Mercedes-AMG ONE, Vision AMG and VISION EQXX

Mercedes-Benz technological achievement through motorsport on display at Goodwood Festival of speed

With more than 1000hp from a 1.6-litre V6 hybrid turbocharged engine, the AMG ONE will provide motorsport fans with the sound of something never before achieved in a production car; a Formula 1TM engine for the road. The immensely complex E PERFORMANCE hybrid drive of the Mercedes-AMG ONE is the result of close cooperation with the experts at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth. It features 1,063 hp combined output generated using one combustion engine and four electric motors, and leverages the latest in aerodynamics and carbon-fibre chassis technology. For the teams in Germany and the UK, the Goodwood Festival of Speed debut marks the conclusion of one of the toughest hypercar projects ever conceived.

The cutting-edge Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar with E PERFORMANCE hybrid drive

The cutting-edge Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar with E PERFORMANCE hybrid drive

The Vision AMG design study points to the future. Beneath the breath‑taking exterior design of the four-door coupé is the equally extraordinary dedicated AMG.EA platform, which is currently under development in Affalterbach for all-electric performance models. The sporty high-tech seamless design and the breathtaking proportions give the Vision AMG a futuristic character. The four-door configuration also makes clear that the show car offers a taste of a functional all‑electric sports car of the future.

The 55 years of AMG celebration at Goodwood Festival of Speed also sees two of AMG’s latest products on show at the hill climb. The GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE will give fans a glimpse into the brand’s electrified future. Capable of a purely electric hill climb run using its electric motor, the GT 63 S E PERFORMANCE uses a high-performance battery on its rear axle to deliver ‘always on’ hybrid power to its 843 hp, 1400 Nm V8 powertrain. The ultra-exclusive AMG GT Track Series will also be shown. The most extreme car ever to be released from the workshops of AMG’s Customer Racing division, the GT Track Series draws on AMG’s extensive GT3 and GT4 racing experience and translates that to a pure track day car.

For AMG fans, this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed will also include a static display featuring some of the most iconic models from the performance luxury brand’s illustrious history as well as a nod to its future. A camouflaged development car of a brand-new AMG product, based entirely on the new C-Class platform with the next step of E PERFORMANCE hybrid drive, will be available to view by the public at the AMG stand.

Goodwood Festival of Speed

Goodwood Festival of Speed

VISION EQXX – record-breaking electric research vehicle on pilgrimage to Goodwood

Fresh from its second 1,000 km+ road trip on a single battery charge, the most efficient Mercedes ever built visits Goodwood to pay homage to its motorsports roots by taking a run up the famous hill. Before making the pilgrimage to the Festival of Speed, the all-electric VISION EQXX had travelled 1,202 kilometres from Stuttgart to the home of British motor racing in Silverstone and onwards to Brixworth, the HQ of Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains.

Throughout the road trip, the VISION EQXX took advantage of its innovative thermal management system to achieve an average consumption of 8.3 kWh/100 km in the face of heavy traffic and summer temperatures. Waiting in Silverstone to greet it were the Formula 1 and Formula E experts who helped develop its advanced, highly efficient drivetrain as well as special guest driver Nyck de Vries. The Dutchman, who races for the Mercedes-EQ Formula E team, drove surely his most efficient laps ever in a road car on the track at Silverstone before the VISION EQXX set off on the final leg to Brixworth.

Developed from scratch to road-going vehicle in less than two years, the VISION EQXX achieved a world first in April when it drove 1,008 kilometres from Sindelfingen to Cassis on the French Riviera with energy consumption of 8.7 kWh/100 km and a remaining range on arrival around 140 kilometres. While efficiency features such as the slippery drag coefficient of 0.17, low-rolling-resistance tyres and solar panels on the roof may not be put to the test on the VISION EQXX’s short drive up the hill at Goodwood, these and many other of its efficiency innovations have already proven their worth twice over long distances on public roads.

Goodwood Festival of Speed

Goodwood Festival of Speed

Mercedes-Benz Classic at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2022

Mercedes-Benz Classic makes it possible to experience the company’s unique brand and product history dating back to the invention of the automobile in 1886. The Goodwood Festival of Speed celebrates the entire history of automotive sportiness in a very special atmosphere. In its long history Mercedes-Benz has therein repeatedly set standards.

This year, the heritage branch of the brand is presenting outstanding vehicles that also reflect the thematic range of this exclusive event from sporty luxury to successful racing. Exemplary for the first category is a 300 SL Roadster (W 198), on display for the 70th anniversary of the SL sports cars together with the Mercedes-AMG SL of the 232 model series.

Also to be experienced at AMG is a CL 55 AMG “F1 Limited Edition” – a luxurious high-performance coupé from a particularly exclusive small series. Mercedes-Benz Classic is commemorating the brilliant motorsport successes under the sign of the star at the Festival of Speed in the “Main Paddock” with four motorsport icons: in addition to the 300 SLR racing sports car “704” (W 196 S), the brand is bringing to Goodwood a Sauber-Mercedes C9 Group C racing sports car, a DTM 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution racing touring car (W 201) and a newly recreated, especially sporty 450 SL (R 107).

With the classic cars on display Mercedes-Benz Classic underlines the importance of the company’s heritage: Being an integrative part of the brand and the group, strengthening the future by underlining its innovation‑driven origins. The Festival of Speed is a trend-setting lighthouse event that celebrates the past and the future of mobility and offers an excellent platform for exchange with this diversified scene.

[1] The figures for fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are provisional and were determined internally in accordance with the “WLTP test procedure” certification method. Confirmed values from the technical service or an EC type approval or certificate of conformity with official values are not yet available. Differences between the stated figures and the official figures are possible.
[2] The figures shown are the WLTP CO2 figures measured according to Article 2 No 3 Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1153. The fuel consumption figures were calculated on the basis of these figures. The electricity consumption was determined on the basis of Regulation 2017/1151/EU.

Africa to England On A Single Tank

Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTec Hybrid departs on an epic journey from Africa to England on a single tank of gas

A Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTec Hybrid, a single tank of gas and 27 hours make for one truly epic road trip.    British journalist, Andrew Frankel, made his way from North Africa to England on one tank of fuel, arriving at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2014.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class, E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID

Mercedes-Benz E-Class, E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID

During his journey, Frankel crossed three time zones, traveled through four countries for a total distance of 1,222 miles. Throughout the journey, the E 300 BlueTec Hybrid used a mere 3.1-litres per 100 km and was fitted with the optional 80-litre fuel tank (21 gallon). The car is powered by a small 2.1-litre diesel engine coupled with a lithium-ion battery powered electric motor and puts out 201 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque with the electric motor adding an additional 26 hp.

Press Release

A Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID has travelled the 1968 kilometres from Tangier in North Africa to Goodwood in England without having to refuel – and on reaching its destination still had enough fuel left for a further 160 kilometres.

