Some cars earn themselves a spot in automotive history thanks to their outstanding performance; others thanks to their striking looks, and others yet thanks to their uniqueness and rarity. The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Coupe, best known as the Uhlenhaut Coupe after the man responsible for bringing it into existence, has all three. Long after its creation, it would also serve as the inspiration for the modern SLR, another icon of Mercedes-Benz history and the result of a legendary collaboration with McLaren.
This one-of-a-kind (well, two of a kind) Mercedes has its origins in the world of motorsport and was shaped by rather tragic circumstances; departing from the original race car’s design with its unique touches, it became a record-breaking rarity, currently holding the title of most expensive car ever sold at an eye-watering $142 million. Let’s dive into the history of how the Uhlenhaut Coupe came to be, and its journey over the decades.
Named After A Legend: Rudolf Uhlenhaut’s Life And Career
This extremely rare and expensive car was named after a man who never owned a car of his own. He did, however, design and contribute to plenty of them, and was a pivotal figure in Mercedes-Benz’s history from the 1930s to the 1970s. We’re talking about Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the British-German engineer and designer whose work with Mercedes’ racing program earned him a firm place in automotive history.
Born in London to a German father and a British mother, Uhlenhaut studied engineering in Munich, and eventually joined Mercedes-Benz in 1931. He remained with the company for four decades, leading its motorsport division; as a talented driver himself, he also tested and raced several Mercedes-Benz race cars.
His career was interrupted by World War II, during which motorsport events were put on hold, and he was placed under surveillance by the Gestapo due to his dual nationality. During this time, he worked on developing aircraft engines; however, after the war he returned to the world of cars, joining Mercedes once more in 1948. Four years later, work began on the car that would end up bearing his name. Uhlenhaut retired in 1972, and passed away in Stuttgart seventeen years later, in 1989.
Two Of A Kind: The Uhlenhaut Coupe
While the SLR 300 is best known as a race car, with seven examples built, Mercedes also built two road-legal coupe versions. This variant was known as the Uhlenhaut Coupe after its designer, with the two individual cars nicknamed “Red” and “Blue” after the color of their interior. The color scheme isn’t the only difference between the two cars; there are a number of other, subtle features that set them apart, such as a fuel filler neck under the trunk lid (which is present in Red but not Blue).
The company’s original plan was for these two cars to enter the world of racing: Uhlenhaut and the team had set two chassis aside, to be converted into a hybrid between the SLR and the SL and raced at the legendary Carrera Panamericana in Mexico. The cars were completed, but by the time they were finished, the Carrera Panamericana had been canceled as the world of motorsport reeled from the 1955 Le Mans tragedy we discuss below. The company was left with two completed prototypes and nothing to do with them.
Red and Blue were now known as the fastest road cars of their era; however, as they now no longer had an official purpose, Uhlenhaut began using Blue as his personal company car. According to one anecdote, he once drove from Munich to Stuttgart in just over an hour while running late for a meeting – a journey that typically takes two and a half hours.
The Uhlenhaut Coupe may not have been able to enjoy the racing career it was destined for, but it certainly managed to leave an impression on the automotive world of the time by acting as a “brand ambassador” car. Uhlenhaut took the cars on demonstration drives, in the company of public figures and racing drivers; a carefully-selected group of journalists was invited behind the wheel, and sang the Coupe’s praises in their respective publications.
The 300 SLR’s Design And Specs, And How It Struck Tragedy
One of the aspects that make the 300 SLR such a memorable car is its striking design, with a futuristic, aerodynamic silhouette and rounded, flowing lines. Its bodywork was made of an ultra-light magnesium alloy called Elektron, which contributed to the car’s low weight (the race version only weighed 1,986 pounds, while the Uhlenhaut Coupe weighed 2,463).
This choice of material, however, ultimately proved to have tragic consequences: during the infamous 1955 accident at Le Mans that paused Mercedes’ motorsport program for three decades, the car’s bodywork caught fire due to the high magnesium content, which contributed to the high death toll.
Under the hood, the 300 SLR was powered by an unusual choice of engine by modern standards: a 3.0-liter straight-eight, a layout that was rapidly falling out of favor around that time and would be almost completely phased out by the time the 1960s rolled around. This engine was paired with a 5-speed transaxle gearbox.
Triumph And Tragedy: The 300 SLR On The Track
The 300 SLR had a brief but shining career on the racetrack, collecting victory after victory until tragic circumstances put its run to an end. The end of the 300 SLR’s racing days also coincided with Mercedes’ three-decade hiatus from racing, due to a horrific accident that changed the course of motorsport history forever.
A Short-Lived Racing Career
The SLR 300 managed to enjoy a good record on the racetrack in the brief period it spent competing, obtaining first and second place at the legendary Mille Miglia in 1955. Both cars were driven by illustrious names of motorsport history: Stirling Moss got the highest spot on the podium, with teammate Juan Manuel Fangio not far behind.
Moss’ race also represented another milestone of motorsport history: his co-driver, British journalist Denis Jenkinson, took notes about the layout of the twisty Italian roads in advance, reading them to him as the race unfolded. The concept of “pace notes”, a staple feature of rallying today, was born. Several further victories followed, earning the SLR 300 1955 World Sportscar Championship. The car also distinguished itself in several non-championship races such as the Eifelrennen, a now-defunct event that took place on the Nurburgring’s infamous Nordschleife. However, the SLR 300’s racing career would soon be cut short by its involvement in a tragically well-known chapter of motorsport history, the 1955 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Le Mans ’55 And Mercedes’ Withdrawal From Racing
In the third hour of the Le Mans 1955 race, French driver Pierre Levegh was behind the wheel of his 300 SLR when he was involved in a collision with Lance Macklin’s Austin-Healey 100S. Levegh was thrown from his car and killed, while the Mercedes ran up the side of Macklin’s car and launched itself towards the crowd, resulting in 83 spectator deaths. Shortly afterwards, the team withdrew all three of its cars, as a sign of respect to the people who lost their lives; the race, however, continued without them, a decision made by the organizers in order to avoid large crowds leaving the venue and blocking the way for emergency services.
The extremely high death toll made this disaster the deadliest motorsport-related accident ever, prompting a change of attitude regarding safety on the part of automakers, drivers and the general public. From this point onwards, attention was always paid to make spectators and drivers alike feel safe and secure. The incident also prompted a drastic move on the part of Mercedes: the company’s entire motorsport program was scrapped, and a Mercedes-Benz race car would not return to a racetrack for another thirty years.
What Happened To Red And Blue?
Rudolf Uhlenhaut retired in 1972, seventeen years after the creation of the coupe that carries his name. As for the two cars, they got to enjoy their rightfully deserved place in history: Blue retired from its company-car status and became a permanent exhibit at the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart.
Red, meanwhile, went on to become the record-breaking car that made the news in recent years. While it was originally a resident of the museum alongside its stablemate, it was sold to a private collector in 2022 for $142 million: the highest price ever paid for a car. The car’s eye-watering price tag was more than twice the size of the previous record-holder’s (a Ferrari 250 GTO, which sold for $70 million in 2018).
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Coupe Worth $142 Million
14/01/2025
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Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-AMG
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