Mercedes-Benz Classic will have three of the legendary compressor cars lined up on the starting grid at the 2011 Mille Miglia. Two Mercedes-Benz cars – an SS model and an SSK model – will commemorate Rudolf Caracciola’s fabled victory in April 1931 at this year’s exclusive event, which takes place from 11 to 15 May 2011. Back in 1931, with an average speed of 101.1 km/h, the Mercedes-Benz driver along with his co-driver Wilhelm Sebastian was the first non-Italian driver to win the Mille Miglia.
In the year which would have seen the 100th birthday of Juan Manuel Fangio, who died in 1995, his nephew – who bears the same name – will participate along with Mika Häkkinen in the Mille Miglia for the Mercedes-Benz works team in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. Driving an identical car with the starting number 658, Juan Manuel Fangio took second place in the 1955 Mille Miglia.
Juan Manuel Fangio II, as he is usually known, was born in 1956 and was a professional racing driver like his famous uncle. He achieved his main successes in the 1980s and 1990s, when he won two championship and two manufacturer titles in the North American IMSA GT series. He is also a two-times winner of the prestigious 12 Hours of Sebring race.
And to mark the 125th anniversary of the motor car, we will also be exhibiting two vehicles that span that period from 1886 to 2011 in the centre of Brescia: a replica of the motor car patented by Carl Benz as well as the Mercedes-Benz F 800 research vehicle.
Once again, Mercedes-Benz is sponsoring the revival of this distinguished Italian road race. In the Mille Miglia 2011, the works team will be fielding the SS and SSK as well as a 300 SLR racing car (W 196 S), recalling Mercedes-Benz’s second great triumph in this, the most famous 1,000-mile race. Stirling Moss and his co-driver Denis Jenkinson won the 1955 Mille Miglia in a 300 SLR, setting the fastest ever time.
Racing drivers and eminent guests will be in the cars of the Mercedes-Benz team. In 2011, the 300 SLR racing car from 1955 will be driven by two-times Formula 1 world champion Mika Häkkinen and Juan Manuel Fangio II, who is involved in motor sports just like his famous racing-driver uncle, who won the world championship for Mercedes-Benz in 1954 and 1955. Former Formula 1 driver Jochen Mass and 15-times motorcycling world champion Giacomo Agostini will be behind the wheel of an SS. Racing drivers Bernd Mayländer and Roland Asch will take part in an SLS AMG. The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has close ties with motor sport, for example it is the official F1™ safety car and ensures maximum safety in dangerous race situations. Five-times German Touring Car (DTM) champion Bernd Schneider will be driving a 300 SL (W 198), as is the racing driver Klaus Ludwig.
Another racing car lining up at the start will be a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 194 model series) from 1952 – the car in which Rudolf Caracciola took fourth place in the 1952 Mille Miglia, the last time that he competed in the event. Finally, the brand team will also be represented by eleven Mercedes-Benz 300 SL cars (W 198 model series) with their famous gullwing doors, as well as a 220 model (W 180) and a 180 D model (W 120). A total of 18 cars will be starting for Mercedes-Benz. Cars of all the model types mentioned took part in the Mille Miglia between 1927 and 1957 – the prerequisite for all cars participating in the revival, which was first held in 1977.
Motor Klassik magazine is offering a remarkable opportunity in 2011: it is holding a draw to select one lucky reader to be the co-driver of a black Mercedes-Benz 300 SL with starting number 417 in the 2011 Mille Miglia. John Fitch and his co-driver Kurt Gessl drove this sports car model to victory in the GT category in 1955, coming fifth in the overall standings.
The opening and preparation day will take place on 11 May 2011 in Brescia. This year’s Mille Miglia race, for which 375 cars have registered, will start at 7 p.m. on 12 May 2011 in Viale Venezia, with the cars setting off at intervals. From Brescia, the route heads through Sirmione and Ferrara to Bologna, where the first leg ends. The cars will arrive there from 0:30 a.m. On 13 May 2011, the cars will leave Bologna from 8 a.m., travelling via Gambettola, San Marino, Sansepolcro, Spoleto, Terminillo and Rieti to Rome. The high-speed cavalcade will arrive in the Italian capital from 8:30 p.m., heading for the Castel Sant’Angelo near the Vatican.
The third and final leg begins at 6:30 a.m. on 14 May 2011 in Rome, with the route leading through Vallelunga, Viterbo, Radicofani and Pienza before reaching Sienna and Florence. A highlight en route will be the two passes, Passo della Futa and Passo della Raticosa, from where the cars will head to Bologna, Modena, Maranello, Reggio Emilia, Parma and Cremona before crossing the finish line back in Brescia. At 10:55 p.m. the first participants are expected to return to Viale Venezia, where all the vehicles will again be presented to the public. The awards ceremony on 15 May will mark the end of the 2011 Mille Miglia.
Rudolf Caracciola Bio:
Rudolf Caracciola was born in Remagen, Germany, on 30 January 1901. Both his parents were enthusiastic about motor sports and, at the age of 15, he obtained special permission to take his driving test. He started his over 30-year racing career as a motorcyclist. Aged 21, he won the ‘Round Cologne’ race in 1922, as a result of which car manufacturer Fafnir entered him in the Avus Race in Berlin. Having finished a respectable fourth and quickly going on to win at Berlin’s Grunewald stadium in an Ego compact car, Caracciola applied to Daimler-Benz AG – starting his racing driver career in the era of compressor cars. In 1923, he raced for the first time as a works driver in a Mercedes 1.5-litre racing car in Baden-Baden and went on to take eleven more first places that year. He achieved an impressive level of success over the years, notching up victory after victory. There was hardly a race that he didn’t win. His ability to drive quickly and safely even in bad weather resulted in admiration among his fellow racing drivers and earned him the nickname ‘rain master’.
The course of history meant that Caracciola drove during three different racing eras during his more than 30-year career. Before the Second World War, he first dominated the era of compressor cars with their sheer power and then took a succession of victories in cars with a much more sophisticated construction. These ‘Silver Arrows’ increasingly evolved into finely integrated single systems. Caracciola put on a virtuoso performance in both types: He secured countless victories in the K, S, SS, SSK and SSKL racing cars, including taking the title in the European Hill Climb Championship in 1930 and 1931. Between 1934 and 1939, in the Mercedes-Benz racing cars known as ‘Silver Arrows’, he came first in 16 Grand Prix races and, in 1935, 1937 and 1938, won the European championship – the equivalent of the Formula 1 world championship today. Caracciola also set numerous records. Particularly spectacular was his record-breaking drive in January 1938, when he reached 432.7 km/h on the motorway between Frankfurt am Main and Darmstadt – the fastest speed ever achieved on a public road to the present day.
