Mercedes-Benz Rennabteilung Auto Transporter

1954 Mercedes-Benz Rennabteilung Auto TransporterThis is the 1954 Mercedes-Benz Rennabteilung Auto Transporter – built and designed by Mercedes to be FAST, very fast – even while carrying a Silver Arrow or an SLR in its bed. Kitted out with a 3-litre 300sl engine and the right brakes to handle the job, during its heyday, this ugly duckling was the fastest transporter in the world. Believe it or not, Mercedes opted for a fast transporter for practical reasons. They wanted a transporter that could carry race cars from the factory to the track quicker in order to provide more prep time for the car’s next race. This 6600 lb. vehicle had a top speed exceeding 105 mph, even when carrying a race car.Ironically, in the mid-fifties this transporter often attracted more attention on Europe’s racing tracks than the MBs it carried. When Daimler-Benz withdrew from Grand Prix Racing after 1955, however, this truck was converted into a “refuse” truck employed by the Mercedes Factory. Then in 1967 the truck was sold for scrap. Somehow, thankfully, this is not the end of the story. This odd rig miraculously escaped eternal anonymity and during the 90s was reconstructed true to every last detail.