Mercedes-Benz’ incredibly successful first half of the 20th century was going to be a really tough act to follow. Ritter...
The French Grand Prix; Reims, July 4, 1954. Karl Kling rounds Thillois corner in the Mercedes W196 streamliner. He finished...
On Sept 22–23, the countryside outside of Reims, France, will once again reverberate to the howls of a Mercedes W196, as the ex-Fangio “Streamliner” takes part in a two-day festival celebrating the history of this famous French circuit. Dubbed the “1st Week-End of L’Excellence Automobile” by organizer Franz Hummel, this...
I stood back watching, as Monterey feted the Fangio marque. Fangio marque? Yes, Juan Manuel Fangio is the only person,...
Rodger Ward Jim Hurtubise Photo: IMS 1 Jim Clark wins the South African Grand Prix driving a Ford Cosworth-powered Lotus...
Mercedes-Benz once again provided the star feature for September’s second running of the Weekend de L’Excellence Automobile de Reims, only instead of last year’s recalcitrant Streamliner, this year the company brought along a 1955 W196R Grand Prix open-wheeler. A period driver was provided as well, with Hans Herrmann taking over...
Unquestionably, one of the most dominating racing cars was the Mercedes W196, particularly with drivers such as Fangio and Moss...
For this special Porsche issue it was only right to interview the man who, in real terms, helped to put...
The 1955 24-hour race at Le Mans was set to be an epic contest. Mercedes-Benz had entered the brilliant new W196 single seater-based sports car, the 300 SLR. Stirling Moss had driven the 300 SLR to victory two months previously in the Mille Miglia. For this race he was to...
Step through this time portal and journey into the past for another look at the oft-examined history of Mercedes-Benz. The...
My personal record with the Mercedes 300 SLR was six starts, three wins, two 2nd places and one “withdrawn when...
Karl Kling was born too late to join Rudolf Caracciola, Manfred Von Brauchitsch and Hermann Lang in their rampage through Grand Prix motor racing of the Thirties, and too early to give Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss and Hans Herrmann any real competition in the W196 of 1954 and 1955....
Pavel Kasik recently bid farewell to his beloved Tatra T77 only days after completing its 20-year restoration. The Tatra started...
When event patron Peter Ricketts was asked what he had done in a previous life to bring so much precipitation...
Ed McDonough, VR Editor at Large, has been awarded the Peugeot Motorsports Cup by the Guild of Motoring Writers. McDonough was recently presented the Cup by Andrew Didlick, the French automaker’s public relations director. Peugeot is now the title supporter of the award, which for many years was known as...
Raymond Mays demonstrates the BRM V16 during an “Ancien Pilotes” demonstration race in the late 1960s. Photo: J Pearson Archive Aspiration...
One of the legendary 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 Grand Prix cars raced by five-time World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio will be...
A new mark has been established for automobiles sold at auction, as an ex-Fangio Mercedes-Benz W196 Grand Prix car has set records for any car ever sold at auction, as well as for an F1 car and a Mercedes-Benz. Across the block at Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale, the...
Mercedes W 196 Car: Mercedes W196 / Engine: 8-Cylinder In-line / Maker: Mercedes-Benz / Bore X Stroke: 76 mm X...
Luigi Chinetti Briggs Cunningham Photo: courtesy Art Evans 1 Kazuyoshi Hoshino, who participated in two F1 races in the 1970s, born...
Racecar designers are sometimes accused of copying others’ ideas, but are they really “copy cats,” or is it a case of “great minds think alike?” Something worth examining, albeit there is evidence on both sides of the argument. In any case, if a designer sees that one of his rivals...