After the war, it appeared that he would emulate his past successes, for example when he came fourth in the 1952 Mille Miglia. But an accident ended his racing career permanently. At the Berne Grand Prix in 1952, the left rear wheel of his Mercedes-Benz 300 SL locked up on the 13th lap and he skidded into a tree. He shattered his left leg and was reliant on a wheelchair and crutches for a long time. From 1956 he worked in a representative capacity for Daimler-Benz and was in charge of Mercedes-Benz vehicle sales to the families of US and British troops stationed in Europe. On 28 September 1959, Rudolf Caracciola died in Kassel at the age of 58.
Mercedes-Benz Classic will be featuring several highlights at this year’s Retro Classics 2011. Being that 2011 marks the 125th birthday of the motor car, the German manufacturer will display four fascinating milestone vehicles from its collection. All four of these models are representative of automobile mobility: a Benz Patent Motor Car, the world’s first automobile dating from 1886; a Mercedes-Benz 500 K special Roadster (model series W 29) dating from 1934; a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Coupé (W 111), model year 1961; and finally the latest research vehicle, the F 800 Style, which premiered in 2010.
As a trade show for classic cars and automotive culture, Retro Classics is one of the most important events of its kind. The Retro Classic event will take place for the eleventh time in southern Germany in the city of Stuttgart. Between March 11 and 13, 2011 (the preview will take place on March 10th), 1,300 exhibitors will display more than 3,000 vehicles for the public. The heart of this historic automotive exhibition arena is the 540-square-metre exhibition area used by Mercedes-Benz Classic in Hall 1, where both collection and sale cars will rub shoulders with each other.
“For Mercedes-Benz Classic it is important here in particular – in the home of the company – to have a strong presence”, explains Michael Bock, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic. At the same time it is all about making the fascination surrounding the brand come alive.
In addition, the latest vehicle offerings will also boast a further highlight: in spring the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupé (model series C 204) is celebrating its world premiere and is all set to enhance the product portfolio comprising these elegant vehicles – as a result, when it comes to the sale cars at Retro Classics, Mercedes-Benz Classic is placing the focus squarely on coupés. Three classics will therefore be on display: the Mercedes-Benz 280 SLC (model series C 107, model year 1981), the 230 CE (C 123, 1982) and the E 220 Coupé (C 124, 1993). The Mercedes-Benz Museum Shop will also be represented with a large sales stand, this year featuring the “125! years of innovation selection”.
Yet another highlight of Retro Classics will be the stand design, for which the Mercedes-Benz design division has opened up its archives to lend the vehicles on display an additional historic touch courtesy of some bonus historical items. These will include product drawings dating from the 1930’s, as well as some interpretations from the 1950’s and also images from the present day. To highlight the various eras visually, the drawings are being displayed in contemporary frames. The different types of drawings also afford a feeling of how the developers and designers viewed the vehicles of the near future at different periods in time. A monitor showing films will also provide insights into the world of Mercedes-Benz design today, while the F 800 Style show car points the way forward towards the direction in which the brand’s future design may be heading.
As an appropriate link between the present day and the birthday of the motor car, a brochure on the Benz Patent Motor Car will also be available. Forming part of the “125! years of the motor car” anniversary campaign, it shows the Patent Motor Car in a modern context and underscores the timeless design created by Carl Benz. With its fascinating text, photos and important technical details, at the same time the brochure represents a special means of communication reflecting the leadership aspirations of Mercedes-Benz.
The exhibition displays will be rounded off in a 1740-square-metre space in Hall 7, where numerous brand clubs will be exhibiting, enabling fans to indulge in their shared passion for products from the brand’s 125-year automotive history – which stretches from the inventions of Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler through to the innovations of the present day. The same also applies in particular to the 300-square-metre stand belonging to HISTORIA Mobilis, the classic car interest group founded by employees of Daimler AG in 2005.
The members’ vehicle fleet includes six Mercedes-Benz cars, among them the 190 SL (W 121), 300 SL Roadster (W 198 II), 250 SL (W 113), 450 SEL (W 116), 190 (W 201) and 190 E 2.3-16 (W 201). The company is particularly looking forward to their attendance, given that employee involvement is one of the focal points of this 125th anniversary year of the birthday of the motor car.
The Mercedes-Benz 260 D in the W 138 series was the world’s first series-production diesel passenger car. Seventyfive years ago in February 1936, 50 years after the invention of the petrol-powered automobile by Carl Benz, Mercedes-Benz presented this revolutionary vehicle at the International Motorcycle and Automobile Exhibition in Berlin.
Its 2.6-litre OM 138 four-cylinder engine with the Mercedes-Benz pre-chamber system and a Bosch injection pump produced 33 kW (45 hp) at 3200 rpm, and was installed in the chassis of the petrol-powered Mercedes-Benz 200 with a long wheelbase. The Bosch Four-plunger injection pump allowed engine speeds of up to 3000 rpm and ensured rapid fuel delivery.
Two years prior, in November 1934, after experimenting with various diesel engines in Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, the engineers opted for a modified version of the well-proven six-cylinder in-line engine from the commercial vehicle sector. The result was a four-cylinder unit with a displacement of 2.6 litres (bore x stroke 90 x 100 millimetres). The new engine adopted the truck engine’s smooth pre-chamber combustion process. The technical specifications included overhead valves and a five-bearing crankshaft.
Series production of the model 260 D commenced at the end of 1935, and the world’s first regular production diesel car was premiered in February 1936, at the International Motorcycle and Automobile Exhibition in Berlin. At an average diesel fuel consumption of 9.5 litres, a tank filling was initially sufficient for 400 kilometres, and this increased to no less than 500 kilometres or more after a model upgrade in 1937. This was not without significance considering the relative scarcity of filling stations at the time.
Even in 1936 the diesel engine in the model 260 D delivered impressive fuel economy: average consumption was slightly above 9 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres, considerably bettering the 13 litres consumed by the petrol-powered model 200. Moreover, diesel fuel cost only 17 Pfennigs per litre for holders of a passenger transport licence in 1936: at the time that was less than half the normal cost of petrol. Taxi-drivers in particular immediately opted for this car, which was available in a spacious Pullman version with six seats right from the start.
