Rudolf Uhlenhaut: Engineer and Gentleman
By Wolfgang Scheller and Thomas Pollak
Rudolf Uhlenhaut is known as the father of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, but his imprint on the German automaker goes much deeper than that. He was not only a skilled engineer, but also an outstanding driver as well as an adept businessman—a combination of talents not often found in a single individual.
Born in London in 1906 to a Prussian father and an English mother, Uhlenhaut’s family roots ran deep in the German steel industry, but growing up in the seat of the British Empire gave him a broad view of the world, ultimately exposing him to the device that would shape his life, the automobile. Chasing his dream of becoming an engineer, Uhlenhaut studied at Munich’s technical university, concentrating on combustion engines and machine tools, with a side helping of psychology. Upon graduation he was hired by Daimler-Benz AG, where he proceeded to engineer great success.
Uhlenhaut’s personal modesty was a defining characteristic—unlike his compatriot Alfred Neubauer—and meant he had no desire for his biography to be written because he never took himself that seriously. Thus does this work of Scheller and Polak stand out because it captures his essence well. They worked to dig beyond the familiar anecdotes from his career to capture the man himself, and it seems they have succeeded.
Liberally illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs, this book is available from enthusiast bookstores or direct from publisher Dalton Watson Books at www.daltonwatson.com
