1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL W194

After the fog of war subsided, the potential for friendly fire increased dramatically on the motorsport scene. Mercedes-Benz's weapon was called the W194 (also called the 300 SL) and it would earn an impressive string of victories at numerous venues including Mexico's Carrera Panamericana, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Bern-Bremgarten, and the Eifelrennen at Nurburgring. Just ten examples were built before they were succeeded by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, which led to the Mercedes 300 SL W198 Gullwing road car in 1954.

Mercedes-Benz had enjoyed a very successful racing career during the second half of the 1930s, fueled by a virtually unlimited budget, the W154 Grand Prix racer scored 12 victories in 23 starts, with Rudolf Caracciola winning the 1938 European Championship.

Following World War II, Mercedes-Benz factories were quickly rebuilt and production was solely focused on road-going vehicles, with the first product being a four-door saloon called the 300, and powered by a three-liter six-cylinder engine. As the 1950s came closer into view, the company returned to racing using a pair of pre-war Grand Prix cars entered in several Formula Libre races, but without the successes they had enjoyed before the war. Their first serious attempt at returning to international motorsports arrived in 1952, and it was called the W194 300 SL.

The W194 represented a fusion of series-production technology and innovative lightweight construction. Chief developing engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut designed a tubular spaceframe chassis that was lightweight, but more rigid than a traditional ladder frame. Its design enveloped the passenger compartment, giving birth to the model's distinctive gull-wing doors, as traditional doors were impossible due to the high sides. The unique door arrangement was recessed into the roof with hinges at the top. The suspension used swing axles at the rear with coil springs, while the front employed double wishbones and coil springs. The wheelbase measured 94.5-inches and the height was just under 50 inches. Steering was by a recirculating ball, the body was made from lightweight aluminum, the transmission was a four-speed manual, and drum brakes at all four corners provided stopping power. The steering was precise, the ride was comfortable, and the handling was impressive, but since the rear swing axle jointed only at the differential, instead of at the wheels themselves, there were extreme changes in camber on high-speed courses or rough roads. Additionally, due to the large size of the fuel tank, handling was affected by the quantity of fuel.

The six-cylinder engine powering the road-going 300 S was installed in the engine bay at a 50-degree angle to allow for a low hoodline. It used a diagonal aluminum head which allowed for larger intake and exhaust valves, single overhead camshafts, dry-sump lubrication, and breathed through triple two-barrel Solex carburetors. In racing guise, the engine produced approximately 175 horsepower and 153 lb-ft of torque, giving it a top speed of around 160 mph.

The W194 was modern, innovative, aerodynamic, lightweight, and employed a highly tuned and reliable engine. Three 'Siver Arrow' vehicles competed in the 1952 Mille Miglia, scoring second with the German crew Karl Kling/Hans Klenk that later in the year would win the Carrera Panamericana. It earned a victory in Bern, Switzerland, and a one-two victory at Le Mans marking the first time a closed car had ever won at that event. This was also Mercedes-Benz's first (and Germany's first) victory at Le Mans. Four roadster-bodied W194 examples raced at Nurburgring where they finished in the top four positions.

Near the close of the season, Mercedes-Benz entered two coupes and two roadsters in the La Carrera Panamericana. The team would emerge victorious, capturing the top two positions.

Mercedes-Benz's return to racing had been spectacular, especially considering that many of the races where it competed were high-speed open road races that favored the higher horsepower cars of Ferrari and Jaguar. The low weight and low aerodynamic drag of the W194 had compensated for its lack of power, and its durability was instrumental in its highly successful season. It was the start of a very successful racing career that was prematurely cut short with the tragic accident at LeMans in 1955. It was the catalyst of the 300 SL road-going vehicle introduced in 1954, and its spaceframe chassis was used on the W196 Formula 1 car and the 300 SLR sports racer.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2021