It is truly remarkable that Mercedes-Benz was able to compete for the World Sports Car Championship less than a decade after World War II ended, considering the destruction of their factories. Their entry into the sport was the 300SLR (Sport, Leicht, Rennen, or Sport, Light, Racing).
Originally, there were nine SLR roadsters created for the program. In 1955, a Mercedes-Benz SLR won Italy's Mille Miglia (a 1,000-mile road race through the mountains), and averaged nearly 100 mph for ten hours and 1,000 miles - an unbroken record. Mercedes-Benz went on to win four more races and captured the World Sports Car Championship.
Engineer and expert racer Rudolph Uhlenhaut, was in charge of the postwar racing department. In 1955, Uhlenhaut had two of the SLR roadsters transformed into ultra-light, aerodynamic coupes. The roadster chassis was widened slightly and because of the high door-sill beams, the signature gullwing doors were required. These race cars were used for practice but never competed in a race. They weighed just 2,176 pounds and soon became a personal project for Uhlenhaut. In modern times, Mercedes-Benz owns both examples and remain a tribute to the genius of Rudolph Uhlenhaut.
The Mercedes-Benz 300SLR was considered one of the most advanced racing cars of its era. They were powered by a high-revving, twin-cam, fuel-injected straight-8 engine with a desmodromic (mechanically opening and closing) valve-train. The body was constructed from lightweight magnesium and was fitted with a unique air brake system for competition at Le Mans in 1955. There is a five-speed manual transaxle and top speed is in the neighborhood of 186 mph.
