A Day in Some of the Best Mercedes Race Cars of All Time
Mercedes and AMG are household names when it comes to dominating the race track. Over the years, they have built the most powerful race cars in the world.
Celebrating 125 Years
Earlier last month, Mercedes-Benz hosted a celebratory event at the Silverstone race track in England to commemorate 125 years in motorsports. Sean Evans, a writer for Robb Report, was among those lucky enough to spend the day handling the circuit in a few pedigreed Mercedes racers alongside a number of champion drivers. Some of the cars that were taken around the race track at neck-breaking speeds included the 1980 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL, a 230 SL, 1955 300 SL, the 1904 Mercedes-Simplex, and the 1928 SSK.
Photos Courtesy of Daimler AG
1980 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL Rallye
Before building the 500 SL Rallye, Mercedes-Benz had developed a number of SLC coupes that featured exemplary off-road capabilities. The automaker then decided to make a nimbler and shorter 500 SL that could dominate rally racing. Only 4 examples were made. Walter Röhrl was the man put behind the wheel. Unfortunately, Mercedes decided to drop out of the competition before the season began in 1981. This was in order to focus on other racing formats.
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Performance
In the 500 SL, Evans rode alongside Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-AMG's Finnish F1 driver. The car runs on a 300-horsepower engine that delivers the much-needed torque to the short axle. Bottas didn't hesitate to push the 4-speed automatic to its limits. Thanks to an 80% locking ratio, the 500 SL was able to comply adeptly under masterful driving.
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1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK
After an incredible experience in the 500 SL, Evans then accompanied the 5-time German Touring Car Masters champion, Bernd Schneider, in a 1928 Mercedes-Benz SSK. It's a race car powered by a 7.1-liter 6-cylinder engine. Back in the day, the SSK won multiple road rallies such as the Mille Miglia. It's supercharged engine still whines like that of a jet to date.
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EVO II
Evans then hopped into the 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution DTM alongside former DTM wheelman and F1 safety car driver, Bernd Maylander. The first lap was as efficient as it could be with Maylander slicing through the clean track lines. The second lap was a fun one with smoky giant drifts around the corners.
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2019 Mercedes-AMG GT3
You can't hop into a 2019 AMG GT3 without your fire suite and Head and Neck Support (HANS). That's exactly what Evans had to do before the 550-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 was barked to life. Adam Christodoulou, a Championship driver, did not waste time to burn some rubber across the track. Evans' experience was a combination of thick shifts, a reverberation that cut through his torso, noise, and heat. The GT3 is a capable race weapon that tidily maneuvers through corners at impressive speeds.
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2018 Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM
The 2018 Mercedes-AMG C 63 DTM was Evans' last treat at Silverstone. The low-profiled car runs on a 500-horsepower V8 engine that sounds incredibly fierce at full throttle. Evans had to be shoved inside due to his 6'2" body frame. According to him, once Mercedes-AMG F1 reserve driver Esteban Ocon turned the engine on, the car vibrated violently like an old washing machine. The deafening cabin could barely allow him to say anything to Ocon.
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More Vibrations
Things didn't get any better at high speed. By the first turn, Evans' body was already numb and his vision blurry. Ocon's precision was so outstanding that despite the shaky chassis, the 22-year old F1 racer didn't lose his focus nor get intimidated by the car's immense power. Each succeeding lap was more savage and faster. At the end of it all, Evans was a shaky man who couldn't help but grin at the incredible experience he had just had. It's no wonder the C 63 scooped a triple win at the 2018 DTM season.
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125 and More
The last 125 years have been an incredible journey for Mercedes-Benz and AMG. The accomplishments are a clear indication of what lies ahead: more trophies, more podiums, and more powerful cars.
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