“Is it possible to drive a Mercedes-Benz E-Class Saloon from North Africa to the UK on just a single tank of fuel?” British journalist Andrew Frankel discovered the answer this question by conducting a very challenging experiment of his own. He and his co-driver set off from Tangier in Morocco in a standard E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID, crossed through Spain and France and reached their destination in Goodwood in England after driving for 27 hours. On arrival the speedometer showed that a distance of 1968 kilometres had been covered – and the fuel gauge still showed that there was enough fuel left over for around a further 160 kilometres. The total range of the hybrid vehicle, which is available as an option with an 80-litre diesel tank, can therefore be calculated at some 2129 kilometres.

Admittedly, on their journey across two continents, four countries and through three time zones, the adventurous journalist and his companion made sure that they adopted a fuel-efficient driving style, however at times their progress was made difficult by heavy rain, high temperatures, big differences in altitude and also heavy rush-hour traffic. Nevertheless they ultimately posted an average consumption of just 3.8 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres –combined consumption figures of 3.8 to 4.1 litres (corresponding to 99 to 109 grams of CO2 per kilometre) indicated by the manufacturer. As a result, the 27-hour long-distance journey is not only proof of the outstanding practical qualities of the innovative hybrid technology of Mercedes-Benz, but also demonstrates that the consumption figures indicated by the Stuttgart-based premium brand are both realistic and applicable in everyday use.

Despite its frugal use of fuel, the Mercedes-Benz E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID boasts spirited driving pleasure. Its four-cylinder diesel engine (150 kW / 204 hp), which is combined with an electric motor (20 kW / 27 hp), accelerates the Saloon from a standing start to 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds and takes it to a top speed of 242 km/h. The E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID therefore justifiably occupies a leading position among the most economical models in the upper medium-size category in every respect.

Mercedes-Benz at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed

The 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed, this year celebrating Mercedes-Benz 120 years of of motorsport was full of fun for the entire family

Check out some of the highlights from the Goodwood Festival of Speed, also known as the “the biggest motorised garden party in the world, where Mercedes-Benz celebrated 120 years of motorsport in spectacular style!

Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Grand Prix Up for Auction – UPDATE SOLD

A Mercedes-Benz Type W 196 R Grand Prix racing car driven by Juan Manuel Fangio is going up for auction at Goodwood on Friday

This Friday, one of the most valuable race cars of all time will be auctioned off to the highest bidder at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The race car going up for bid is the Mercedes-Benz Type W 196 R Grand Prix racing car – a car that won two consecutive F1 races in 1954, the German and Swiss Grand Prix. The W 196 R Grand Prix Mercedes race car was driven by Formula 1 World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio, a dominating force in the Formula 1 world that won the drivers world champion five times and is better known as El Maestro.

Five-times world champion Juan Manuel Fangio, who formed a man-machine unit with his W 196 R in his active years, was famous not only for his gifted driving style but also for his dry sense of humo

Five-times world champion Juan Manuel Fangio, who formed a man-machine unit with his W 196 R in his active years, was famous not only for his gifted driving style but also for his dry sense of humo

The one-of-a-kind race car has hardly been seen since the 80’s after it left the hands of Daimler and the Mercedes-Benz Museum and was purchased by a private collector. “This is the only Mercedes-Benz W196 in private hands. It is the only surviving Mercedes-Benz W196 to have won not just one World Championship Grand Prix, but two,” said a spokesperson from Bonham. “Its stature is immense, not only as the iconic Fangio car of the 1950s, but also as a shining star of pinnacle Mercedes-Benz engineering and as an icon of postwar recovery.”

This will certainly be an auction to watch.

UPDATE:  Juan Manuel Fangio’s Mercedes W 196 R Grand Prix racer sold at auction for a record breaking $29,619,826.  In case you’re stunned by that number, that’s nearly $30 Million US Dollars, nearly double the previous auction record of  $16.39 million for a 1957 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa sold at Pebble Beach in 2011.

2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed

A Mercedes-Benz Type W 196 R Grand Prix racing car will be auctioned off at this years Goodwood Festival of Speed

At this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England, a Mercedes-Benz Type W 196 R Grand Prix racing car will be auctioned off. The auction, to be held on July 12, will no doubt be one of the highlights of a Goodwood weekend. In addition to the Mercedes race car being auctioned off, Mercedes-Benz Classic will also be on hand alongside Mercedes-Benz UK at the 20th staging of the motorsport garden party. The Goodwood event, held July 11-14, will feature several exclusive models from the Mercedes’ motor-racing history, cars will include legendary pre- and post-war Silver Arrows as well as cars from the early days of motor racing. One particular highlight of the show, an original Benz “Prinz-Heinrich-Wagen” from 1910.

Benz “Prinz Heinrich car” from 1910. Image from the “Allgemeine Automobil-Zeitung” (AAZ) magazine, No. 23, 1910. This special touring car was driven by Carl Neumaier in the legendary long-distance race in June 1910. Equipped with four-valve technology, the 4-cylinder engine developed 59 kW (80 hp) from its 5.7-litre displacement.

(Benz “Prinz Heinrich car” from 1910. Image from the “Allgemeine Automobil-Zeitung” (AAZ) magazine, No. 23, 1910. This special touring car was driven by Carl Neumaier in the legendary long-distance race in June 1910. Equipped with four-valve technology, the 4-cylinder engine developed 59 kW (80 hp) from its 5.7-litre displacement.)

Juan Manuel Fangio piloted the Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow Type W 196 R with chassis number 006/54 to victory at the German and Swiss Grands Prix in 1954. These triumphs were key moments on Fangio’s march towards his first Formula-1 World Championship title with Mercedes-Benz. The W 196 R also marked a triumphant post-war return to Grand Prix racing for Mercedes-Benz in the 1954 season.

in 1955 Fangio won the world championship again ahead of Stirling Moss, also on a 300 SLR

(In 1955 Fangio won the world championship again ahead of Stirling Moss, also on a 300 SLR)

During this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the British auction house Bonhams will be hosting an exclusive auction of this very W 196 R model with chassis number 006/54 on July 12, 2013. “This unique opportunity is sure to hold extraordinary appeal for all those with an interest in historical motorsport”, says Michael Bock, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic, “as the vehicle was and remains the only original post-war Silver Arrows in private ownership.”

Ahead of the auction, the experts at Mercedes-Benz Classic have carried out extensive checks on the Silver Arrow, which was donated by the then Daimler-Benz AG to the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu (England) in 1973 and sold by the museum to a private collector in 1980. Based on these detailed checks and the full set of documentation compiled by Mercedes-Benz Classic, the brand historians have produced a detailed expert’s report confirming the vehicle’s originality and authenticity. “Our expert’s report means that there are no uncertainties whatsoever about this racing car,” says Michael Bock. “It fully and unequivocally confirms the history and originality of the vehicle.”

