RM Sotheby’s has auctioned one of only four examples of the beautiful W 196 R Streamliner.
Stifled by the cancellation of the 1952 and 1953 Formula One season, Mercedes-Benz used the opportunity of this mandated break in competition to create what would be one of the most dominant racing cars the world has seen.
Indeed, not yet completed by the start of the 1954 season, the W 196 R would make an emphatic racing debut at the French Grand Prix in Reims. Finishing first and second in the race, Juan Miguel Fangio, a soon-to-be household name having secured the 1951 driver’s title with Alfa Romeo, piloted the leading car.
Intriguingly, in developing the W 196 R, Mercedes-Benz’s Rennabteiling (racing department) conceived two different body styles for this alloy-bodied single-seater race car. While a more traditional open-wheel layout would be used for tight and twisty racetracks throughout the season, a second Stromlinienwagen (streamlined) body was developed for high-speed tracks where enhanced aerodynamics was proven advantageous.
Using a combination of open-wheel and streamlined body styles on the W 196 R, Fangio would secure his second of five Driver’s Championship titles in 1954.
Fitted with a “Sport 59” 3.0-litre M196 straight-eight engine and rear-mounted 5-speed transmission, this W 196 R Stromlinienwagen was recorded at a staggering 215.7 km/h at the 1955 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Behind the wheel was another legendary racer, Sir Stirling Moss.
Donated by Mercedes-Benz to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) Museum in 1965, chassis number 00009/54 was driven to race victory – a result decided by the driver with the fastest aggregate time over two races – by Fangio at the 1955 Argentine Grand Prix in Buenos Aires. It was retired from competition after the high-speed exploits of Moss in Monza in 1955.
Four of the 10 W 196 R racing cars in running condition at the end of the 1955 Formula One season featured the Stromlinienwagen body kit.
Auctioned in Stuttgart on 1 February to raise funds for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, chassis number 00009/54 was sold to the highest bidder for €51,155,000, or R987 million.
Ian McLaren has more than 20 years of experience as a motoring journalist. Here, he will be compiling a series of articles documenting his learning curve when it comes to all things auction. Find him on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok at @IanMcLaren76.
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