The Mercedes Benz W 196 stands as a testament to automotive engineering excellence and groundbreaking design. Its streamlined body, a departure from conventional racing car aesthetics, was truly revolutionary. Low and wide, the W 196’s coachwork boasted smooth curves and minimal ornamentation. Key design features included a prominent open-mouth grille, cooling inlets strategically placed on the rear shoulder haunches, and distinct molded character lines gracefully arching over the front wheel wells. This design element became a signature of the 300 SL model line, forging a visual connection across Mercedes-Benz’s sports-racing lineage. The W 196 was, without question, a masterpiece of automotive artistry, rivaling the most visually stunning sports racers and supercars with its sheer aesthetic appeal.
An image highlighting the streamlined body design of the Mercedes Benz W 196, showcasing its low profile, curved lines, and distinctive open-mouth grille.
These unique streamlined bodies of the Mercedes Benz W 196 were meticulously handcrafted in extremely limited numbers by the Mercedes-Benz racing department. Constructed from Elektron magnesium alloy, they achieved an incredibly lightweight shell, even lighter than aluminum, resulting in a total body weight of just over 88 pounds. While open-wheel bodies were also fashioned from lightweight alloy, the production of coachwork later transitioned to steel bodies manufactured at Sindelfingen.
Throughout the 1954 and 1955 racing seasons, the streamlined enclosed-wheel body of the Mercedes Benz W 196 and the open-wheel grand prix-style body were used interchangeably. The factory internally designated the enclosed-wheel coachwork as Stromlinie, or Streamline. Today, these cars are also commonly referred to as Streamliners or Stromlinienwagen (streamlined car). Combining formidable mechanical specifications with exceptionally aerodynamic and lightweight coachwork, the Mercedes Benz W 196 R was capable of exceeding 186 mph. This remarkable top speed firmly established it as one of the fastest grand prix cars ever conceived and built.
A dynamic shot of the Mercedes Benz W 196 R Stromlinienwagen participating in a race, emphasizing its speed and aerodynamic design in a competitive environment.
1954: The Realization of a Perfect Racing Strategy
Alfred Neubauer, the legendary and long-time manager of the Mercedes-Benz racing team, understood that the sheer power of the Mercedes Benz W 196 R would only translate into victory with exceptional drivers behind the wheel. Early in the development process, the strategic decision was made to assemble a team of the most talented drivers available. Initially, two German drivers, the experienced Karl Kling and the promising Hans Herrmann, were signed. However, the brightest star in the Mercedes-Benz constellation soon became the third team member: the celebrated Argentinian racing driver, Juan Manuel Fangio.
In the late 1950s, Juan Manuel Fangio, the five-time Formula One champion, achieved a level of fame that transcended the realm of motorsport. He became a global icon, much like Lewis Hamilton in contemporary times, with grandstands echoing with enthusiastic chants of “FONN-GEE-OHHH!”
Before his ascent to international stardom, in early 1954, Juan Manuel Fangio was a prodigious talent on the cusp of greatness. His credentials were already firmly established with his first Drivers’ Championship secured for Alfa Romeo in 1951. However, the Alfa Romeo team’s dissolution in 1952 and the FIA’s subsequent shift from Formula One to Formula Two racing led to Ferrari’s dominance for the following two years. During this period, Fangio raced patiently with the Maserati team and in sports car events. Victories were frequent, but further championships remained elusive. As he entered his early forties, some racing enthusiasts began to wonder if Fangio’s peak performance was already in the past.
Fortunately for Fangio, his exceptional talent had already been recognized in Stuttgart. Alfred Neubauer, always seeking the best driving talent, vividly recalled Fangio’s remarkable performance in an Alfa Romeo at the 1951 Swiss Grand Prix, where he achieved pole position, the fastest lap, and a first-place finish. Neubauer contacted Fangio’s agent, and a contract for the 1954 season with Mercedes-Benz was promptly finalized. However, as the 1954 season commenced, the new Mercedes-Benz racing machine was still under development. This situation led Fangio to continue racing for Maserati in the initial two rounds of the 1954 Formula One season, securing victories at both the Argentine and Belgian Grands Prix. Following the Belgian Grand Prix triumph, Fangio officially transitioned to the Mercedes-Benz team.
Juan Manuel Fangio expertly maneuvering the Mercedes Benz W 196 during a race, capturing the synergy between driver and machine.
In July 1954, the highly anticipated debut of the new Mercedes-Benz race cars took place at the French Grand Prix in Reims. The unveiling of a trio of Mercedes Benz W 196 R Streamliners immediately inspired awe. Their appearance was unlike anything ever witnessed in a Formula One race. Team drivers Fangio, Kling, and Herrmann qualified in 1st, 2nd, and 7th positions, respectively. Herrmann went on to set the fastest lap of the race, while Fangio and Kling achieved an impressive 1-2 finish. This race marked a resounding and triumphant return to racing for Mercedes-Benz after a long absence.
Fangio secured pole position for the British Grand Prix in late July, but rainy conditions contributed to a 4th-place finish. The team rebounded strongly at the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring in early August, fielding a four-car team that included three open-wheel cars and one Streamliner. This race marked the debut of the open-wheel variant of the Mercedes Benz W 196 R. Fangio once again claimed pole position and went on to win the race, with Kling finishing 4th, both driving open-wheel cars. At the Swiss Grand Prix three weeks later, a three-car team, all open-wheel, achieved nearly identical results, with Fangio securing victory and Herrmann finishing 3rd.