Hans Herrmann (W 196 R open-wheel version), Mercedes-Benz Classic, Goodwood Revival 2011

(Hans Herrmann (W 196 R open-wheel version), Mercedes-Benz Classic, Goodwood Revival 2011)

The fact that Mercedes-Benz Classic provides such a high level of expertise for collectors and fans of the brand’s historical cars adds to the value of Mercedes-Benz classic vehicles. “High-quality classics bearing the Mercedes star are among the most valuable classic cars of all”, says Michael Bock, “and the auction of this unique vehicle has the potential to achieve an extremely high price – perhaps even the highest price ever paid at auction for a car.”

Great moments at Goodwood with Mercedes-Benz Classic

Mercedes-Benz Classic is reliving the glittering racing successes of the second Silver Arrow era of 1954 and 1955 at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed by staging demonstration drives with a W 196 R from its own collection. Only 10 of the total of 14 models originally built are still in existence: there are six W 196 R models in the Mercedes-Benz Classic collection, plus museum exhibits in Turin, Vienna and Indianapolis. Then there is the model with chassis number 006/54 being auctioned in Goodwood. To tie in with the W 196 R, Mercedes-Benz Classic is also exhibiting an authentic 2001 replica of the “Blue Wonder” racing-car transporter from 1955 and a 300 SLR Coupé originally built for gruelling long-distance races and rally events. Although this “Uhlenhaut-Coupé” never actually raced, it became famous as a test and touring car used by Mercedes-Benz designer Rudolf Uhlenhaut.

Mercedes-Benz formula racing car W 154, 1938

(Mercedes-Benz formula racing car W 154, 1938)

Also on show at the legendary festival in the English county of West Sussex is a pre-war Silver Arrow W 154. It was in a Silver Arrow of this type that Rudolf Caracciola won his third European Grand Prix Championship title for Mercedes-Benz in 1938. Heralding from a far more distant era of motor racing is the Benz “Prinz-Heinrich-Wagen” from 1910, which Mercedes-Benz Classic has faithfully restored to ensure maximum authenticity. Finally, a Benz Patent Motor Car is a reminder of the birth of the automobile in 1886.

The dark green “Prinz-Heinrich-Wagen” with white start number 38 is making its public driving debut at the festival following its careful restoration by the Mercedes-Benz Classic experts. Now over 100 years old, the vehicle is a fascinating witness of motor sport innovations from the early 1900s. At that time, the “Prinz-Heinrich” Tour, named after the brother of the German Emperor, was one of Europe’s most prominent races. The German Automobile Club, then known as the “Kaiserlicher Automobil-Club”, staged the race for the first time in 1908, with only four-seater production cars being allowed to participate. Between 1908 and 1910, Benz & Cie. built the “Prinz-Heinrich-Wagen” designed specifically for the race using a number of different engine configurations.

Benz “Prinz Heinrich car” from 1910. Faithfully restored by Mercedes-Benz Classic in accordance with the requirement for utmost authenticity and thereafter presented to the public again in 2013. This special touring car was driven by Carl Neumaier in the legendary long-distance race in June 1910. Equipped with four-valve technology, the 4-cylinder engine developed 59 kW (80 hp) from its 5.7-litre displacement.

(Benz “Prinz Heinrich car” from 1910. Faithfully restored by Mercedes-Benz Classic in accordance with the requirement for utmost authenticity and thereafter presented to the public again in 2013. This special touring car was driven by Carl Neumaier in the legendary long-distance race in June 1910. Equipped with four-valve technology, the 4-cylinder engine developed 59 kW (80 hp) from its 5.7-litre displacement.)

Ten all-new Benz special touring cars were built for the 1910 tour, which was staged between June 2 and 8 and covered a distance of 1945 kilometres from Berlin to Homburg via Braunschweig, Kassel, Nuremberg, Stuttgart, Strasbourg, and Metz. Four of them had 5.7-litre engines while the other six had engines with a displacement of 7.3 litres. All the touring cars were equipped with cardan shaft drive and had an aerodynamically optimised body with a characteristic pointed rear. Following extensive restoration of the Benz 80 hp special touring car from the Mercedes-Benz Classic collection by the in-house experts, this authentic and original “Prinz-Heinrich-Wagen” is now celebrating its public return to the race track at Goodwood. It is yet another high point in the life of a vehicle that many automobile historians consider to be the first true sports car.

The many Mercedes-Benz Classic vehicles lining up at the start for demonstration drives on the 1.86 kilometre Goodwood hill-climb course will be one of the highlights of the festival. In keeping with the long and illustrious tradition of Mercedes-Benz Classic, the brand’s racing cars will be piloted by renowned racing drivers on the Goodwood hill-climb course. These prominent brand ambassadors include motor-racing stars such as Lewis Hamilton, Hans Herrmann, Jochen Mass, Stirling Moss, Nico Rosberg, and Jackie Stewart.

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011, Lewis Hamilton.

(Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011, Lewis Hamilton.)

20 years of the Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Goodwood Festival of Speed in southern England is celebrating a milestone anniversary in 2013: it is precisely 20 years since Charles Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara, first staged the festival in 1993. Now more than 150,000 visitors flock to the event every year to celebrate the culture of historical motorsport in all of its fascinating facets, including sophisticated super sports cars and Grand Prix models as well as rally vehicles and 3,000 hp (2,205 kW) dragsters. For all this variety, however, the organisers attach great importance to the fact that every vehicle appearing at the festival represents the technology, spirit and style of its respective era and ties in with the festival’s motto for the year.

The cornerstone for today’s Festival of Speed was laid by the grandfather of the keen motor-racing enthusiast and Goodwood host, who normally goes by the title of Lord March: the then Earl of March and 9th Duke of Richmond, Freddie March, was renowned in England as a car designer, engineer, and racing driver. He first staged a private hill-climb race in the park of Goodwood House in 1936. Some 50 years on, his grandson decided to revive this tradition.

Within the space of 20 years, the Goodwood Festival of Speed has become one of the undoubted highlights on the international calendar of automobile culture. Competition vehicles and sports cars from all eras take part in a symphony of motor sport and speed conducted over three days. The latest cars from Formula 1, motor racing’s class of kings, are also always represented here. Alongside the hill-climb race, there has also been a 2.5 kilometre rally course for vehicles of this type since 2007. To open the festival, there will be a presentation of current production cars in the “Moving Motor Show” on July 11, 2013 before the focus switches to sporty vehicles of all types and from all eras on July 12 to 14, 2013.

Coppa Acerbo near Pescara, August 14, 1938. The Mercedes-Benz W 154 racing cars driven by Manfred von Brauchitsch (start number 46), Hermann Lang (start number 40) and Rudolf Caracciola (start number 26), who was to win the race, took the lead immediately after the start.

