The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé (Revell Shop Link) is considered one of the most fascinating automotive creations of all time. As a true icon of engineering, it combines racing car technology with the road-worthy elegance of the 1950s and continues to inspire automotive enthusiasts worldwide to this day. On the occasion of its 70th anniversary, we take a detailed look at this extraordinary vehicle, which has set new standards not only technically but also in terms of price.
The Origin Story of the Uhlenhaut Coupé
The history of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé begins with its namesake: Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the talented head of the testing department at Mercedes-Benz. Born in 1906 as the son of a director of Deutsche Bank in London, Uhlenhaut developed outstanding skills as an engineer and could drive almost as fast as the best racing drivers of his time.
After the great successes of the Mercedes-Benz W196 Formula 1 racing car, Uhlenhaut decided to reserve two of the nine W196S 300SLR racing car chassis for a special project. His vision: to create road-worthy coupés that would compete in the legendary Carrera Panamericana. These vehicles differed significantly from the already existing W194 300SL Gullwing with a wider body and unique styling.
Tragically, the racing program was discontinued after the disaster at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1955, where a 300SLR Roadster crashed into an Austin-Healey, killing 84 people, including driver Pierre Levegh. Mercedes subsequently withdrew from motorsport for decades, and the 300SLR Coupé program was canceled. However, Uhlenhaut kept one of the vehicles as a company car after equipping it with larger mufflers.
Technical Masterpiece Under the Hood
The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé is a technical masterpiece of its time. Its heart is the M 196 S engine – a 3.0-liter straight-eight cylinder engine with direct injection and desmodromic valve control. With a bore and stroke of 78 mm each, this impressive engine produced between 302 and 314 hp at 7400 rpm and developed a torque of 310 Nm at 5950 rpm
The engine originally consisted of two 4-cylinder blocks with a total displacement of 2.5 liters, but was enlarged to 3.0 liters for the 300 SLR. This increase in performance helped the vehicle achieve breathtaking driving performance: The sports car, weighing only 1117 kg, accelerated to 130 km/h in less than 7 seconds and reached a top speed of impressive 284-290 km/h.
Power transmission was via a manual 5-speed gearbox mounted at the rear. The gear ratios were carefully tuned to ensure optimal power delivery. With various final drive ratios, the top speed could be adjusted for different purposes – during test drives on the autobahn between Munich and Ingolstadt, an average speed of 176.47 km/h was measured.
Chassis and Body: Lightweight Construction Meets Elegance
The chassis of the 300 SLR was based on a steel tubular frame, encased in a body made of Elektron (a magnesium alloy). This lightweight construction contributed significantly to the vehicle’s excellent power-to-weight ratio. With 277.53 hp per ton, the 300 SLR was exceptionally agile for its time.
The suspension consisted of double wishbones with torsion bar springs at the front and swing axles with longitudinal torsion bar springs at the rear, each supplemented by telescopic shock absorbers. This advanced chassis design provided excellent road holding and handling characteristics, ensuring stability even at the highest speeds.
The distinctive body with its long hood, characteristic gullwing doors, and curved panoramic windshield made the 300 SLR a true eye-catcher. The side-mounted exhaust pipes, air intakes, and wire-spoke wheels emphasized the sporty character of the vehicle.
Legendary Performance
The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé was far ahead of its time and is considered the fastest road-legal car of its era. A famous anecdote tells how Uhlenhaut once arrived late for a meeting and covered the approximately 220 km route from Munich to Stuttgart in just over an hour – a journey that would take about 2.5 hours today.
During extensive test drives, the car proved its exceptional reliability and performance. On August 3, 1955, Uhlenhaut drove the coupé to the Grand Prix in Kristanstad, Sweden, and returned seven days later after covering 1623 miles (about 2610 km). During training for the Swedish race, Uhlenhaut drove 122 miles (about 196 km) at racing speed on the track.
The legendary Formula 1 driver and former Mercedes-Benz team driver Stirling Moss described the 300 SLR as “the greatest sports racing car ever built – truly an incredible machine.” With this car, Moss won his first race, the Mille Miglia, and set a track record that still stands today.
The Most Expensive Car in the World
In May 2022, one of the two Uhlenhaut Coupés made automotive history when it was auctioned for the record-breaking sum of 135 million euros (about 142 million dollars).
This sale pulverized the previous auction record of 48.5 million dollars for a Ferrari 250 GTO and made the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé the most expensive car in the world.
The vehicle was sold through a private auction by RM Sotheby’s, with the bid reportedly submitted by Simon Kidston, a British classic car dealer, collector, commentator, and journalist.
The 54-year-old Kidston himself owns an impressive private collection, in which the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé now represents the showpiece. Interestingly, he had driven the car 13 years before the purchase and immediately fell in love with it.
One condition of the sale was that the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé must continue to be exhibited for special occasions so that the public can admire the most valuable car in the world. The proceeds from the auction will go to a global scholarship program that encourages students to follow in the footsteps of Rudolf Uhlenhaut and develop new technologies.
Model Building: The Legend in 1:24 Scale
For all lovers of this automotive icon, Revell now offers the opportunity to build a detailed model of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR in 1:24 scale. The gift set for the 70th anniversary allows model builders to relive the fascination of this unique vehicle in miniature.
The kit impresses with its high-quality, multi-part eight-cylinder engine that reflects the technical sophistication of the original. The true-to-original tubular frame and functional elements such as the movable hood and the characteristic gullwing doors make this model a special highlight for any collector.
With 124 individual parts, the kit offers a pleasant challenge for model builders aged 12 and up. The finished model with dimensions of 18.1 cm length, 7.3 cm width, and 5 cm height is an impressive exhibition piece that perfectly captures the elegance and power of the original.
The complete starter set includes, in addition to the detailed plastic model kit, an illustrated construction manual in several languages, high-quality Revell Aqua Color basic paints, Revell Contacta Professional Mini adhesive, and a quality brush for precise coloring.
For anyone who wants to own a piece of automotive history, this model is the perfect opportunity to bring the legend of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé to life at home.
Discover the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 70th Anniversary Gift Set now: https://revell.de/shop/product/056339090-geschenkset-mercedes-benz-300-slr-70th-anniversary
