On July 12, 2013, Bonhams will be auctioning off one of the most famous racing cars of all time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the 1954 Mercedes-Benz W196 with chassis number 00006/54. This Mercedes monoposto emerged victorious from the German and Swiss Grand Prix with Juan Manuel Fangio at the wheel. At the same time, this car was also the first post-war Mercedes with free-standing wheels to win a Grand Prix, and it did so on its debut in Germany.
The W196 was an engineering masterpiece. Some of its design refinements were:
- Fuel injection
- Independent suspension all round
- Lightweight tubular frame chassis
- Internal brakes
- Inclined in-line eight-cylinder engine
Mercedes-Benz missed the first two races in 1954, but then won the third Grand Prix in Reims, where Fangio and Kling dominated practice and the race with the streamlined version of the W196.
However, it turned out that the version with the geared wheels was difficult to drive on winding tracks. Fangio demanded a version with free-standing wheels. Chassis 00005 and 00006 were built in the same way and were successful. With the two victories in chassis 00006, Fangio secured the world championship title.
The fact that this car is now appearing at auction is a sensation and probably an event that will not be repeated too soon. No wonder Bonhams is justifiably proud of this auction showpiece.
We have previously reported on the sister car that won the Spa Grand Prix. You can read more about the Bonhams auction here.
