By Christopher A Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(April 28, 2016) Here’s something you don’t see everyday. Silverstone Auctions is hosting Denmark’s Classic Race Aarhus Auction May 28-29, and will be selling a recreation of the iconic Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. It is best recognized as the car that took Stirling Moss and Dennis Jenkinson to victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia, and Mercedes built nine in period, of which only six still exist. This makes these cars extremely rare, and recreations quite valuable.

Jim Marland, founder of Proteus Sports & Racing Cars built five recreations, this being the last. (The other four are in collections in the U.S. and Germany.)



Completed in 2010, it took over two years to finish. The aluminum body — the factory cars had magnesium bodies and aluminum spaceframes — was hand-crafted by Clive Smart of Shapecraft, while XK Engineering was responsible for the paint. Crewe Engines rebuilt the Mercedes-Benz 280 E engine and four-speed manual gearbox, and a Salisbury style limited-slip differential is used.

All of the parts and running gear are sourced from Mercedes-Benz, and carefully selected to be as visually close to the originals wherever possible.

The interior also is hand-made, and built to look as much like the original as practical. Thus, the instruments and dials are hand-painted, the wood-rimmed alloy steering wheel faithfully copies the original, and the rest of the interior materials are similar to those used in the 1950s.

The auction estimate for the Mercedes recreation is $364,900 - $410,500. U.K. registered it carries the registration number “300 LFX” though “722 SLR” is available by separate negotiation.

The Virtual Driver