W196

Lore & Background

Firsts included the use of desmodromic valves and Daimler-Benz developed mechanical direct fuel injection adapted from the DB 601 high-performance V12 used on the Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighter during World War II. The 3-litre 300 SLR was derived from the W196 for the 1955 World Sportscar Championship season. The 300 SLR's crash at Le Mans that year ended not only its own short-lived domination but also spelled the end for the W196. Mercedes pulled out of competitive racing in 1955 and did not return for another three decades.

In Their Own Story

The air at Reims was thick with oil smoke and anticipation. Juan Manuel Fangio gripped the wooden-rimmed steering wheel, feeling the familiar vibration of the supercharged W196 engine humming beneath him. As the flag dropped, the silver arrow shot forward, the roar of the inline-eight echoing off the French countryside. Fangio didn't just drive; he danced with the machine, shifting gears mid-corner to maintain momentum on the sweeping bends. The monocoque chassis held firm against the G-forces, a silent promise of safety in a sport that demanded everything. When he crossed the line, the Silver Arrows had not only won a race but had rewritten the rules of what was possible.

Reader's Guide

The W196 was front mid-engined, with its long longitudinally mounted engine placed just behind the front axles. A welded aluminium tube spaceframe chassis carried ultra-light Elektron magnesium-alloy bodywork. Extra wide diameter drum brakes were mounted inboard. Torsion bars fitted inside the frame's tubes were used in the double wishbone front. The rear used a low-roll center system featuring off-centered beams. The car had a tendency for snap oversteer. The engine was a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre straight-8 with direct fuel injection and desmodromic valves, delivering 257 bhp at introduction.

Did You Know?

• The W196 was the only F1 car with direct fuel injection at the time.
• The 'Type Monza' streamliner body won three races and remains the only closed-wheel car to win a Formula One Grand Prix.
• Drivers Fangio and Moss described the car as 'a bit difficult to drive, with a tendency for snap oversteer'.
• The W196's narrow tyres at the time could not fully handle the car's exceptional performance and potential.