In September 1936 Mercedes-Benz also introduced a Pullman saloon, a 4/5-seater saloon and the 4/5-seater Convertible B as further body variants of the model 260 D. Apart from taxi-drivers, more and more private customers also chose this very economical vehicle.
As early as 1937 Mercedes-Benz presented an improved version of the model 260 D: the facelifted version now had a modified radiator grille. The slightly smaller headlamps had more curved housings whose bases were inserted directly into the wings. Previously the headlamps had been mounted on a chrome-plated rail in front of the radiator, which was now omitted. The two 6/7-seater model variants were also given redesigned bodies which were both more spacious and more prestigious-looking than the first Pullman versions. New bumpers replacing the dainty versions of the first two years were introduced in 1938.
Modifications to the 260 D for the model upgrade included a wider track at the front (1370 instead of 1340 millimetres) and rear (1390 instead of 1380 millimetres) and a larger fuel tank (50 litres instead of 38 litres), which was now also moved from the engine compartment to the rear of the vehicle.
In February 1938 the previous overdrive transmission was replaced by a fully synchronised four-speed transmission with a direct-ratio fourth gear. At the same time the 260 D – like the model 230 – was given wider wheels and tyres in the interests of standardisation, as well as dual-action hydraulic shock absorbers at the rear. And from early 1938, electrically heated glow plugs made starting easier when the engine was cold.
From 1936 to 1940 Mercedes-Benz produced 1967 examples of the model 260 D. Especially as a taxi, the world’s first diesel passenger car proved to be an absolute long-distance champion: taxi cabs based on the 260 D were still on the road in large numbers well into the 1950s. Mercedes-Benz also used the OM 138 engine, which underwent only very few modifications during the four-year production period of the model 260 D, for other applications. The same engine also powered the L 1100 to L 1500-series vans built in Stuttgart and Mannheim.
Since the sensational premiere of the model 260 D, Mercedes-Benz passenger cars with diesel engines have continuously set new technical standards. After the Second World War, the model 170 D (W 136) was the first newly designed diesel car offered by Mercedes-Benz. It was powered by the OM 636 1.7-litre four-cylinder engine and presented in 1949.
Since then, Mercedes-Benz passenger cars with diesel engines have been a dynamic success story with numerous highlights. These range from the first diesel car with a five-cylinder engine (model 240 D 3.0 in the W 115 series of 1974) to the introduction of CDI technology with common-rail injection in the C 220 CDI of 1997 and BlueTEC emissions control in the E 320 BlueTEC for the American market in 2006, and right up to the development of diesel-hybrid vehicles such as the E 300 BlueTEC HYBRID for model year 2011. The brand is therefore making a decisive contribution towards establishing the diesel engine as an economical, powerful and refined passenger car drive unit with great future potential.
The 125th birthday of the automobile is the central focus of the Mercedes-Benz presentation at Rétromobile 2011. This international specialist fair, one of the most important devoted to classic vehicles, will be held in Paris from 2 to 6 February 2011. The central division Mercedes-Benz Classic will present a small but exclusive number of sale and collection cars for the first time at the fair. They range from the Benz Patent Motor Car of 1886, the world’s first automobile, over a Mercedes-Benz 300 S Cabriolet A of the 1950s right up to the design study Concept Shooting Brake of 2010 pointing the way to the future. The stand in hall 7.3 this year will have an area of about 400 square metres.
Furthermore, a central topic for 2011 of Mercedes-Benz Classic will be Juan Manuel Fangio – the famous racing driver would have had his 100th birthday this year in June. The Rétromobile presents a special exposition of cars that Fangio drove, among them an original Mercedes-Benz W 196 of the Mercedes-Benz Classic collection. The Argentine racing driver won the world championships 1954 and 1955 on that type.
Sale cars round up the appearance on the Retromobile. Among others, Mercedes-Benz Classic will bring a 300 S Cabriolet A (W 188 series). The type was presented in October 1951 – almost 60 years ago – on the Paris motor show as a further top model beside the type 300 (W 186). It was positioned as a most representative car with sporty touch and to meet highest demands concerning road holding and speed. Contemporary press articles confirm that, they judge the model as a “car of the world elite” and a “benchmark for the achieveable in the car industry”.
Milestone Cars at the Rétromobile
The Patent Motor Car by Carl Benz was the first automobile with a high-speed internal combustion engine. Patent registration No. DRP 37 435 of 29. January 1886 is seen as the “birth certificate” of the automobile. Mercedes-Benz is exhibiting an exact replica of this vehicle at Rétromobile. The three-wheeler was the first purpose-designed automobile, and marked a departure from the then conventional horse-drawn coach – the engine, chassis and drive system were precisely coordinated and formed a single unit. This initially put Carl Benz well ahead of any competitors. A replica true to the original is available for collectors at Mercedes-Benz Classic.
Another exhibit at the Rétromobile fair in Paris is a Mercedes-Benz 500 K Luxury Roadster dating from 1936. When the model 500 K (W 29) was first presented at the 1934 Paris Motor Show, it rapidly became a huge public attraction. Then and now, its elegant design in combination with awe-inspiring supercharger technology and the sumptuous interior have a magnetic appeal –this car offered the finest and most expensive of its time. A total of 342 examples were built in all body variants, but the Roadsters are the most sought-after of all.
The Mercedes-Benz W 116 series was the first to be officially known as the S-Class. It appeared in 1975 as the flagship model 450 SEL 6.9, for many years the largest-displacement post-war passenger car produced by Mercedes-Benz and also the largest-displacement European saloon car. This model not only set standards in terms of cubic capacity: its performance figures, level of comfort, variety of appointments and the effortlessness with which it made long, high-speed journeys possible made it one of the best cars in the world.
The Concept Shooting Brake of Mercedes-Benz celebrated its world premiere in April 2010 as an insight by the designers into the possible future development of the Coupé concept. It also represents a clear indication of the further emotional appeal of the Mercedes-Benz design idiom. The public appraisal is enormous – and serial production is already decided. The market launch of the CLS Shooting Brake ist planned for 2012.
The first weekend of November hosts a firm fixture in the international classic car calendar: the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run in England. At the 2010 event, held on 7 November, Mercedes-Benz Classic will be entering two vehicles – a 1902 Mercedes-Simplex racing car and a 1904 Mercedes-Simplex touring car.