(Coppa Acerbo near Pescara, August 14, 1938. The Mercedes-Benz W 154 racing cars driven by Manfred von Brauchitsch (start number 46), Hermann Lang (start number 40) and Rudolf Caracciola (start number 26), who was to win the race, took the lead immediately after the start.)

As well as being an exciting motor-racing event, the Festival of Speed is also an elegant promenade of automobile culture – from the pits, open to all visitors, to vehicle exhibits in the park grounds and new automotive works of art created every year by British sculptor Gerry Judah. There are also vehicle exhibits focussing on specific themes, including “Star Cars”. Further attractions include “Cartier’ Style Et Luxe'”, the “Cathedral Paddock”, the “Cricket Pitch Display”, the “Formula 1 Paddock”, and the “Michelin Supercar Paddock”. The gap between historic motor sport and state-of-the-art automotive technology is bridged among other things by the “FoS-TECH” pavilion featuring an exhibition of the latest innovations.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR and SLS AMG GT Going to Goodwood 2013

The 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed will host the 300 SLR race car and modern day counterpart, SLS AMG GT

This year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed will play host to some amazing vehicles this year. Most notable are the “Uhlenhaut Coupé”, better known as the 300 SLR (W 196 S) racing car and it’s modern day counter part, the SLS AMG GT. The Goodwood Festival of Speed runs from July 11-14.

“The ‘Uhlenhaut Coupé’ is a special part of Mercedes-Benz’s fascinating motor sport history. It is closely related to the 300 SLR racing car in which Stirling Moss and John Cooper Fitch won the British International Tourist Trophy in 1955, for example. Mercedes-Benz Classic is proud to take this exclusive vehicle to Goodwood, together with other outstanding racing cars from the history of our brand,” said Michael Bock, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic.

Two examples of this racing prototype with gullwing doors were made for the 1956 season. However, they were never used for racing as Mercedes-Benz withdrew from the sports car world championship after winning the title in 1955. The legendary engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut, former head of car development for Mercedes-Benz and father of the 300 SLR and other models, used the Coupé in the following years as his company car, earning it the nickname “Uhlenhaut coupé”. He made a number of long journeys all over Europe in this super sports car. The car was fitted with a silencer to the side exhaust pipe to make it legal for driving on roads.

Imperial racing sport tradition at the Festival of Speed

At the Festival of Speed in July 2013, another vehicle from the Mercedes-Benz Classic collection will join the stars: a Benz special saloon which was built especially for the 1910 Prince Heinrich Tour. Together with another “Prince Heinrich car” from the Dutch Louwman Museum it has been elaborately restored. The two vehicles were first presented to the public again at the beginning of 2013 as faithful witnesses of motor sports back in the time of the German empire. The car from the Mercedes-Benz Classic collection reached the finishing line of the 1910 Prince Heinrich Tour in 11th place, and then in the same year it also went on the Tsar Nicholas Tour. The car still has the modified engine which the racing car was fitted with for this race in Russia.

Tartan patterned Silver Arrow

Other motor sport highlights at the Goodwood Festival of Speed will be provided by the Grand Prix racing cars from the Silver Arrow epochs, such as the W 154 (1938 to 1939) and the W 196 (1954 to 1955), and also a Mercedes-Benz 1834 S racing truck from 1993. Finally, a Benz patent motor car will enhance the atmosphere at Goodwood, which is particularly steeped in the spirit of historic car racing.

Besides Jochen Mass, it is expected that this top historic motor sport event will also be graced by Jackie Stewart at the wheel of a classic Mercedes-Benz Monoposto. The legendary Scottish racing driver is due to drive a W 154 “Silver Arrow” along the 1.86 kilometre long course. The seat cover of the Silver Arrow will be in special “Stewart Racing Tartan”: this pattern in the style of Scottish clan tartans was designed especially for Jackie Stewart’s Formula One team.

The 1834 S racing truck is also an original from the extensive Mercedes-Benz Classic vehicle collection. It won the European Championship for Mercedes-Benz three times in a row in the mid-1990s, piloted by racing drivers Steve Parrish (1994 and 1996) and Slim Borgudd (1997).

High office of historical motor sports

The classic racing cars from Mercedes-Benz Classic are regular visitors to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. A central item on the programme is the “Hill Climb”, which for twenty years has always been held in the grounds of Goodwood House in West Sussex, the stately home of the Earl of March and Kinrara, built in the 18th century. In addition to the hill climb, other races are held on a rally circuit in the forest.

The Festival of Speed was founded twenty years ago as a tribute to the racing sport history of Goodwood, which was based on a private hill race dating back to the 1930s. After the Second World War, Lord March’s family also set up a circuit on the military airfield which had since been built in Goodwood. Races were held on it until 1966. The “Goodwood Revival” has been held every autumn in recent years on this circuit, with many points of contact with old times.

In 2013, more than 185,000 visitors are expected to attend the Festival of Speed. This year, the organisers are placing a particular emphasis on Goodwood’s own history: the memorial of highlights of twenty years of Festival of Speed will form the leitmotif for this dramatisation of the history of the automobile.

“The time has simply flown by!,” said Lord March, the festival’s founder, in October 2012, looking back on the previous two decades. This era in Goodwood has been exceedingly rich in highlights of motor sport history – and time and again, vehicles with the Mercedes-Benz trademark on the radiator have provided moments of glory.

Young Guns – Born to Win at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Mercedes-Benz will be on hand at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the largest motorised garden party in the world

Mercedes-Benz Classic is going to send several legendary racing cars to take part in the 1.86 kilometre (1.1 mile) Hillclimb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed as well as a Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman-Landaulet for a special exhibition on the occasion of this year’s Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The event is scheduled from June 28 – July 1, 2012 with the slogan “Young Guns – Born to Win”.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed in the south of England regards itself as the largest motorised garden party in the world – a unique summer weekend that brings together an impossibly heady mix of cars, stars and motor sport ‘royalty’ to create the largest car culture event in the world. Held in the immaculate grounds of Goodwood House, this annual hill-climb event is a true celebration of motor sport and all things automotive.

Breathtaking speed, power and style, visionary technology and awareness of history, but also elegance and luxury – these are the strengths of the Mercedes-Benz brand – and it is just these aspects which combine to give the car the fascination it exerts, year after year, on the roughly 150,000 enthusiastic fans visiting the Festival of Speed.

This year Mercedes-Benz Classic is entering legendary original cars in the race. The Mercedes-Benz W 125 which was constructed for the 1937 racing season is a reminder of the early successes of the “Silver Arrows”. As the ancestor of the SL-series, the 300 SL racing car (W 194) from 1952 marks the start of an era. In 2012, Mercedes-Benz Classic is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the SL. There will be two W 194 cars taking part in the Goodwood Hillclimb, including the oldest existing 300 SL with chassis number 2. In addition, a 1997 Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR with about 441 kW (600 hp) will be representing more recent motor sport history.

