Mercedes Classic Days

Press Release

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• Sprint starts of Mercedes-Benz vs. Audi, BMW and Porsche
• Historical supercharged S, SS and SSK models
• Display of all Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow racing cars
• Children's corner with games, entertainment and competitions
• SWR 3 party with lively music

Stuttgart. The Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Fellbach, Stuttgarter Strasse 90, will celebrate the start into the international 2003 Mercedes-Benz Classic Days season on May 18 from 10:00 hours. The event - staged on the occasion of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center's tenth anniversary - will represent a new dimension in cultivating automotive tradition in that owners of historical cars of other brands will be as welcome as all those who enjoy classic automobiles. The main actors will be prominent guests, former racing and rally drivers, classic car fans and their exquisite veteran and vintage cars. The sound will be provided by the powerful engines in legendary sports and racing cars from the Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW and Porsche Museums. Valuable classic cars make the fans' hearts beat faster The overwhelming lineup of hundreds of classic cars specially driven to Fellbach for the occasion will be a unique feast for the eyes of classic car enthusiasts as much as the superlative show program with racing, sports and other cars some of which have never been shown before. The most beautiful and most exotic gems from the Mercedes-Benz collection will present themselves to the visitors in a unique parade. Another highlight will be the display of the complete collection of Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows whose name goes back to the Eifel Race in 1934. A thrilling racing atmosphere will be created by sprint starts in the "Duels among Friends" in which historical racing cars will compete against each other. For instance the Mercedes-Benz W 154 (1939) vs. the 16-cylinder Auto Union (1937), the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (1955) vs. the BMW 328 (1940) and the Sauber-Mercedes C 9 (1989) vs. the Porsche 917 (1970). These legendary racers will be piloted by equally renowned drivers such as Hans Herrmann from the 1954/55 team, former European champions Eugen Böhringer and Klaus Kaiser, DTM champion Bernd Schneider, or Le Mans winner Jochen Mass. Another special highlight will be the rollout of the fully-streamlined Mercedes-Benz Formula One W 196 racing car of 1954. After several years of undergoing complete restoration work, it will for the first time be operating again in the public limelight. In its day and age, this car was driven by motor sport idols like five-times World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss and Karl Kling. An armada of supercharged Mercedes-Benz six-cylinder cars - models S, SS and SSK with output ratings up to 300 hp generated from more than seven liters of displacement - will pull up for the finale of the driving program. The workshops of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center will be open for tours by the visitors, and it goes without saying that the enjoyment and entertainment of the youngest among tomorrow's classic car fans and their company will also be taken care of. From 16:00 hours, the SWR 3 Sound Machine will entertain the visitors well into the evening. Additional photos courtesy of Porsche AG, BMW AG and Audi AG