The 2010 event will take place just a couple of months before celebrations get underway to mark the 125th anniversary of the birth of the automobile in January 2011. Not long after Carl Benz invented the first automobile in 1886, automotive design took the decisive step from what was essentially a motorised carriage to something resembling the modern vehicle – of which the Mercedes-Simplex cars are two outstanding examples.
The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is held exclusively for vehicles built before 1904. The oldest car to enter this year’s event dates from 1894. The annual event marks the Emancipation Run of 14 November 1896, which was organised in celebration of a new law that raised the maximum permitted speed for automobiles from walking pace of 6.4 km/h (4 miles per hour) to 22.4 km/h (16 miles per hour). The new law also abolished the requirement that vehicles be preceded by a man waving a red flag.
This year the annual event, held over a 96-kilometre (60-mile) course, has attracted 550 vehicle entries. As many as 500,000 spectators are expected to line the route. The start is in London’s Hyde Park, where the first of the vehicles will depart at sunrise, calculated by the Meteorological Office to be at 7.04 a.m. this year. From there, the cars will head to a checkpoint in Crawley, before setting out on the second half of the route towards the Channel coast and the finishing line on Brighton’s grand promenade, Madeira Drive.
All vehicles will take part in an eve-of-event concours from 11.00 a.m. until 3.00 p.m. on London’s Regent Street on Saturday, 6 November 2010, when each car will be individually introduced and spectators will have an opportunity for closer inspection.
Mercedes-Simplex: the modern automobile
The two Mercedes-Benz Classic cars taking part come from the company’s own collection. From 1901 to 1905, Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft created a range of automobiles bearing the Simplex designation at Stuttgart-Untertürkheim. These vehicles had two things in common: they were all designed by Wilhelm Maybach, and they were superior to all other cars of the day. For they embodied the decisive design step that elevated them from motorised carriage to purpose-built car.
The most notable technical features of the Mercedes-Simplex were its four-cylinder, front-mounted engine with cylinders cast in pairs, the U-section pressed steel frame, a low centre of gravity, honeycomb radiator and inclined steering column. These features are what lent the vehicle the familiar car-like appearance that distinguished it from contemporary carriage-type automobiles. Along with the 38/40 hp Mercedes-Simplex, the 28/32 hp was the more compact automobile.
Technical data for the 38/40 hp Mercedes-Simplex racing car
Technical data for the 28/32 hp Mercedes-Simplex touring car
On January 29, 1886, Carl Benz received the patent for the world’s very first car. It was on that day that the one of the most significant inventions to grace the earth, the automobile, was born. In 2011, the automobile will celebrate 125 years on the road and the only place to view its’ entire 125 year history is at The Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. In addition to the automobiles history, the museum also shows off the latest developments of the present and future. The latter will be exhibited in a completely redesigned room from next year: Legend 6, ‘New start – the Road to Emission-free Mobility’, which will be opening its doors to Museum visitors for the first time on January 30, 2011.
Visitors to the museum often ask the same questions- Where do we go from here? Will we all be driving on hydrogen in future? Will the combustion engine soon be a thing of the past? “In Legend 6 visitors will find answers to questions about the drive system of tomorrow”, says Michael Bock, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic. On the chronological tour through the decades, Legend 6 ‘New start – the Road to Emission-free Mobility’ will present the challenges of the present and future. “Our visitors mostly want to find out how driving pleasure and responsibility can be reconciled in a vehicle.” Different drive-system variants will be on display in the redesigned theme room – from the optimised combustion engine through electric and hybrid drive systems to the fuel cell.
The Mercedes-Benz Museum brings to life all aspects of automotive history over an area covering 16,500 square metres and nine levels. Seven Legend rooms describe the history of the brand, five Collection rooms important topics at Mercedes-Benz through the years. Many of the 160 vehicles exhibited stand for entire eras that they have shaped, recounting their own history. These include the gull-wing model from the 1950s or the Silver Arrows, not to mention the Mercedes-Benz 230 SL, the first sports car with a stable passenger compartment and crumple zone. “These vehicles were symbols of innovation in their day; again and again they would herald further progress. Our visitors soon realise that the history of Mercedes-Benz is brimming with innovations and that the focus was always firmly on the future – just as it is today”, adds Michael Bock.
The Mercedes-Benz Museum is open daily from Tuesday to Sunday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Current information for visitors is available from the Classic customer center online at www.mercedes-benz-classic.com
Following the success of last year’s Collector’s Fair premiere, on Saturday, November 27, 2010 the Mercedes-Benz Museum will be holding its second collectors’ fair for models, brochures, literature, pins and accessories. From 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. dealers, collectors and enthusiasts will have a chance to browse among over 100 tables.
A special pin will be available to mark the second Mercedes-Benz Collectors’ Fair. In addition, the Mercedes-Benz Museum is offering an exclusive 1:43-scale special edition model. Dealers can reserve a table, registration fee 25 euros, at http://www.mercedes-benz.com/sammlerboerse. Visitor admission to the collectors’ fair is free of charge.
The Mercedes-Benz Museum is open daily from Tuesday to Sunday from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Current information for visitors is available from the Classic Customer Centre online at www.mercedes-benz-classic.com
The impressive countryside round about the Lake of Constance will be the scene of “Mercedes-Benz & Friends” from 23 to 26 September 2010. It kicks off a series of customer-focussed events of Mercedes-Benz Classic and is aimed at the members of the official Mercedes-Benz Clubs. Under this year’s motto, “Stars and high-flyers”, a tour through three countries bordering on Lake Constance is planned, including drives through the Alps over wonderful routes that will also take in peaks.
Participants from 14 nations are expected. They will be travelling in a total of 100 vehicles from many epochs – from the supercharged Mercedes of the 1920s to the Young Classics from more recent brand history. Former racing drivers and current brand ambassadors Roland Asch in a Mercedes-Benz 190 SL racing version (W 121 series), Mika Häkkinen in a Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 (W 111) and Dieter Glemser in a Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Rally Pagoda (W 113) will be present to give the tour a sporting flair.
The participants will arrive on Thursday, 23 September 2010. For their first evening together a stylish venue has been selected: Montfort Castle in Langenargen, directly situated on Lake Constance. The guests will be brought there by boat. After dinner the schedule for the weekend will be presented to them. The next day starts right off with a tour highlight: the Silvretta High Alpine Road.