Mercedes-Benz Classic will also be presenting one other Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing car as a stationary exhibit at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. In addition, a Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman-Landaulet will be shown in a special exhibition for the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen was driven around in such a car – with a folding top over the back seats – during earlier visits to Germany.

As festival tradition demands, Mercedes-Benz racing cars will be driven on the Hillclimb at Goodwood by famous drivers; planned are Jackie and Paul Stewart, Klaus Ludwig, Jochen Mass, and Bernd Schneider.

From “wild young kids” to outstanding world stars

Ever since the early days of car racing now and again there have been successful newcomers in the pit lane and this year’s festival slogan “Young Guns – Born to Win” is in commemoration of their prowess. Time and again there have also been “wild young kids” at Mercedes-Benz who celebrated outstanding successes and turned into world stars almost overnight. In 1990, Michael Schumacher – who later won the Formula One World Championship seven times – was a member of the Mercedes Junior Team along with the others in his age group like Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Karl Wendlinger and the races they entered included the Le Mans race. Lewis Hamilton made his debut in the Formula One in 2007 and was runner-up in the world championships in the cockpit of the McLaren-Mercedes at first go. In the following year, the Briton was at that time the youngest Formula One World Champion ever.

The skill of the drivers plays an important role in the brand’s successful motor sport history. The numerous racing successes at Mercedes-Benz are, to a great extent, due to the untiring efforts of the engineers to find new solutions for the races. Only drivers with superior technology at their disposal will cross the finishing line as winners.

From art to the premier league in motor sport

The Festival of Speed was first held in 1993 and was invented by Charles Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara. The active and enthusiastic car racing fan and host at Goodwood is addressed as Lord March. The foundation stone for the festival was already laid by his grandfather, the then Earl of March and 9th Duke of Richmond. He was very well known in England as car designer, engineer and racing driver Freddie March. He organised the first private Hillclimb in the park of Goodwood House in 1936. His grandson revived this tradition more than 50 years later.

From its early beginnings in 1993, a festival has developed which is regarded as one of the absolute cultural highlights in the international automotive calendar. For three whole days, racing cars and sports cars from all eras play their symphony of speed along the route – and that also includes the premier league in motor sport. Some of the current Formula One teams have announced their participation at Goodwood for the 2012 festival. Since 2007, a 2.5 kilometre rally route for rally cars has supplemented the Hillclimb.

Strollers and automotive fascination

The Festival of Speed is not only a fascinating experience as a motor sport event; it is also an elegant promenade along automotive cultural highlights. From the pits, open to all visitors, to the car shows in the park grounds up to the automotive works of art which the British sculptor Gerry Judah creates anew every year. His temporary sculptures placed directly in front of Goodwood House always focus on one brand and its special vehicles. At the Festival of Speed in 2001 the theme was the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL.

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2012: The cars

Mercedes-Benz W 125, 1937

In 1937, Daimler-Benz introduced a completely new racing car. The W 125 was built according to the ideas of its constructor Rudolf Uhlenhaut, technical manager of the newly set-up racing department since mid 1936. The backbone of the car was a sturdy nickel-chrome-molybdenum steel frame with four cross members. The torsional strength of the vehicle without its engine increased to three times that of its predecessor, the W 25.

The W 125 was the first racing car from Daimler-Benz where the compressor was installed after the carburettor which meant that the final mixture was compressed. The “Silver Arrow” was fitted out differently depending on the racing circuit: tank capacity, carburettor, supercharger, tyres and rim size, tyre profile, and its overall dimensions varied from race to race.

The car’s premiere was on 9 May 1937 at the Tripoli Grand Prix. The whole season was extremely successful – Rudolf Caracciola, Hermann Lang, and Manfred von Brauchitsch drove from one prestigious victory to the next.

  • Construction year: 1937
  • Cylinders: R8
  • Cubic capacity: 5660 cc
  • Output: 441 kW (600 hp)
  • Top speed: over 300 km/h

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 194), 1952

On 15 June 1951, the starting signal was given at Daimler-Benz for the construction of a three-litre sports car with an aluminium body. By March 1952, a prototype of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL – originally designed purely for racing – was presented to the press. It was the forerunner of the legendary 300 SL (W 198) which was presented in 1954 as the “gull wing” coupé.

The complex tubular frame construction of the 300 SL racing car did not originally allow the installation of conventional doors. Because of this, experimental engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut envisaged winged doors which, in the first prototypes, were only small entry hatches reaching down to the bottom edge of the side windows.

During its first ever race, the Mille Miglia in 1952, the 300 SL racing car achieved a noteworthy second place and a second vehicle came in fourth. In the same year, it celebrated a triple victory at the Bern Grand Prix for sports cars, a double victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a triple victory at the Great Jubilee Prize at the Nürburgring for sports cars as well as another double victory at the more than 3,000 kilometre long Carrera Panamericana in Mexico.

  • Construction year: 1952
  • Cylinders: R6
  • Cubic capacity: 2995cc
  • Output: 125 kW (170 hp)
  • Top speed: about 240 km/h

Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR, 1997

The Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR is a racing touring car which was developed especially by Daimler-Benz in cooperation with AMG for the FIA GT Championships founded in 1997. The CLK-GTR is fitted with state-of-the-art racing technology and a centrally located engine. The 12-cylinder, 6-litre engine has an output of 441 kW (600 hp). According to the FIA regulations, apart from engine, ignition and injection control, the racing cars are not allowed to have any electronic assistants such as anti-lock brakes (ABS), acceleration slip control (ASR) or an active suspension.

As a production line racing car in a batch of 25 licensed for road use, the CLK-GTR could also be purchased by interested customers with no racing ambitions. However, at the time the Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR cost 3,074,000 German marks (roughly 1,571,711 Euros) and was the most expensive production run car in the world.

  • Construction year: 1997
  • Cylinders: V12
  • Cubic capacity: 5986 cc
  • Output: 441 kW (600 hp)
  • Top speed: 345 km/h

Mercedes-Benz 600 (W 100), 1963 to 1981

During her earlier visits to Germany and in accordance with her social standing, Queen Elizabeth II was driven around the country in a Mercedes-Benz 600 (W 100). This model – which had its premiere at the International Motor Show (IAA) in September 1963 – was a prestige vehicle par excellence. With its 6300 cc V8 injection engine giving a top performance of 184 kW (250 hp), automatic transmission and other special features, it is a state-of-the-art top-line model. The 600 model was available as a saloon, a Pullman saloon or as a Pullman landaulet. Even the standard fittings are luxurious: pneumatic suspension, power steering, electronic heating and ventilation system as well as hydraulically adjustable seats and backrests in the entire vehicle. Almost every special request made by the prominent customers is fulfilled, be it inside by fitting one or several minibars or a television, or outside by giving it an absolutely individual colour scheme: for the 600 model series, almost everything was available. This point, together with the total number of units manufactured, ensures that the vehicles remained absolutely exclusive: in the 18 years of the production run between 1963 and 1981, only 2677 cars were built.

