Estimated Arrival: Q3 2023
When Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the architect of the 300 SLR racer, was at the 1955 Mille Miglia to watch Mercedes’ success, he was also mulling over the idea of fitting the 300 SLR racer with a closed top for endurance events in the future.
His musings came to fruition in the shape of a competition coupé with the performance that no other road-going sports car could match. The two-seater recorded a speed of 290 km/h during a test on a closed section of motorway outside Munich. Impressed by its extraordinary performance over a cross-country trek of 3500 km (over 2000 miles), the test reporter from the Swiss magazine Automobil Revue had this to say:
“We are driving a car which barely takes a second to overtake the rest of the traffic and for which 200 km/h on a quiet motorway is little more than walking pace. With its unflappable handling through corners, it treats the laws of centrifugal force with apparent disdain …”
The 300 SLR racer was based on the famous W196 Formula One champion of the 1954-55 season. The abbreviation SLR stands for Sport Light-Racing (Sport Leicht-Rennen). Considered one of the most beautiful racecars of all time, the new SLR was equipped with a slightly different straight-eight engine, which was expanded to displace 3 litres. Two of the nine 300 SLR rolling chassis, namely 0007/55 and 0008/55, were converted into 300 SLR Coupés with a closed-top body and gullwing doors. They were intended for the forthcoming Carrera Panamericana.
The body of the SLR coupé was panelled in sheet Elektron, a magnesium alloy that is even lighter than aluminum. The semicircular windscreen generated very little wind resistance. As in the SLR racer, the coupé driver had to control the pedals with his legs apart behind the steering wheel. Under the bonnet was a longitudinally-mounted eight-cylinder engine, which was placed just behind the front axle, developing peak torque of 234 lb-ft at 5950 rpm and a maximum output of 310 horsepower at 7400 rpm.
Owing to safety concerns following the tragic accident at Le Mans back in June, Mercedes-Benz decided to pull out of motorsport at the end of 1955. As a result, the SLR coupé project was shelved and never went into production. Subsequently, Rudolph Uhlenhaut appropriated one of the coupés for his personal use. Weighing only 1,117 km and capable of 290 km/h, the Uhlenhaut coupé was by far the fastest road car of its time in the world.
Although the 300 SLR coupés stopped short of racing seriously, chassis 0007/55 was no stranger to motorsport racing. In August, Daimler-Benz sent the whole entourage of its racing team to the 1955 Swedish Grand Prix. In the event of Class 1 for racing sports cars, Fangio and Moss drove their 300 SLR racers to a 1-2 victory on August 7. The Swedes noticed that they had a spare “300 SLR Saloon” on the side in case they needed to use it. This 300 SLR had a coupé body and was none other than chassis 0007/55. Uhlenhaut had driven his coupé all the way from Stuttgart to Kristianstad and then test-drove it as Car #15 in the practice session.
His musings came to fruition in the shape of a competition coupé with the performance that no other road-going sports car could match. The two-seater recorded a speed of 290 km/h during a test on a closed section of motorway outside Munich. Impressed by its extraordinary performance over a cross-country trek of 3500 km (over 2000 miles), the test reporter from the Swiss magazine Automobil Revue had this to say:
“We are driving a car which barely takes a second to overtake the rest of the traffic and for which 200 km/h on a quiet motorway is little more than walking pace. With its unflappable handling through corners, it treats the laws of centrifugal force with apparent disdain …”
The 300 SLR racer was based on the famous W196 Formula One champion of the 1954-55 season. The abbreviation SLR stands for Sport Light-Racing (Sport Leicht-Rennen). Considered one of the most beautiful racecars of all time, the new SLR was equipped with a slightly different straight-eight engine, which was expanded to displace 3 litres. Two of the nine 300 SLR rolling chassis, namely 0007/55 and 0008/55, were converted into 300 SLR Coupés with a closed-top body and gullwing doors. They were intended for the forthcoming Carrera Panamericana.
The body of the SLR coupé was panelled in sheet Elektron, a magnesium alloy that is even lighter than aluminum. The semicircular windscreen generated very little wind resistance. As in the SLR racer, the coupé driver had to control the pedals with his legs apart behind the steering wheel. Under the bonnet was a longitudinally-mounted eight-cylinder engine, which was placed just behind the front axle, developing peak torque of 234 lb-ft at 5950 rpm and a maximum output of 310 horsepower at 7400 rpm.
Owing to safety concerns following the tragic accident at Le Mans back in June, Mercedes-Benz decided to pull out of motorsport at the end of 1955. As a result, the SLR coupé project was shelved and never went into production. Subsequently, Rudolph Uhlenhaut appropriated one of the coupés for his personal use. Weighing only 1,117 km and capable of 290 km/h, the Uhlenhaut coupé was by far the fastest road car of its time in the world.
Although the 300 SLR coupés stopped short of racing seriously, chassis 0007/55 was no stranger to motorsport racing. In August, Daimler-Benz sent the whole entourage of its racing team to the 1955 Swedish Grand Prix. In the event of Class 1 for racing sports cars, Fangio and Moss drove their 300 SLR racers to a 1-2 victory on August 7. The Swedes noticed that they had a spare “300 SLR Saloon” on the side in case they needed to use it. This 300 SLR had a coupé body and was none other than chassis 0007/55. Uhlenhaut had driven his coupé all the way from Stuttgart to Kristianstad and then test-drove it as Car #15 in the practice session.
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All sixth scale figures and many more items come double-boxed automatically when purchased through Secret Compass! Most other dealers will slap a label right on the cardboard shipper and ship that way with no protection. Secret Compass recognizes the value in your collectible figure and we always double-box the cardboard shipper, which comes fresh out of a master case so it shows no sign of shipping before it ships to you.
This item is still in pre-order and we do not know what the final shipping costs will be.
Because the item in still production, we do not know the final weight or dimensions, or even how many boxes there will be. Therefore, we cannot give you an accurate quote. Actual shipping rates will be determined when the item is in stock, and will be reflected on your final invoice.
The following are reasonable estimates for shipping based on the size/weight of various figures:
1/6 or 1/10 Scale Figures
Domestic: $10-$18
International: $45-$75
1/4 Scale (Premium Format Figures)
Domestic: $20-$30
International: $95-$175
1/3 Scale (Prime 1)
Domestic: $35-$50
International: $120-$220
1/2 Scale (Prime 1, Legendary Scale)
Domestic: $50-$80
International: $280-$480
Please note that size can vary greatly between different figures, and the above are only estimates based on figures we have seen in the past.
These estimates are by no means a guarantee of your final shipping cost - your final cost could be less or more!