MBWorld Trivia: How To Haul a Classic Benz

By Lane Anderson - May 9, 2013

Semi’s don’t do much for me. Some are fast. Some race. Some have funny aerodynamic aids. I do recognize why we need them, most especially why racing teams need them. Still, though, a truck that’s equal parts racecar and gear hauler would be ideal. Lucky for me, Mercedes-Benz had just that. Do you know the car hauler I’m referring to?

One doesn’t just put a 300SLR on a trailer and bring it to a race. In all seriousness, motor racing used to be a different kind of animal. When a car broke down the driver became a mechanic. Much like today, Mercedes-Benz provided their teams with a support truck–the only difference between then and now, is how that truck looked.

The Renntransporter was built to be the fastest car hauler in the world. Team manager Alfred Neubauer mandated this, because he saw the truck as a last resort of sorts. If a mechanical malady or racing shunt put a car out of working order during a race weekend, the Renntransporter would speed to the factory or garage and retrieve a new car or component and hastily bring it to team. Engineers looked to the fastest and most reliable cars and from there, designed a truck. They took a tubular frame based on the frame from the 300SL and placed it beneath the skin. The engine? The same 6-cylinder from the 300SL. The gearbox? Also from the 300SL. All that kit translated into one awesome looking car hauler that managed to steal attention from the cars it hauled-a very impressive feat in its own right.