Friday, the 24th of September 2010, begins with a drive to the Austrian Alps, to Lech am Arlberg. For the lunch break it’s up and away by cable car: to the 250-year-old Rud-Alpe at an altitude of 1560 metres. In the morning the Silvretta High Alpine Road, one of the most popular and most beautiful mountain roads in the Alps with magnificent views, is on the agenda. It goes a distance of 25.4 kilometres from Montafon valley in the Vorarlberg region via Bielerhöhe and the Silvretta to the Tyrolean Paznaun, the valley of the Trisanna. The group will have covered about 300 kilometres in all by its return to Lake Constance. The evening event will again take place at, or to be more precise, on, Lake Constance: the event ship MS Sonnenkönigin will provide the setting for a wonderful party, taking the guests out into the night.
For Saturday, the 25th of September 2010, the alternatives are a drive through the Appenzeller Land or a shopping trip to Zurich. Those who choose the drive through the mountain scenery of Switzerland will have the opportunity to visit cheese dairies along the 130-kilometre route. “Sönd willkomm auf Schwägalp und Säntis!” is then the call to lunch. Schwägalp, altitude 1352 metres, can be reached by car and affords a typical Appenzell ambience; if the weather is good, the sun terrace invites guests to take a seat in the midst of nature and opens up a great view of Mt Säntis, whose 2502 metre summit with its extraordinary panoramic view can be reached from there by cable car. The evening takes the guests to the Festival Theatre in Bregenz and a very special dinner programme very appropriate to the ambience. The Mercedes-Benz Classics will contribute their share to the evening, parking directly in front of the Festival Theatre on Vienna Symphony Orchestra Square.
This will also be the place for saying goodbyes on Sunday, 26 September 2010, before the participants leave Bregenz in all directions. They will be richer for the unique impressions they have gathered in a circle of “stars and high-flyers” that has a name: “Mercedes-Benz & Friends”.
“Mercedes-Benz & Friends” is also planned for 2011. The event will then be linked with the “125 Years of the Automobile” anniversary. The programme will be announced in good time.
Mercedes-Benz Coupés have always embodied elegance on four wheels. TheMercedes-Benz Coupés attract a clientele that consciously opts for a body with flowing lines and sees their vehicle as a logical extension of a lifestyle often characterised by beauty and elegance.
These fundamentals also applied to the SEC Coupés of the C 126 series, which Mercedes-Benz presented at the Frankfurt International Motor Show (IAA) in September 1981. They were based on the S-Class Saloon of the 126 series, with a frame/floor assembly shortened by 85 millimetres. Nevertheless, the Coupés were fully-fledged four-seaters.
Their design rendered them unmistakable: Bruno Sacco, then Head of Design, gave the vehicles the perfect lines of the day and also integrated them harmoniously into the Mercedes-Benz passenger car range. For example, he revived the horizontal radiator grille with large central star which had been a feature of the large Mercedes-Benz Coupés and the legendary 300 SL Gullwing Coupé since the 1950s. All things considered, the Coupés of the C 126 series were a tour de force in terms of design, retaining even today an air of timeless elegance and desirability.
The elegant looks of the Coupés were coupled with exclusive equipment, powerful engines and optimum safety – resulting in an experience that offered comfort from every facet of automotive design. Even the longest journeys could be effortlessly undertaken in the Coupé, thanks to its sophisticated chassis – which apart from a few details was identical to that of the S-Class – the ergonomically designed and elegant interior and the drive system. The Coupés were available exclusively with eight-cylinder engines. Initially there were two models, the 380 SEC and 500 SEC. The model refinement package in 1985 saw the 380 SEC superseded by the 420 SEC, as well as the arrival of a modified version of 500 SEC and – the most spectacular newcomer – the 560 SEC. The model refinement package also saw the introduction of emission control systems with a closed-loop three-way catalytic converter.
In terms of safety technology the Coupés of the C 126 series were state-of-the-art. The body was designed in line with latest safety research findings. One noteworthy equipment detail was the electrically operated belt feeder, which was a standard-fit specification on the SEC models. Optionally available were also an airbag for the driver and belt tensioner for the front passenger. The front passenger airbag was available from 1985. Optimum active driving safety was guaranteed by systems such as the automatic locking differential (ASD) or acceleration skid control (ASR).
Value retention as opposed to depreciation
The range of Coupés sporting the desirable SEC abbreviation in the model designation is extensive. Although most of them are by now older vehicles, it is not unusual to fine well maintained examples. Moreover, high mileages are no problem for the regularly maintained eight-cylinder engines.
But there are also vehicles available with a manufacturer’s warranty: Mercedes-Benz Young Classics regularly offers vehicles in above average condition and which are therefore supplied with a warranty – an offer unique in the automotive industry.
Those who today drive a Coupé of the C 126 series as a modern classic are sure to appreciate aspects such as its outstanding everyday practicality, high level of ride comfort, elegant appearance and exclusivity. An additional bonus is that with correct maintenance and good care it will at least retain its value and eliminate depreciation. In many cases, the value of the vehicle even rises over time.
Mercedes-Benz’s excellent spare parts supply has helped maintain a modern classic: almost every part can be procured through a Mercedes-Benz dealer and the company’s own ordering system; delivery is usually made overnight. Some authorised service shops have even been designated Classic Partners, possessing outstanding competence in handling older vehicles. Not for nothing does the slogan “Service for a lifetime” apply to all vehicles of the brand.
Production of the Coupés of the C 126 series was stopped in 1991, almost exactly ten years after the market launch. The total volume of 74,060 units built gives an impression of the model family’s high popularity. The best-selling model was the 500 SEC with 30,184 units. Clearly the rarest version was the 420 SEC with just 3,680 units. Regardless of engine type, each individual vehicle is a legend of its time.
The Mercedes-Benz Classic Center, the first and only manufacturer-backed classic center of its kind, offers a full compliment of services including retail sales, restoration, and genuine spare parts sales for Mercedes-Benz models aged twenty years and older. This marks another chapter in the pioneering history of Mercedes-Benz which includes the invention of the world’s first automobile 124 years ago.
“Imagine the chance to step back in time and purchase the Mercedes-Benz of your dreams right off the showroom floor, and that is the magic of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center,” said Mike Kunz, manager, Classic Center. “For those who longed for these cars when they were younger, or for customers who are new to the brand and value the nostalgia and timeless style that comes with a vintage Mercedes, the Classic Center at Irvine provides a unique opportunity unmatched by any other marque in the world to relive automotive history.”
Vehicles are offered at a wide range of prices beginning at approximately $25,000 and reaching upwards into the millions.
