Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe (1955)

• Limited to an edition of 199 pieces
• Finished in Silver Grey Metallic
• Based on “The Blue”, chassis 00007/55
• 1:8 scale model, over 53 cms/21 inches long
• Each model hand-built and assembled by a small team of artisans
• Made using the finest quality materials
• Over 4000 hours to develop the model
• Over 400 hours to build the model
• Thousands of precisely engineered parts: castings, photo-etchings and CNC machined metal components
• Built using our own CAD data developed after scanning original car chassis 00007/55 on display at the Mercedes-Benz Museum
• Created in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz using original drawings and archive photography

In 1955, Rudolf Uhlenhaut created the 300 SLR Coupé - a car that redefined the limits of possibility. Weighing just 998 kg, with 302 PS and a 5-speed manual gearbox, it fused Formula 1 technology with road-ready precision, at the very edge of what was technologically achievable. Faster than the era’s champions yet never raced, it became legend: a tangible myth of speed, power, and ingenuity.

A Beauty Birthed from the Spirit of Motorsport

In the 1950s, Mercedes Benz returned to motorsports, eager to revive their triumphs of the 1920s and ‘30s. While Juan Manuel Fangio dominated the 1954 and 1955 Formula 1 World Championships in his W196, Mercedes Benz was developing the 300 SLR - Super Leicht Rennsport - for the Sports Car World Championship. Stirling Moss drove his open-top racer to victory at the Targa Florio and RAC Tourist Trophy, and famously completed the legendary Mille Miglia in record time, sealing the 1955 world title. The 300 SLR was blisteringly fast, far beyond any competition, but its open cockpit left its drivers exposed to wind and weather. Uhlenhaut devised the simple yet ingenious solution: adding a closed roof. This gave drivers greater comfort while dramatically reducing aerodynamic drag. The result was the 300 SLR Coupé. Yet it never competed. The Carrera Panamericana, where it was due to debut, was cancelled, and Mercedes-Benz withdrew from motorsports at the end of the year to focus on the development of passenger cars.

Beyond the Limits of Technological Possibilities

Rudolf Uhlenhaut famously used the fastest car of its era as his company car, capable of 300 km/h at a time when most German sports cars struggled to reach 200. Mechanically indistinguishable from the SLR roadsters, the Uhlenhaut Coupe carried the 3-litre, straight-eight W 196 S engine, a bored and stroked version of the 2.5-litre F1 motor, re-tuned to run on commercial petrol. The Coupé also shared the longest of the F1 wheelbases. Featuring double wishbone suspension up front, swing axles at the rear, inboard drum brakes, and a brazed steel tube spaceframe chassis clothed in ultra-light Elektron magnesium-alloy bodywork, the Coupé weighed just 1,117 kg (2,463 lb). It was not only a masterpiece of engineering, but also a benchmark for how far road-going technology could be pushed.

A Pair Like No Other and a Lasting Legacy

Only nine 300 SLRs were built, and among them just two racing prototype Coupés: chassis 0007/55 and 0008/55. Known affectionately as “The Blue” and “The Red” after the colours of their respective interior upholstery, the pair are not perfect twins, though many of their subtle distinctions are only detectable to only the most devoted on connoisseurs. Of the pair “The Red” has enjoyed the longest public life and, in May 2022, was sold to a private bidder for €135 million euros at an auction held in the Mercedes-Benz Museum, smashing the record as the most valuable car in the world.

Chassis 00007/55 Replicated at 1:8 Scale

This fine 1:8 scale model of precisely replicates Mercedes-Benz chassis 00007/55, known as “The Blue”. It has been handcrafted and finished in our workshops with the co-operation and assistance of Mercedes-Benz regarding original finishes, materials, archive imagery and drawings. The use of supremely accurate digital scanning on the original car has allowed us to perfectly recreate every detail at scale. Furthermore, it has undergone detailed scrutiny by both engineering and design teams to ensure complete accuracy of representation.

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR ‘Uhlenhaut Coupe’ is limited to just 199 pieces at 1:8 scale.