1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe

With its eight-cylinder, 2982-cc engine developing up to 310 horsepower, this Silver Arrow was capable of a maximum speed in excess of 300 km/h – enough to power it to glory in all the top road races of 1955. The Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, Tourist Trophy, Eifelrennen and the Swedish Grand Prix – the 300 SLR won them all.

The spirited lines of the body, with its elongated bonnet, were complemented by the striking proportions of the side-mounted exhaust pipes, the air vents and the wire-spoke wheels. The cockpit, with its curved wraparound windscreen, was elegantly sculptured. Rudolf Uhlenhaut referred to his latest automotive work of art as a ‘hot-heeled touring car’, and the 300 SLR CoupÃ© lived up to its billing. Weighing only 1117 kilograms yet developing 310 horsepower, the Uhlenhaut CoupÃ© accelerated to a maximum speed approaching 290 km/h in testing (the manufacturer’s data showed a top speed of 284 km/h). This made the two-seater the fastest car of its time to be registered for use on public roads, as well as ‘one of the most exciting cars that Mercedes-Benz has ever built,’ as motorsport guru Karl Ludvigsen later observed.

However, the lightning-fast SLR CoupÃ© never made it into series production. The Stuttgart-based car maker felt that the mid-1950s was not the right time to bring out a powerful sports tourer of this kind, leaving the road version of the SLR to fall into oblivion. As Mercedes pulled out of motorsport in 1955, the SLR CoupÃ© project was put on ice. Only two prototypes of this masterpiece of power and elegance were ever built and yet this wonderful car had still become a legend in its own right.

Specs & Performance

tags	gullwing, 300sl, w198
submitted by	Richard Owen
type	Series Production Car
engine	Type M 196 S, Twin Spark Inline-8 w/Dry Sump Lubrication
position	Front Longitudinal, 53 Degree Inclination To The Right
aspiration	Natural
valvetrain	DOHC, 2 Valves per Cyl w/Desmodromic Valve Gear
fuel feed	Mechanically Controlled Petrol Direct Injection
displacement	2982 cc / 182.0 in³
bore	78 mm / 3.07 in
stroke	78 mm / 3.07 in
compression	9.0:1
power	231.2 kw / 310.0 bhp @ 7400 rpm
specific output	103.96 bhp per litre
bhp/weight	277.53 bhp per tonne
torque	317 nm / 233.8 ft lbs @ 5950 rpm
redline	7800
body / frame	Elektron Body over Steel Tubular Space Frame
driven wheels	RWD
front tires	6.00×16
rear tires	7.00×16
front brakes	Inboard Duplex Drum Brakes w/Power Assist
rear brakes	Inboard Duplex Drum Brakes w/Power Assist
front wheels	F 40.6 x 15.2 cm / 16.0 x 6.0 in
rear wheels	R 40.6 x 17.8 cm / 16.0 x 7.0 in
steering	Worm & Sector
f suspension	Double Wishbones w/Torsion Bar Springs, Telescopic Shock Absrobers,
r suspension	Swing Axles w/Longitudinal Torsion Bar Springs, Telescopic Shock Absrobers
curb weight	1117 kg / 2463 lbs
wheelbase	2370 mm / 93.3 in
front track	1330 mm / 52.4 in
rear track	1380 mm / 54.3 in
length	4350 mm / 171.3 in
width	1750 mm / 68.9 in
height	1210 mm / 47.6 in
transmission	Rear Mounted 5-Speed Manual
gear ratios	2.67:1, 1.75:1, 1.43:1, 1.07:1, 0.83:1
final drive	2.222:1
top speed	~284 kph / 176.5 mph