The Classic Center operates a full service department. Any technician employed at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center is qualified to work on all Mercedes-Benz vehicles classified by the company as “classic” – currently up to and including the 126 series (300-560 models) sold from 1981-1991.
Ownership of a classic Mercedes-Benz is by no means required to enjoy a visit to the Classic Center. The Center offers something for all enthusiasts from those who enjoy admiring expertly restored classic Mercedes-Benz cars to those shopping in the boutique for a full line of automotive and lifestyle accessories.
Unique Factory Support
Through its close partnership with the original Classic Center in Fellbach, Germany, the Classic Center in Irvine maintains a direct link to the factory and unequalled access to the parts, tools, service manuals and production records needed to work on these great automobiles, especially in the case of vehicles long out of production such as the spectacular 540K of the 1930s.
Owners who enjoy maintaining and repairing their classic Mercedes-Benz cars can find a wide selection of parts available through the Classic Center. What is not in stock can be ordered. The Classic Center has access to 42,000 different parts for every regular production Mercedes-Benz from 1945 through the 126 series models.
“Nobody understands how to care for these cars better than the company that made them and has the vast resources and expertise to do so,” notes Kunz.
“Should an original part not be available, the Classic Center can turn to the Mercedes-Benz Prototype Department and the Research and Development Department for assistance in remanufacturing parts. As one example, the Prototype Department was called upon to reproduce the hood for the 1956-1963 190 SL, because it required a specific technique that is no longer in place.”
Irvine in southern California is the ideal location for the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center as it is the heart of car culture in America and has always been one of the most popular and best markets for Mercedes-Benz worldwide.
The region is home to a sizeable population of classic Mercedes-Benz lines, including the iconic 300 SL “Gullwing” coupe and 300 SL roadster models built 1954-1963; the 190 SL roadster built 1955-1963; the “113” series SL roadsters (230/250/280 SL) built 1963-1971; the 220/250/280 series sedans, coupes and convertibles built 1959-1971, and such rare models as the legendary 300 SEL 6.3 and 600 of the 1960s and the 6.9 of the late-1970s.
The 1959-1971 111-series coupes and cabriolets, in particular, have been among the fastest appreciating classic Mercedes from that time. With their elegance, grace and timeless style, these Mercedes-Benz models perfectly fit the California lifestyle. A restored 1970-1971 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet, for example, can today exceed the $150,000 mark. Five years ago, this model was selling for roughly half that amount. The coupe versions, both six-cylinder and V8-powered, are more numerous and also highly desirable.
SoCal’s Favorite Cars: The Classic SLs
In 1963, Mercedes-Benz introduced the six-cylinder 113-series SL roadsters to replace both the limited-production 300 SL roadster and the four-cylinder 190 SL roadster. Starting with the 230 SL of 1963 and culminating with the 280 SL offered through 1971, these were known as the “pagoda” SLs because of the slightly concave shape of their detachable hardtops. Nearly 49,000 were built, and many are still driven with great pride and enjoyment in southern California.
One of southern California’s most popular high-end cars from the 1970s and 1980s remains a common site in the region: the V8-powered 107 series SL, starting with the 350/450 SL in 1972 and culminating with the 560 SL in 1989. More than 237,000 cars were built, with more than two thirds coming to the U.S. – and a large number of those selling in California.
The coupé is an exclusive body design. This was true even in the days of the horse-drawn carriage, when the coupé – presumably so-called because it resembled a four-seater carriage with its front end cut-off (French: “coupé”) – offered two seats in the comfort of the cab with the coachman seated up front on the open box seat. People who chose this mode of travel clearly liked to demonstrate a sense of style and individuality.
“Coupés from Mercedes-Benz have always been the embodiment of elegance on four wheels,” says Michael Bock, Managing Director of the Mercedes-Benz Museum and Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic. “Whether today, 40 years ago or 100 years ago – our coupés are legends of the eras in which they were built.”
The early automobiles borrowed heavily from various styles of horse-drawn carriage. The coupé retained a strong focus essentially on two persons traveling in style. To this day it typifies an exclusive form of transportation.
Use of a coachman eventually gave way to owners who preferred to take control of their vehicle themselves; today’s coupés are also driver-oriented. So would it be entirely wrong to suggest that one decides upon a coupé rather as one might choose an elegant coat – with the aim of wearing it for comfort and self-confidence?
Throughout its history Mercedes-Benz has offered coupés in a variety of designs. The 10 hp Benz Mylord coupé of 1901, for example, still bore close resemblance to the horse-drawn carriage, with a seat for the driver open to the elements. One not uncommon feature for the day was the folding roof above the passenger seats, which could be opened in good weather to enhance enjoyment of the journey – and which at a top speed of 35 to 40 km/h detracted only minimally from the elegance of the Mylord coupé’s appearance.
Flowing lines for a dynamic appearance
The term coupé has evolved and grown over the decades. Early coupés, for example, generally only had room for two people; since the 1950s, however, they have more usually had four seats. But the body incorporates a number of basic features that persist to this day. A coupé generally has very low, flowing lines which create a stretched silhouette. It often dispenses with the B pillar altogether, and the C pillar slopes gently into the tail. The roof is generally shorter than in the case of a sedan, and curved at the rear. The side windows are usually frameless.
Nowadays, owning a coupé and enjoying utility value are no longer mutually exclusive aspirations. Although many coupé enthusiasts would contest the fact, even in a coupé a spacious trunk, folding rear seat bench and ski bag are popular equipment features. After all, the body does not reveal outwardly all the other things that need transportation in addition to the passengers.
Coupés by Mercedes-Benz and predecessor brands carry the self-image of this exceptional vehicle type in every detail – whether in the E-Class Coupé from the C 207 series or the CL-Class from the C 216 series. In addition, the CLC from the CL 203 series has been available in the C-Class as a sports coupé version since 2008. In this way the various coupés have smoothly been taking up their place in the Mercedes-Benz product range and adding a touch of sporting elegance to the brand image.
Coupes in every class
After the Second World War the coupé became a permanent feature in particular of the Mercedes-Benz mid-series, as well as of its premium-class models. The forerunners of the CL-Class include vehicles such as the 300 S coupé (W 188, 1952 to 1955) and the coupés of the 180 and 128 “three-box body” series, whose self-supporting bodies were fully in tune with the tastes of the day.
1961 saw the launch of coupés in the premium-class 111 series, then the following year that of the 112 series, all of them highly sought-after vehicles today.
