keeps weight in check. The overall length is about 4.3 m and it rides on a 2.37 m wheelbase. Wave-like surfaces flow from nose to tail, punctuated by purposeful louvers and sculpted arches. Those gull‑wing doors? Made necessary by that high sill and narrow cockpit. Every panel feels both heritage and purpose.

Engineering That Demanded Respect

Suspension is high-tech for its day: front double‑wishbones with torsion bars and rear single-link swing‑axle with low pivot. Brakes are large, in-board drums—designed for endurance. The drivetrain is a 5‑speed manual transaxle sending power to the rear wheels. Direct injection, desmodromic valves—this was F1-grade tinkering adapted for road endurance.

The Price of Rarity

Only nine total SLR roadsters were made, and two of those were converted into coupe form—the famed Uhlenhaut examples. One just sold for €142 million. That kind of value isn’t just about rarity; it’s about timeless capability, engineering bravado, and motorsport legacy. Its buyer wasn’t getting a classic—they were inheriting an icon.

Context Among Legends

In 1955, this car outran nearly everything. Ferrari's 300 S and Jaguar's D-Type were fast, but the SLR hit 300 km/h on the highway—and could overtake at 200 km/h like it was idling. At the Mille Miglia, Stirling Moss drove one to a legendary win. It belongs in the same breath as the F40, 959, or McLaren F1—but its era was raw, analog, and unforgiving.

Technical Specification

• Performance

  • Engine: 3.0 L inline‑eight M196S, direct fuel‑injected

  • Power: approximately 306 hp (228 kW) at ~7,400 rpm

  • Torque: around 317 Nm (234 lb‑ft) at ~5,950 rpm

  • Top speed: ~290 km/h (180 mph)

• Body Measurements

  • Length: approx. 4,300 mm (169.3 in)

  • Width: 1,740 mm (68.5 in)

  • Height: 1,100 mm (43.3 in)

  • Wheelbase: 2,370 mm (93.3 in)

  • Front track: ~1,330 mm (52.4 in); Rear track: ~1,380 mm (54.3 in)

• Powertrain & Transmission

  • Layout: front-engine, rear-wheel drive

  • Transmission: 5‑speed manual

  • Engine mount: tilted ~33° to the right, installed close to horizontal

  • Valvetrain: DOHC desmodromic, 16‑valve

  • Clutch: dry single‑disc hydraulic; transmission via transaxle

• Capacities & Structure

  • Chassis: welded tubular spaceframe

  • Body: lightweight Elektron magnesium-alloy panels

  • Fuel capacity: up to 260 L (race setup)

  • Suspension: double wishbone front with torsion bars; rear single-joint swing axle with torsion bar

  • Brakes: inboard drum brakes (front & rear)

  • Kerb weight: ~900 kg (roadster); ~1,117 kg (Uhlenhaut Coupé)

• Price

  • Historical: N/A (competition car from 1955)

  • Modern equivalent (Uhlenhaut Coupé sold by museum in 2022): estimated at €135 million

Source