  • Production period: 1963 to 1981
  • Cylinders: V8
  • Cubic capacity: 6332 cc (for tax reasons 6289 cc)
  • Output: 184 kW (250 hp)
  • Top speed: 205 km/h

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2012: Driver portraits

Jackie Stewart- Date of birth: 11 June 1939

The racing career of the triple Formula One World Champion John Young “Jackie” Stewart started in 1964 and from the very beginning he was extremely successful. After only one year he was already driving in the Formula One and then in 1969 came his first great triumph: he won the Formula One Championship driving for the Matra International team. In 1971, he won the cup a second time, and this was followed in 1973 for the third time, in both cases for the Elf Team Tyrrell. For over 14 years he held the record for the greatest number of Formula One victories with 27 wins and this was only broken in 1987 by Alain Prost. Time and again, Stewart also drove successfully in other racing series. He retired from active racing in 1973. Because of the frequent fatal accidents at that time, it is not surprising that Jackie Stewart was also one of the first to work hard for more safety in motor racing. In 1996, he founded the Team Stewart Grand Prix together with his son Paul Stewart; the team took part in Formula One racing from 1997 to 1999. At the end of 1999, the team was taken over by Ford and was run during the 2000 season under the name Jaguar Racing, and it continued finally from 2005 onwards under the name Red Bull Racing. In 1971, Jackie Stewart was honoured with the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to his country.

Paul Stewart- Date of birth: 29 October 1965

Former Formula driver Paul Stewart, son of the triple Formula One champion Jackie Stewart, gained his early motor sport successes in the Formula Ford 2000. In 1988, he founded the Team Paul Stewart Racing and followed up his early successes by winning the British Formula Three championships in 1989 and 1990 and the Formula 3000 from 1991 to 1993. During this time, he was teammate to Marco Apicella in 1991, David Coulthard in 1992 and Gil de Ferran in 1993. After that, despite his great successes, he said farewell to his active career in motor sport and from 1994 on busied himself as manager of his team. Between 1992 and 1994 as well as 1996 to 2000, the team won eight Formula Three championships. In 1996, together with his father Jackie Stewart, he founded the Team Stewart Grand Prix which took part in the Formula One from 1997 to 1999. At the end of 1999, Ford took over the team which then continued in the 2000 season under the name Jaguar Racing, and then finally continued from 2005 on under the name Red Bull Racing .

Klaus Ludwig- Date of birth: 5 October 1949

Known to his fans as “King Ludwig”, Klaus Ludwig won the DTM championship three times. He was born in Bonn in 1949 and his career in motor sport began at the beginning of the 1970s with slalom racing, orientation racing and touring car racing. Among his first great successes were the titles won in the German Motor Racing Championships (DRM) in 1979 and 1981 as well as victories in the 24 hours of Le Mans in 1979, 1984 and 1985. Ludwig came to the German Touring Championship (DTM) in 1985 where he originally started as a works driver for Ford, winning his first title in 1988. In 1989, he changed over to the AMG-Mercedes team and in the following years until 1994 he won two championship titles (1992 and 1994, runner-up in 1991) and a total of 19 races. In 1995 and 1996, he drove in the International Touring Car Championships (ITC) for Opel’s Team Rosberg. Afterwards, he returned to AMG-Mercedes and won the driver and team trophy at the International FIA GT Championships in 1998 together with Ricardo Zonta. Officially he finished his career as a racing driver after this success, but in 2000 Ludwig returned for the start of the new German Touring Masters (DTM), finishing both the season and his racing driver career by coming in third in the overall placings with a Mercedes-Benz CLK.

Jochen Mass- Date of birth: 30 September 1946

Jochen Mass was originally a seaman, but then in 1968 he started his very varied career in motor racing, taking part in touring car races for Alfa Romeo and driving for the Ford works team from 1970 to 1975. During this period he won the 24 hours of Spa-Francorchamps in 1972. Parallel to this, he took part in the Formula Two (1973) and in 105 Formula One Grand Prix races (1973/74 with Surtees; 1975 to 1977 with McLaren; 1978 with ATS; 1979/80 with Arrows; 1982 with March). Following his German Sports Car Championship (DSM) title in 1985 and his experience as a works driver for Porsche until 1987, he joined the Sauber-Mercedes works team. He drove for this team in Group C until 1991. In the new Silver Arrow, the Sauber-Mercedes C 9, Jochen Mass then won the 1989 24 hours of Le Mans in the team with Manuel Reuter and Stanley Dickens and was runner-up in the world championship of the same year. Three years later, in 1992, Mass joined the DTM team management. Right up to the present day, Jochen Mass drives regularly for Mercedes-Benz at historical events.

Bernd Schneider-Date of birth: 20 July 1964

Five-times DTM champion Bernd Schneider was born in 1964 in St. Ingbert, Saarland, and his first racing successes were in karting and the Formula Three. Schneider also took part in the Formula One, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA GT Championships, winning this title in 1997. But the DTM became the stage on which he celebrated his greatest triumphs. From 1992 on, Schneider drove for the AMG-Mercedes team and won the German Touring Car championship for the team in 1995 after being third in the overall placings in 1992 and 1993. After the DTM was revived as the German Touring Car Masters in 2000, Schneider won in the years 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2006, and he was also runner-up in the championships in 2002. Bernd Schneider has remained closely connected to the brand Mercedes-Benz right up to the present day as a test driver and ambassador for the brand with the star.

Mercedes-Benz Classic On Display at the Goodwood Revival 2011

Mercedes-Benz Classic celebrates 100 years since the birth of Juan Manuel Fangio at the Goodwood Revival

No other brand dominated the golden age of classic grand-prix racing in the mid-20th century in the same way as the Silver Arrows from Mercedes-Benz. Juan Manuel Fangio was the driver who best embodied the racing outfit’s strength after the Second World War. The Goodwood Revival 2011, near Chichester/West Sussex, in September will be reliving this heyday as it marks the centenary of Fangio’s birth.

The prestigious British festival, held over three days every autumn (September 16-18, 2011), recreates an epoch that stretched from the 1940s to the 1960s. It offers an exclusive, atmospheric setting for Mercedes-Benz Classic’s tribute to Juan Manuel Fangio (born June 24, 1911, died July 17, 1995), who would have turned 100 this year.

