VIN: the works Mercedes-Benz W194 300 SL chassis 00003/52
History of chassis 00003/52
Chassis 00003/52 was one of ten W194 300 SLs built, eight of which were raced during the 1952 season. An eleventh car was also subsequently assembled to serve as a prototype once Mercedes decided to build a production version (the W198).
03’s first public appearance was a part of a three-car team taken to Italy for the W194’s maiden competition outing, the Mille Miglia, which took place over May 4th and 5th. 03 was allocated to Hermann Lang and Erwin Grupp for the 1000 mile dash from Brescia, down to Rome and back again.
While team-mates Karl Kling and Rudolf Caracciola went on to finish second and fourth respectively (the former very nearly taking victory), Lang / Grupp unfortunately crashed and failed to finish.
Back in Stuttgart, 03 was repaired and freshened up for its next appearance at the W194’s second outing, the Bern GP (an 18 lap support race for the Swiss Formula 1 Grand Prix around the streets of Bremgarten).
For this, 03 had been given a handsome new coat of light blue paint. Its sister cars were variously painted green, dark red and silver.
The light blue Gullwing was again allocated to Hermann Lang who qualified fourth behind team-mates Kling, Caracciola and the pole-starting Ferrari 340 America of Swiss Sportscar Champion, Willie Daetwyler.
Once the pole-starting Ferrari had retired (after just three laps), the Mercedes were able to put on a dominant show. Lang ultimately came home in second behind Kling.
Fritz Riess was third in one of the other W194s, but the race was marred by a career-ending crash for Caracciola whose Mercedes ploughed head-on into a tree at high speed.
After its second place finish in Switzerland, 03 did not race again in period.
It was retained by Mercedes, but has not been seen since the late 1950s.
Notable History
Daimler-Benz
Registered W59 4998
Silver
04/05/1952 IND Mille Miglia (H. Lang / E. Grupp) DNF (#626)
Re-painted Light Blue
18/05/1952 IND Swiss GP Support Race, Bremgarten (H. Lang) 2nd oa (#20)
Retained by Mercedes but not seen since the late 1950s
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Mercedes-Benz - https://www.mercedes-benz.com
