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1952 Mercedes-Benz W194 300SL Carrera Panamericana
The Mercedes-Benz W194 (also 300 SL) is the Mercedes-Benz entry for the 1952 Sportscar racing season, its first after World War II.
Powered by a 3.0 litre SOHC straight-6, it ran off an impressive string of victories that included 24 Hours of Le Mans, Bern-Bremgarten, the Eifelrennen at Nürburgring, and Mexico's Carrera Panamericana.[1]
Only ten W194s were made.[2] It was succeeded by the Mercedes-Benz W196 on the track and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR on the road racing circuit. This led to the iconic Mercedes 300 SL W198 Gullwing road car in 1954. The racing W194 300 SL was built around a mere 140-150 pound welded aluminum tube spaceframe chassis to offset the relatively underpowered M194 engine.[2] Designed by Daimler-Benz's chief developing engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the metal skeleton saved weight while still providing a high level of strength. Since it enveloped the passenger compartment traditional doors were impossible, giving birth to the model's distinctive gull-wing arrangement.
1952 Mercedes-Benz W194 300SL Carrera Panamericana
The Mercedes-Benz W194 (also 300 SL) is the Mercedes-Benz entry for the 1952 Sportscar racing season, its first after World War II.
Powered by a 3.0 litre SOHC straight-6, it ran off an impressive string of victories that included 24 Hours of Le Mans, Bern-Bremgarten, the Eifelrennen at Nürburgring, and Mexico's Carrera Panamericana.[1]
Only ten W194s were made.[2] It was succeeded by the Mercedes-Benz W196 on the track and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR on the road racing circuit. This led to the iconic Mercedes 300 SL W198 Gullwing road car in 1954. The racing W194 300 SL was built around a mere 140-150 pound welded aluminum tube spaceframe chassis to offset the relatively underpowered M194 engine.[2] Designed by Daimler-Benz's chief developing engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the metal skeleton saved weight while still providing a high level of strength. Since it enveloped the passenger compartment traditional doors were impossible, giving birth to the model's distinctive gull-wing arrangement.