The highlights of the Revival will include demonstration laps by famous racing drivers in the Mercedes-Benz vehicles with which Fangio wrote motor sport history in the 1954 and 1955 seasons. Besides notching up major success in various sports car races, the Argentine became Formula 1 world champion in both those years.

Mercedes-Benz Classic has put together an illustrious field of drivers and vehicles for the event. Among the drivers taking to the classic track, where races were held between 1948 and 1966, will be Juan Manuel Fangio II. The nephew of the legendary world champion will be driving the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R, a Formula 1 racing car with a streamlined body from 1954.

Sir Stirling Moss and Hans Herrmann, team mates of Fangio during the Silver Arrows’ post-war era, will also be remembering the five-time Formula 1 champion, two times on Mercedes-Benz. At the Revival, Moss will take the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S) racing car from 1955. It was in this vehicle that Fangio won the Eifelrennen and the Swedish Grand Prix in 1955 as well as achieving second place in the Mille Miglia (without a co-driver) and in the Tourist Trophy and Targa Florio (both with Karl Kling). Stirling Moss won the 1955 Mille Miglia together with co-driver Denis Jenkinson also in a W 196 S, in a minimum time unbeaten until today.

Herrmann will be driving a 1954 Mercedes-Benz W 196 R with open wheels. In 1954 and 1955, Fangio raced to nine victories in both versions of the W 196 R (including the Grand Prix of Buenos Aires with a three-litre engine), came second twice and took one third place, enabling him to win the world championship in both years.

The Goodwood Revival is the ideal occasion for Mercedes-Benz Classic to commemorate the charismatic driver Fangio. Charles Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara, has been hosting the Goodwood Revival since 1998 – as ‘A time capsule of the golden era of motor racing’. According to British racing legend Sir Stirling Moss: ‘The Revival is an event which is unique in the world.’

The Revival naturally centres on the races, such as the celebrity races featuring well-known racing drivers from various classes of motor sport who will be driving various two- and four-wheeled vehicles. This category is made up of the St Mary’s Trophy, the Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration and the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy. The sports car races consist of the Whitsun Trophy, the Fordwater Trophy, the Madgwick Cup, the Freddie March Memorial Trophy and the Sussex Trophy. Classic single seaters will line up for the Goodwood Trophy, the Earl of March Trophy, the Chichester Cup, the Richmond Trophy and the Glover Trophy.

An extensive, wide-ranging programme of accompanying events enables visitors to imagine themselves in the 1940s to 1960s. These include classic car auctions and exhibitions, an air show, a supermarket selling products harking back to decades long gone plus a traditional fairground. Race participants and most of the visitors to the Revival dress in period clothing, contributing to the extraordinary atmosphere of the weekend.

Goodwood Revival 2011: Driver Portrayals

Juan Manuel Fangio

  • born: 24 June 1911
  • died: 17 July 1995

Juan Manuel Fangio was the most important Mercedes-Benz racing driver in 1954 and 1955. Born in 1911 in Balcarce, the Argentinian’s initial experience of long-distance racing was in his home country and it was not until 1951 that he first sat at the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz grand prix racing car. Yet his success was not confined to Formula 1 (world champion in 1951 and from 1954 to 1957 in succession), for Fangio also helped Mercedes-Benz to win the 1955 World Sportscar Championship, in which, driving a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, he finished second in the 1955 Mille Miglia behind his team colleague Stirling Moss. The exceptional thing about it was that Fangio drove the 1000 miles without a co-driver. Having ended his racing career, he became president of Mercedes-Benz Argentina S.A. He died in 1995 in Buenos Aires.

Juan Manuel Fangio II

  • born: 19 September 1956

Juan Manuel Fangio II bears a famous name. The nephew of five- time Formula 1 world champion Juan Manuel Fangio, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday in 2011, he inherited his uncle’s passion for motor sports. Fangio II grew up in close contact with several world-famous motor sports legends. Unlike his uncle, Fangio II spent the majority of his active racing career in North America. His successes included two wins in the 12 Hours of Sebring and victory in the IMSA GT Championship in 1992 and 1993, in the course of which he also set the record of 19 individual victories and won two manufacturers’ titles. In addition, Fangio raced in Formula 3000, the CART Championship and the American Le Mans Series. Juan Manuel Fangio II, whose career as a professional racing driver spanned the years from 1985 to 1997, lives in Balcarce (Argentina), the birthplace of his uncle. In 2011, he drove the Mille Miglia for Mercedes-Benz Classic, in team with Mika Häkkinen and in a type 300 SLR (W 196 S) in which his uncle in 1955 came on second place in that road race.

Hans Herrmann

  • born: 23 February 1928 in Stuttgart

After his motor sport debut, Mercedes-Benz racing manager Alfred Neubauer brought 25-year-old Hans Herrmann to the works team of Daimler-Benz AG at the start of the 1954 season. Herrmann finished in third place in the Swiss Grand Prix on 22 August 1954. Driving three W 196 Streamline racing cars, the Mercedes drivers finished the Avus race in Berlin on 19 September 1954 with a triple victory in the order Karl Kling, Juan Manuel Fangio, Hans Herrmann. During the 1955 racing season, Herrmann started a total of eight sports car races and ten Formula 1 races. In the Monaco Grand Prix he sat in for Kling and suffered serious injuries in an accident. Despite a full recovery he did not race for Mercedes-Benz again because the company withdrew from motor sport in October 1955. This marked the end of Herrmann’s engagement for Mercedes-Benz. In the following years he returned to racing car and sports car competitions. After racing in Formula 2 and Formula 1 he retired from racing in 1970 with a victory in the 24-hour race of Le Mans driving a Porsche. Herrmann continues to start for Mercedes-Benz in events with historical character to the present day.

Sir Stirling Moss

  • born: 17 September 1929 in London/England

His racing colleagues liked to refer to Sir Stirling Moss as an exceptional talent. Motor racing seems to have been something he was born with because motor cars accompanied him from his early childhood days through his parents, motor sport enthusiasts and themselves actively engaged in motor sport. At age 19 he won his first race, a few years later he was already racing in Formula 1. In 1955, he joined the Mercedes-Benz team and competed in all important events. Driving a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S) he won the Mille Miglia in May 1955 in a fabulous record time of 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds, a record no one was ever able to break. He also won the Targa Florio driving the 300 SLR. In July he won the British Grand Prix in Aintree/England, just edging out Juan Manuel Fangio. It was his first Formula 1 victory and it was to remain his only one driving a Silver Arrow because Mercedes-Benz withdrew from motor sport at the end of the season. His string of successes continued in subsequent years, several times missing the world championship title by a hair’s breadth. A severe accident forced him to retire from racing in 1962. He still, however, has a connection with Mercedes-Benz because he repeatedly participates for the brand in classic events. Stirling Moss’s name at the same time stands for a move of the racing industry toward more professionalism: he was the first driver to have his own manager as far back as the early 1950s.