For the Italian Grand Prix at the Monza circuit in early September, Mercedes-Benz entered two Streamliners and one open-wheel car, based on testing that indicated the closed-fender coachwork would offer a speed advantage. During the race, a young British privateer named Stirling Moss, driving a Maserati 250F, led for 19 laps before being forced to retire due to a cracked oil tank. Fangio in a Streamliner and Herrmann in an open-wheel car ultimately cruised to 1st and 4th place finishes, respectively. The impressive performance of the talented Englishman, Stirling Moss, likely did not go unnoticed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut and Alfred Neubauer.
Two weeks later, the Mercedes Benz W 196 R cars participated in a non-championship race, the Berlin Grand Prix, held at the AVUS circuit. With no championship points at stake, this event served primarily as a public relations showcase for enthusiastic German spectators. Three Streamliners, driven by Kling, Fangio, and Herrmann, effortlessly achieved a 1-2-3 podium sweep.
At the Spanish Grand Prix in late October, the final race of the year, Fangio finished in a team-best 3rd place among a contingent of three open-wheel entries. The legend of Juan Manuel Fangio continued to grow, and his second Drivers’ Championship was officially secured. The immediate and overwhelming potency of the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Silver Arrow was firmly established, successfully thwarting Ferrari’s bid for a third consecutive Formula One championship.
Amidst this immediate display of dominance by the Mercedes Benz W 196 R, chassis number 00009/54, the specific car highlighted here, was completed. Originally configured as an open-wheel monoposto built on the 1954-specification 2,350-millimeter long-wheelbase chassis, and identified with a ‘54’ suffix in its chassis number (cars from 1955 have a ‘55’ suffix), this particular chassis began testing on December 15, 1954. For chassis number 00009/54, and for the victorious Mercedes-Benz racing team as a whole, even greater achievements were on the horizon in the season ahead.
Chassis Number 00009/54 in Competition: Open-Wheel Configuration
For the 1955 season, the Mercedes Benz W 196 R underwent further development to maintain its competitive edge. The engine was refined in several aspects, including the incorporation of a new intake manifold. The decision was made to utilize the open-wheel grand prix bodies for nearly all of the 1955 races. The updated cars achieved a weight reduction of approximately 70 kilograms (154 pounds) compared to their predecessors. Further testing revealed that the 1954 Mercedes Benz W 196 R had been significantly hampered by its Continental tires. Consequently, the tire manufacturer was tasked with developing an improved product, and their off-season development efforts proved to be a crucial advantage for the revised car.
The Rennabteilung, Mercedes-Benz’s racing department, once again pursued top-tier driving talent, recruiting the emerging 25-year-old British driver Stirling Moss, who had impressed at Monza. Moss would later become a renowned celebrity in his own right and one of the most celebrated British drivers of all time. Although his racing career was tragically cut short by an accident in 1962, he remained a passionate advocate for motorsports and a staunch supporter of the automotive industry throughout his life, even serving as a brand ambassador for Mercedes-Benz in his later years. His enduring contributions to the sport and Britain’s motoring heritage were recognized in 2000 when he was knighted by the future King Charles.
Stirling Moss pictured within a Mercedes Benz race car, illustrating his pivotal role as a driver for the team and his later knighthood for contributions to motorsports.
However, in the early 1950s, Moss was still steadily progressing as a privateer, a journey that began with his victory at the 1950 Tourist Trophy. In pursuit of securing a position on the Mercedes-Benz team, he purchased and raced a genuine Formula One specification car, the Maserati 250F, in 1953. Despite the 250F’s occasional unreliability in races, Moss demonstrated considerable potential during several impressive qualifying sessions. Neubauer took note of his abilities, particularly after the events of the 1954 Italian Grand Prix. By December 1954, Moss was hired by Mercedes-Benz and began practicing in the Mercedes Benz W 196 R, familiarizing himself with the car’s intricacies while being impressed by the Rennabteilung’s team-oriented environment.
Moss later reflected on the Mercedes-Benz team, stating, “Their meticulousness and thoughtfulness amazed me from the outset. It felt like entering a different world… Every racecourse where the cars competed was mathematically analyzed… Neubauer himself would meticulously mark and time gearchanges, lap after lap… Drivers were heard and respected, which is often not the case in other top teams… Nothing was too much trouble—and they were willing to explore any avenue that might enhance performance.”
Mercedes-Benz’s unwavering commitment undeniably bore fruit in 1954, and it was poised to yield even greater results with Moss joining the team. It was Fangio, however, who set the winning tone, securing victory at the inaugural round of the 1955 Formula One season at the Argentine Grand Prix on January 16, 1955. As the next Formula One points event on the calendar was not until late May, the team remained in Argentina to conduct live-action testing during the Buenos Aires Grand Prix. This Formula Libre race, with its less restrictive regulations, proved to be a valuable testing ground for Formula One teams.
The Formula Libre Buenos Aires Grand Prix on January 30, 1955, marked the racing debut of the car being discussed, chassis number 00009/54, driven by Juan Manuel Fangio as car #2. According to Rennabteilung build sheets on file, and recent confirmation from Mercedes-Benz, chassis number 00009/54 was equipped with a “Sport 59” engine, apparently a code name for the 3.0-liter M196 engine, and fitted with an open-wheel monoposto body. One of the primary objectives for the team in this non-Formula One event was evidently to test this new iteration of the M196 engine, which was intended for use in the upcoming Mercedes Benz W 196 S sports car, the 300 SLR. Moss, Kling, and Herrmann joined Fangio, each racing an open-wheel car in this significant testing and racing event.