An intermediate step in the tradition of great Mercedes-Benz coupés were the coupés of the 107 series. For in the case of the C 107 the coupés were based not on the four-door premium class saloons but on the roadsters of the SL-Class.
The C 126 successor series on the other hand offered four proper seats, a feature that has been continued to the present day in the C 140, C 215 and C 216 series.
In the Mercedes-Benz mid-series there has been an almost continuous coupé tradition since the late 1960s, perpetuated today by the E-Class Coupé from the C 207 series. The first mid-series coupé was the 114 series, more familiarly known as the Stroke Eight, since internally it bore the abbreviation “/8” to denote the year of its appearance, 1968. The car was also successfully exported to North America. The 123 series (1977 to 1985) followed seamlessly on and even offered a first-ever diesel-powered coupé – initially reserved for North American customers with a view to improving Corporate Average Fuel Economy there.
The coupé tradition was continued by the 124 series from 1987 to 1996. This link was established by the first CLK Coupé (C 208 series), launched in 1997 and built until 2002. For this model Mercedes-Benz sounded out the market with the aid of a coupé study, presented in 1993 at the Geneva Motor Show and revealing to an enthusiastic public the brand’s new “four-eyed” face. Built from 2002 to 2009, the CLK series
(C 209) seamlessly built on the success of its predecessor. This was then continued by the E-Class Coupé C 207, awarded the GOOD DESIGN® Award and the German Design Award as a member of the current E-Class.
The presentation of the Vision CLS at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003 caused a sensation and gave the motoring public a foretaste of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, which appeared the following year. This car combined the best of two worlds, offering the spaciousness and four doors of a sedan, while at the same time exhibiting its clear coupé roots with a skilfully designed body. The CLS quickly established itself as a modern automotive icon. And it created an entirely new market segment. After the success enjoyed by Mercedes-Benz, other carmakers with four-door coupés followed in its wake.
No review of the coupé history of Mercedes-Benz would be complete without mention of four exceptional sports coupés. In 1954 came the 300 SL (W 198). Not just the gullwing doors and timeless body design place this car in a class of its own in the automotive world – the whole vehicle remains today both a dream car and a dream coupé in one.
Then in 1969 the company presented the C 111 experimental car, initially as a test vehicle for the Wankel engine. This coupé unleashed a storm of interest and Mercedes-Benz even received numerous blank checks from potential customers. But the C 111 never went into production.
Although the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (199 series) of 2003 was no direct descendant of the 300 SL, it still bears the genes of the Gullwing. For it is both a dream sports car and an original coupé design. In both cases, the roadster versions were later additions.
And finally, 2010 saw the arrival of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG to continue the history of Mercedes-Benz supersports cars. The elegant sportiness of this extraordinary coupé (C 197 series) ignites both passion and enthusiasm.
Every Mercedes-Benz coupé is a classic, whether it has historic roots or hails from the current model portfolio. These models perfectly round off the brand’s automotive product range and target a clientele for whom style and elegance retain a particular importance. In this way Mercedes-Benz coupés are a lifestyle statement on wheels.
A business built on heritage, the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, California celebrates its fourth year in business by displaying a rare collection of rear-engine vehicles and successfully restoring its first museum car: a 1934 150 Sport Roadster, a rare mid-rear engine two seater that’s regarded as the only 150 known to exist. Two other rear-engine vehicles, the 130 and the 170 H, are also on display at the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center.
Drawing on the expertise of their highly specialized technicians and facility’s capabilities, the MB Classic Center provided a full mechanical restoration. With the preservation of the original parts and vehicle a priority, they re-built transmission, brakes, steering and suspension systems, engineered a new wiring harness to for safety and reliability and fabricated missing components in order to make the 150 Sport Roadster street capable after not running for approximately 60 years. One of the most technologically innovative vehicles of its day, the three headlight 150 roadster features a swept split front windscreen, two free-standing spare wheels mounted in front of the rear wings, and a highly distinctive pointed boat tail featuring two translucent illuminated licence plates. Purchased second-hand in the late 1940s with a mileage of 44,500 kilometres, the150 Sport Roadster has not been roadworthy since that time.
Visually different than the 150 Sport Roadster, the 130 and 170H rear-engine vehicles appear strangely familiar to most people who see them. Featuring a rounded body, expressive wheel arches and bug-eyes lights, the 130 and subsequent 170 H offered passengers an extremely efficient vehicle package. For vehicles with a relatively short wheelbase, the engine mounted in the rear afforded passengers more leg room and improved comfort by creating optimum springing between the axles. The 1934 130 was the first fully-developed mass-produced rear-engine car both in brand history and indeed in the entire history of the automobile. While Mercedes-Benz has the honor of bringing the rear-engine concept to a new level and making it more widely known, the run was short and the 1936 170 H was the last rear-engine mounted model that wore the star logo. In 1946, 10 years after Mercedes-Benz finished production, the “VW Beetle” went on sale and the profile became recognizable.
About the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center
Opened in October 2006, the 28,000 square foot Classic Center located at 9 Whatney in Irvine, California is a stand-alone, two story facility which includes a paint and restoration shop, service bays, a parts department, a showroom for vehicles available for purchase. The Classic Center also helps customers find vintage Mercedes-Benz for purchase, supports those who are looking to purchase, and for those who already own a classic Mercedes-Benz, the Center provides the history of their vehicles by utilizing both its domestically held records and those held by the Daimler Archives in Stuttgart, whose historical industrial archives are among the largest in Europe. Mercedes-Benz Classic Center enhanced its U.S. website (www.mbclassiccenter.com) to include an online inventory of vehicles available and their history, a vehicle search function and a virtual showroom of the new facility at Irvine. Customers can call the toll-free number, 1-866-MBCLASSIC (1-866-622-5277) and speak to classic car specialists. With the customer’s vehicle chassis number or VIN, their classic car specialists can help identify correct parts and part numbers and order them directly through the Classic Center in Irvine, CA.
Throughout the summer, the Mercedes-Benz Museum is offering a variety of innovative exhibitions, exciting events and numerous activities for the children. To give you a better idea of the various offerings available should you visit the Mercedes-Benz Museum in person, we’ve included a sampling below of some of the museum’s many highlights taking place now and over the coming months. And if you do visit, here’s an insider tip: one option is to witness almost 125 years of automotive history later in the day at a reduced evening rate, then head over to the outdoor Mercedes-Benz Lounge and spend some time unwinding.
