VIN: the works Mercedes-Benz W196S 300 SLR chassis 0004/55
History of chassis 0004/55
Chassis 0004 was the most extensively campaigned 300 SLR. It appeared in all six races attended by the model in 1955 and won on three occasions.
The car’s first competitive appearance was at the Mille Miglia held over April 30th and May 1st. One of four SLRs entered, it was driven by Stirling Moss and navigated by Denis Jenkinson.
By the southerly Rome checkpoint, Moss had taken command and held a near two-minute lead which was further extended at Viterbo when the second placed Ferrari retired.
Fangio, driving solo in the sister car, eventually finished second, 22 minutes behind Moss who broke almost every available record en route to a famous victory.
0004 next appeared at the Nurburgring Eifelrennen on May 29th where it was driven by Karl Kling. Three SLRs were in attendance for what was Germany’s biggest sports car race; the others were allocated to Moss and Fangio.
By half-distance, the silver cars had a three-minute lead over the opposition. Unfortunately, on lap eight (of ten) third-placed Kling developed valve gear trouble. He finished fourth.
The fateful 1955 Le Mans 24 Hours was next where 0004 was entered for Karl Kling and Andre Simon. An air brake was added to each SLR which consisted of a hinged flap operated by hydraulic rams controlled from a lever on the dash.
Kling was twelfth at the end of lap one and had moved up to sixth with an hour gone.
However, half an hour later, tragedy struck.
In one of the sister SLRs, Pierre Levegh hit the back of an Austin-Healey which had swerved to avoid a Jaguar D-type entering the pits at the last moment.
Levegh’s SLR launched into the air, skipped over a protective earth bank at 125mph and barrel rolled into the crowd.
Levegh was thrown from the car and fatally fractured his skull. 83 spectators were killed in what remains motor racing’s most catastrophic crash.
Both remaining SLRs were subsequently withdrawn from the race when lying first (Moss / Fangio) and third (Kling / Simon).
Stirling Moss was back in 0004 for the Swedish Grand Prix on August 7th. Held at the brand new Rabelov circuit, Moss took pole and shot away at the start, only to relinquish the lead to Fangio on lap four.
Against a top quality field, the race was a demonstration of Mercedes’ superiority with Moss invariably a yard or so behind Fangio in his customary role as shadow to the F1 world champion.
Fangio took the win and Moss placed second in 0004.
Three cars were then entered for both of the last two races of the year: the Dundrod Tourist Trophy and Targa Florio.
In the hands of Stirling Moss, first with John Fitch and then Peter Collins, 0004 took victory in both events to secure Mercedes the 1955 World Sportscar Championship.
Moss and Fitch won in Northern Ireland after an epic battle with the works Mike Hawthorn / Desmond Titterington Jaguar D-type.
In Sicily, Moss and Collins performed one of the greatest comebacks in history to overturn a twelve-minute deficit and win by nearly five minutes.
After a sometime bruising 1955 campaign, 0004 was refurbished and transferred to the Mercedes-Benz factory collection.
Today it ranks as perhaps the most valuable motor car in the world.
Notable History
Daimler-Benz AG
01/05/1955 WSC Mille Miglia (S. Moss / D. Jenkinson) 1st oa, 1st S2.0+ class (#722)
29/05/1955 GSC Nurburgring Eifelrennen (K. Kling) 4th oa, 4th S1.5+ class (#2)
12/06/1955 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (K. Kling / A. Simon) WDN (#21)
07/08/1955 IND Swedish GP, Rabelov (S. Moss) 2nd oa (#2)
18/09/1955 WSC Dundrod Tourist Trophy (S. Moss / J. Fitch) 1st oa, 1st S3.0 class (#10)
16/10/1955 WSC Targa Florio (S. Moss / P. Collins) 1st oa, 1st S2.0+ class (#104)
Retained by Daimler-Benz
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Mercedes-Benz - https://www.mercedes-benz.com