The vehicles from Mercedes-Benz at the Goodwood Revival 2011

  • Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S), 1955

Mercedes-Benz won the sports car world championship with the 300 SLR in 1955. This sports car is essentially a Formula 1 W 196 racing car provided with a two-seater racing car body – but with a three-litre eight-cylinder in-line engine in light alloy instead of the 2.5-litre Formula 1 engine with steel cylinders. Rated at 300 hp (221 kW), the 300 SLR outperformed its rivals, scooping double victories in the Mille Miglia, the Eifel Race, the Swedish Grand Prix and the Targa Florio. In winning the Mille Miglia, Stirling Moss and co-driver Denis Jenkinson clocked up an average speed of 157.65 km/h (97.96 mph) – a feat that remains unsurpassed to this day. A useful aid in this race was the ‘prayer book’ – a new type of itinerary with crucial notes which Jenkinson drew up to guide driver Moss around the course. Juan Manuel Fangio, competing without a co-driver, came in second. In Sweden and in the 24-hour Le Mans race, the 300 SLRs caused a surprise with the so-called air brake – a panel measuring 0.7 square metres in size which the driver could open up over the rear axle to boost the braking effect. In Le Mans, Mercedes-Benz withdrew the 300 SLR following an accident suffered by Belgian driver Pierre Levegh through no fault of his own while he was in the leading position.

  • Mercedes-Benz W 196 R, 1954/1955

The Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Formula 1 racing car built for the 1954 season met all the requirements of the new Grand Prix formula defined by the CSI (Commission Spor tive Inter na ti o na le): displacement 750 cc with or 2500 cc without compressor, any fuel composition, racing distance 300 kilometres but at least three hours. The streamlined version was the first to be produced, as the opening race in Reims permitted very high speeds. A variant with free-standing wheels was subsequently produced. For its second season in 1955, this classic grand prix car was also available with shorter wheelbases: in addition to the 2350 millimetre long car from 1954, there were also variants with a wheelbase of 2150 and 2210 millimetres. The shortest variant was ideal for the narrow, winding circuit through Monaco. The space frame was light and robust, the chassis with torsion bar suspension and a new single-joint swing axle at the rear plus giant turbo-cooled duplex disc brakes which were initially fitted in an inside central position was as accomplished as it was unconventional. The car was powered by an eight-cylinder in-line engine (2496 cc) with direct injection and desmodromic (positive-controlled, without valve springs) valves (1954: 256 hp/188 kW at 8260 rpm, 1955: 290 hp/213 kW at 8500 rpm). The engine unit was mounted in the latticework frame at an incline of 53 degrees to the right, in order to lower the centre of gravity and to reduce the size of the frontal area. The top speed was over 300 km/h (186.42 mph).

Mercedes-Benz Classic Returns to Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011

Mercedes-Benz Classic is presenting "125! years inventor of the automobile" exhibition, celebrating milestones of the brand's history

What are the strengths of the Mercedes-Benz brand? Speed, power and style, visionary technology and an awareness of history and last but not least, least elegance and luxury.These are the qualities that are drawing thousands of visitors to the Festival of Speed 2011 and have been year after year. Mercedes-Benz Classic is a regular at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and will also be participating at this year’s event, which is scheduled to be held from July 1st to the 3rd, 2011 under the theme “Racing Revolutions – Quantum leaps that shaped motor sport”. Its line-up of landmark racing cars is set to negotiate the 1.86 kilometer (1.15 mile) long hillclimb circuit. And in 2011 Mercedes-Benz Classic will also be presenting the exhibition “125! years inventor of the automobile” which celebrates milestones of the brand’s history, right back to its origins with Carl Benz’s Patent Motor Car from 1886.

Motorsport revolutions

The concerted will to innovate embraced by Mercedes-Benz and the predecessor brands is thus reflected on the racetrack as well as in the exhibition. After all, Mercedes-Benz “Racing Revolutions” are the brand’s racing cars with a string of victories to their name. And these successes were not just down to the drivers’ skill but essentially also fruit of the engineers’ tireless determination to come up with new solutions for the racing cars. Such developments have consistently been those “quantum leaps that shaped motor sport”, as echoed in the 2011 festival theme.

This year Goodwood will be host to legendary racing cars that are all set to tackle the hillclimb circuit. The line-up includes the W 165 Silver Arrow designed specifically for the Tripoli Grand Prix in 1939, the 300 SL (W 194) racing sports car from 1952 (claimed victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours) and the 190 2.5 16V EVO II touring car used in the DTM from 1990. The current Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, which will line up on the starting grid in the FIA GT3 Championship, will represent contemporary high-performance cars.

In keeping with the Festival’s tradition, high-profile racing drivers such as Sir John Surtees, Paul Stewart, Klaus Ludwig and Bernd Schneider will take the cars around the hillclimb circuit.

The “125! years inventor of the automobile” exhibition starts with the foundation of automotive history – the Benz Patent Motor Car from 1886. Among the exhilarating engineering and style icons also on show in the exhibition will be the Mercedes Simplex 40 hp from 1902, a Mercedes-Benz 500 K Cabriolet B (W 29) from 1936, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupé (W 198), a Mercedes-Benz 250 SE Cabriolet (W 111), a Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Roadster (W 113) from the 1960s, a Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6.9 (W 116) launched in 1975 and the very latest Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé (C 197).

From art to the top flight of motorsport

The Festival of Speed, which was inaugurated in1993, was the brainchild of Charles Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara. The dedicated motorsport fan and Goodwood host bears the title Lord March. His grandfather, the former Earl of March and 9th Duke of Richmond, laid the foundation for the Festival. He was well-known in England as the car designer, engineer and racing driver Freddie March. In 1936 he organised the very first private hillclimb circuit in Goodwood Park. His grandson would rekindle this tradition more than 50 years later.

The Festival has developed from the inaugural event in 1993 into one of the unmissable highlights in the international cultural calendar for automotive fans. Racing and sports cars from across the ages play the symphonies of speed on the circuits for three whole days. Even the top flight of motorsport is represented: at least nine of this season’s Formula One teams are scheduled to participate in Goodwood in 2011, including Mercedes GP and McLaren-Mercedes. A 2.5-kilometre-long rally course was added in 2007 to supplement the hillclimb course.

Leisurely afternoon stroll and automotive fascination

The Festival of Speed is just as much an exhilarating motorsport event as it is an opportunity to stroll along in style and lap up some automotive culture: from the pits, open to all visitors, through vehicle exhibitions in the park grounds, to the automotive works of art created every year by British sculptor Gerry Judah. His temporary sculptures, which are located right in front of Goodwood House, always centre around a single brand and its particular vehicles. In 2001 the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was the subject of the work of art at the then Festival of Speed.