VIN: the works Mercedes-Benz W196S 300 SLR chassis 0001/54
History of chassis 0001/54
Chassis 0001/54 was the first of nine 300 SLRs completed by Mercedes-Benz for their attack on the 1955 World Sportscar Championship. Constructed in the latter part of 1954, it initially served as the firm’s chief development mule.
Along with chassis 0002/55, Mercedes almost certainly used 0001/54 as part of their astonishingly thorough preparation for the 1955 Mille Miglia.
Extreme punishment was dished out to a mixture of 220 Saloons, Gullwings and 300 SLRs; tens of thousands of miles were covered as the entire route was travelled on every training run.
This unprecedented programme yielded a crushing one-two victory for Mercedes: Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson took the win from second placed Juan-Manuel Fangio who tackled the event without a co-driver.
0001/54’s only competitive outing came at the end of May when it formed part of a three-car entry for the ten lap International Eifelrennen race at the Nurburgring.
This was the highest profile event in the German Sportscar Championship and Mercedes fielded their best three drivers. Fangio, Moss and Kling were up against an opposition that comprised a solitary 118 LM from Scuderia Ferrari, two Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar D-types and several well-equipped privateers.
0001/54 was allocated to Stirling Moss and wore number 3.
In qualifying, the trio of 300 SLRs locked out the front row with Fangio on pole, Moss second and Kling third.
Moss set the fastest lap of the race on his fifth tour and, by half distance, the three SLRs led Farina’s works Ferrari by around three minutes. Mercedes looked set for a crushing result until Kling’s car developed valve gear trouble on lap eight, at which point he was passed by Masten Gregory’s Ferrari 750 Monza.
Fangio ultimately won by a tenth of a second from Moss.
Four-and-a-half minutes back was Gregory who finished third. Another 30 seconds further down the road was the unfortunate Kling in fourth.
Thereafter, 0001/54 was retired from active duty.
It later spent many years on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, but was later repatriated to form part of the Mercedes-Benz collection in Stuttgart.
Notable History
Daimler-Benz AG
29/05/1955 GSC Nurburgring Eifelrennen (S. Moss) 2nd oa, 2nd S1.5+ class (#3)
Displayed at the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan
Repatriated to the Mercedes-Benz Museum, Stuttgart
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Mercedes-Benz - https://www.mercedes-benz.com
