W196 Streamliner

The Mercedes-Benz W196 was created for Mercedes' return to Grand Prix racing in 1954, a comeback that would prove to be one of the most dominant campaigns in motorsport history. The Streamliner variant featured a fully enclosed body designed for high-speed circuits where aerodynamic efficiency was paramount. The project was led by Rudolf Uhlenhaut, Mercedes' technical director and an engineer of extraordinary talent who could himself lap circuits at competitive speeds when testing the cars.

The W196's 2.5-liter straight-eight engine was a direct injection unit featuring desmodromic valve actuation (mechanically opened and closed valves, eliminating valve springs), a technology that Mercedes had pioneered. The engine produced approximately 290 hp at 8,500 rpm, an impressive figure for the 2.5-liter formula. The fuel injection system was derived from Mercedes' wartime aircraft engine technology and gave the W196 a significant power and efficiency advantage over its carburetor-equipped rivals. The chassis featured a lightweight tubular spaceframe with aluminum body panels, inboard drum brakes, and independent suspension on all four corners.

The Streamliner body was first used at the 1954 French Grand Prix at Reims, a fast circuit ideally suited to the enclosed bodywork. Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling finished first and second in the car's debut race, an extraordinary achievement. However, on tighter circuits the enclosed wheels made it difficult for drivers to judge their position accurately, and Mercedes subsequently developed the open-wheeled variant for such tracks. Fangio won the 1954 and 1955 World Championships in the W196 before Mercedes withdrew from racing after the Le Mans disaster.

The W196 in both Streamliner and open-wheeled forms is one of the most valuable and significant racing cars ever made. When a W196 was auctioned by Bonhams at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed, it sold for $29,650,095, setting a world record for the most expensive car ever sold at auction (since surpassed). The surviving examples are held by Mercedes-Benz Classic, major museums, and the most distinguished private collections. The W196 Streamliner represents the absolute peak of 1950s racing technology and Fangio's genius.