How Mercedes Raised The Bar For Excellence

Only such minds as those at Mercedes Benz could come up with an idea like this

, and also see it to its deserving end. Design a hauler that has to cart a racing car to various racing events spread over Europe, and make it beautiful, fast and, in a word, the best one. But how could the company have had invested so much time and money in to something that was clearly not of any commercial value to them? Wouldn't an unpretentious van that was large enough have served the purpose?

The making of the transporter is a story of zeal, self-respect, and practicability. Mercedes Benz had been in the midst of a severe competition with other German teams in the racing scene before World War I. But Mercedes emerged as the clear winner when the V-12 enthused W-154 bagged 12 of the 17 events that were held before the war. Resulting from a decision that was taken in 1952, Mercedes came back to the game of Grand Prix racing in the season of 1954.

Mercedes thus designed the transporter for the W-196, a new racing model that was to have an illustrious Argentinean racer behind its wheels. The transporter had to be fast, unique and clearly identifiable as a Mercedes production. It also had to be the swiftest of its kind, and even as fast as any other vehicle that might be on the freeways of the Western part of Europe at the time.

To be one of the first to reach the racetracks meant that you got more time to rehearse and organize. This gave the team more time to go through a damaged racer carefully and get it repaired in the plants even, and return it to the tracks in time as well. Mercedes put in their best technologies in making the transporter. The 3.0 liter, 6-cylinder engine from the 300 SL models was incorporated as was their four speed manual transmission, but the frame was derived from the X-shape of the 300 S sedan. The four wheels had hydraulic brakes that were power-assisted in turn.

However, what was most awe-inspiring was the body work on the carrier. Most of the steel panels used were derived forms of other panels that were in vogue in those days. The company's 180 S model served as the outline for the doors, the windshield, as well as the interior fixtures of the carrier. Between the front and rear fenders was space for two spare tires, loading ramps as well as tools and other equipment for the race car.

The entire cab area was positioned low to the ground in what appeared to be a precarious position, well ahead of the front axle; odd to be sure, but unmistakably Mercedes looking. The finished product, painted in factory blue, was more than just an eye catching success. The truck could manage speeds beyond 100 mph even with a full load weight of 6,600 pounds something considered to be fast today as well.

The transporter was unveiled in the middle of 1954 and was an immediate sensation in the race tracks of Europe and the U.S. The transporter at many times drew more crowds than the racing cars it actually transported. As a consequence of the tragedy at the 1955 French 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, where a Mercedes Benz 300 SLR that had entered privately crashed and killed80 people, the company went in to a hiatus from racing. Till the autumn of the same year, all of the racing division had been retired including the transporter.

Plans were made that the vehicle should be retained in the company museum along with its cargo, but this idea was given up when it was found that the floors would not be able to take the combined weight. After the demise of the carrier, Mercedes Benz got so many requests that it had to opt to build a replica in 1993. Using only a few sketches and pictures and an outside fabricator, the company came out with it in 2000. Thus, all those who were ardent fans of this influential carrier in the history of formula racing can now see it in the museums.

by: Junethompson

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