MERCEDES-BENZ MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS
Super Sports Cars
Discover the unique super sports car tradition of the brand – including the new gullwing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Become a racing driver on the virtual Nurburgring in the GT5 simulator, and expand your knowledge with iPads in the lounge area.
April 27 – August 29, 2010 in the Mercedes-Benz Museum, Collection 5.
Open Tuesday – Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Admission is included in the museum ticket.
Further information available at: www.mercedes-benz-classic.com/supersportwagen
Special Exhibition F800 Style
Welcome to the future – marvel at the automobile of tomorrow! The F800 Style research car features, amongh other things, a plug-in hybrid and fuel cell drive. The Mercedes-Benz Museum’s knowledgeable staff will give you an introduction to the vehicle and will answer your questions.
June 1 – July 11,2010 in the Mercedes-Benz Museum, Fascination of Technology Section.
Tuesday – Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Fascination of Technology on the Road
On each Sunday in July on the hill in front of the Mercedes-Benz Museum, visitors with a valid drivers license can get in and drive off in a Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-Cell. Register free of charge to experience the environmentally friendly fuel-cell-powered electric car on a test drive around the Mercedes-Benz Museum.
July 4, July 11, July 18, July 25 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the hill in front of the Mercedes-Benz Museum.
Participation is free of charge.
DTM Champions Exhibition
Breathe the atmosphere of the race track and experience the fascination of motorsport at Mercedes-Benz: authentic exhibits, detailed driver portraits and original AMG Mercedes C-Class racing touring cars tell an impressive story of three generations of DTM motorsport.
Now through July 31, 2010 in the Stuttgart Mercedes-Benz sales and service outlet.
Open Tuesday – Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free.
Special Guided Tours
MERCEDES-BENZ MUSEUM EVENTS
Cars & Coffee
On four different days on the hill in front of the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Drivable collector’s pieces present themselves against the backdrop of the Mercedes-Benz Museum.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Jazzopen Stuttgart
The open-air stage becomes an open-air festival location. Performers: top-flight musicians like Randy Crawford and Joe Sample, Pink Martini, Gurrumul, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra with Richard Galliano and Henrik Schwarz, Dauner’s Salon with Jean-Luc Ponty, Alphonse Mouzon and Klaus Doldinger, Matinee with Max Greger.
18 thru July 23 and July 25 on the open-air stage at the Mercedes-Benz Museum
Further information and tickets at www.jazzopen.com
First Helpers’ Week: Fascination Fire Brigade
The first Helpers’ Week is great for surprises: let the world’s biggest man-made tornado amaze you or let a rescue simulator turn you upside down. Feel the excitement on the weekend at the meeting of historic fire-fighting vehicles.
August 3 – August 8, 2010
Further information at: www.mercedes-benz-classic.com/woche-der-helfer
Mercedes-Benz Open-Air Cinema
Film, please! The curtain rises for the latest blockbusters and popular classics. This event promises a varied program in an imposing architectonic setting.
August 19 – September 5, 2010 on the open-air stage at the Mercedes-Benz Museum.
Showings start daily after sunset (Tuesday – Sunday around 9 p.m.)
Further information at www.stuttgarter-sommerkino.de
125 Years of Reitwagen
The Daimler Reitwagen (motorcycle) turns 125. On this occasion, the Mercedes-Benz Museum – in cooperation with Deutsches Zweirad- und NSU-Museum Neckarsulm – invites fans and owners of historic motorcycles to present their two-wheelers on the museum hill.
August 29, 2010 on the hill in front of the Mercedes-Benz Museum.
Begins at 11 a.m. and goes till 4 p.m.
Participation is free of charge as well as free admission to the museum for participants.
Formula 1 live transmission
Start of transmission on each date is 2 p.m. Admission is free. Enjoy the races live on a 30 square meter wall from three different angles.
Museum Open Hours:
Tuesday – Sunday and public holidays – 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Box Office closes at 5 p.m.
Closed on Mondays
Address:
Mercedes-Benz Museum
Mercedes strasse 100
70372 Stuttgart, Germany
www.mercedes-benz-classic.com
If you have questions or wish to make reservations, contact the Mercedes-Benz Classic Customer Center:
Phone: +49(0)711-17 30 000
Fax: +49(0)711-17 30 400
Email: classic@daimler.com
Mercedes-Benz will be represented for the first time at this year’s “Klassikwelt Bodensee” (Lake Constance Classic World) from 3 to 6 June 2010 in Friedrichshafen, where it will be putting on an extensive vehicle display. Featuring an extremely diverse programme of events, the fair is a reflection of the history of mobility comprising historic means of transport used on land, on water and in the air. As such it is an ideal match for the basic motivation which drove Gottlieb Daimler (1834 to 1900), who constantly pursued the comprehensive vision of promoting mobility with the aid of his wide range of vehicles of all types.
“Our stand in Hall 7 will be based on the theme of traditional open-air driving pleasure”, explains Michael Bock, head of Mercedes-Benz Classic. “We will be displaying the famous 300 SL Roadster, which made its debut in 1957. There will also be a couple of young classics on display: a 124-series Cabriolet – the open four-seater was produced from 1991 to 1997 – as well as a 107-series Mercedes-Benz SL (1971 to 1989).”
The stand will also include a Mercedes-Benz Museum shop. The brand clubs devoted to the S-Class and the 107 and 129-series SL will also be represented at “Klassikwelt Bodensee”.
Visitors will be able to view the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG super sports car in Outdoor Area East in front of Exhibition Hall 6 – along with the new E-Class Cabriolet, an SLK and an SL. These open-top vehicles form the link between the Mercedes-Benz vehicles on display in Hall 7 and the present day – and at the same time represent the classics of the future.
The attention-grabber in Courtyard 1 will be the Mercedes-Benz Classic Truck, which will be going on public display for the first time with its newly designed interior and exterior. The truck presents the history of the brand and also highlights the wide range of products and services available from Mercedes-Benz Classic.
This year will mark the third time that the “Klassikwelt Bodensee” has taken place following its much-heralded premiere in 2008. The event is held in various locations in and around Friedrichshafen: in the grounds of the exhibition hall in Friedrichshafen, at the airport, on Lake Constance and even on stretches of the railway. Visitors will be able to view all types of historic vehicles, from cars, commercial vehicles, trains and ships, right through to aircraft. The organiser is expecting around 380 exhibitors. The show is also associated with a classic car market. A parallel event – “the electric avenue expo” – is devoted to electric mobility. Additional information is available at www.klassikwelt-bodensee.de.