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giugno 22, 2016 - Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz Classic at Silvretta Classic 2016: Sportiness on picturesque alpine roads

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From the diesel as the class winner in the 1955 Mille Miglia to the exclusive high-performance E 500 Limited Saloon: at the Silvretta Classic Rally Montafon 2016, #mercedesbenz demonstrates the variety of the sporty brand tradition with classic cars from various eras. One thing characterises all five vehicles: an affinity with their standard-production counterparts. The three rally stages from 7 to 10 July 2016 cover around 600 kilometres, taking in picturesque alpine roads through Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

Stuttgart. Throughout the brand's history, #mercedesbenz has consistently developed standard-production vehicles into winning racing sports cars or exclusive high-performance cars. At the Silvretta Classic Rally Montafon 2016, the Stuttgart-based brand demonstrates with five cars from the company's collection just how close standard production and successful sportiness are in the brand tradition. #mercedesbenz Brand Ambassadors #klausludwig and #karlwendlinger will also be lining up at the start.

The 180 D (W 120) "Ponton" achieved a triple victory in the diesel class at the 1955 Mille Miglia. Compared with the road version, the saloons were hardly modified for the legendary road race from Brescia to Rome and back.

The racing version of the 1955 190 SL Roadster (W 121) also symbolises the close link between tried-and-tested standard-production technology and racing success. With the competition version of the 190 SL, Douglas Steane achieved a class victory at the 1956 Macau Grand Prix.

At the turn of the 1970s, the 280 SL "Pagoda" marked the most sophisticated development stage of the W 113 series. It was the first SL generation that took forward the common heritage of the 300 SL and the 190 SL, both direct motor racing offshoots. Eugen Böhringer, for instance, took the chequered flag at the 1963 Liège–Sofia–Liège Rally in a 230 SL from this model series. 

The AMG 300 SEL 6.8 (W 109) dates from the same time as the 280 SL. Designed as an uncompromising high-performance touring sports car, it was affectionately nicknamed the "Red Sow". The racing touring car derived from the former #mercedesbenz luxury class 300 SEL 6.3 Saloon took second place and a class victory at the 24-hour race in Spa-Francorchamps in 1971.

Finally, the #mercedesbenz E 500 Limited (W 124) highlights the perfect combination of sportiness and exclusive equipment and appointments.

Only 500 units of this special model of the high-performance saloon with V8 engine were built in 1994.

Classic car meet

Classic car aficionados have been enjoying the Silvretta Classic Rally Montafon with its route along grandiose alpine roads since 1998. This year 160 teams are lining up on the grid. The field of participants stands out with its wide range of classic vehicles. #mercedesbenz is a Premium Partner in the regularity race and is also sponsoring the Silvretta E-Auto Rally for alternative drives.

Following accreditation and technical inspection (from 5 July 2016) the Silvretta Classic 2016 will set out on the first stage on 7 July. From Partenen over the Silvretta High Alpine Road, the Bielerhöhe Pass and Gargellen, the route takes the participants some 115 kilometres to Schruns. A 296-kilometre stage from Partenen via St. Anton in the Montafon valley, through the Principality of Liechtenstein into Switzerland and back to Gaschurn follows on July 8. Sights to be savoured along the route include the Schwägalp Pass at 1278 metres and the 1487-metre-high Faschinajoch Pass. The third and final stage gets underway on July 9 in Partenen and takes in the Bielerhöhe Pass, the 1793-metre-high Arlberg Pass and the 1773-metre-high Flexen Pass to the finish in Vadans.
On 10 July, the rally ends with a farewell event in St. Gallenkirch

Mercedes-Benz drivers at the Silvretta Classic Rally Montafon 2016 

Klaus Ludwig
Born on 5 October 1949 in Bonn, Germany

Honoured with the title of "King Ludwig" by his fans, the outstanding racing driver and three-times DTM Champion #klausludwig began his motor racing career in the early 1970s with slalom races, orientation rallies and touring car races. His first major successes included the German Motor Racing Championship (DRM) title in 1979 and 1981, and victories in the 24-hour race at Le Mans in 1979, 1984 and 1985. Ludwig came to the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) in 1985, where he initially competed for Ford and won his first title in 1988. In 1989 he moved to the AMG-Mercedes team, with which he won two championship titles (1992 and 1994, runner-up in 1991) and a total of 19 race victories in the years up to 1994. In 1995 and 1996 he competed in the ITC (International Touring Car Championship) for Opel Team Rosberg. He subsequently returned to AMG-Mercedes, winning the driver and team trophy in the International FIA GT Championship together with Ricardo Zonta in 1998. He subsequently officially retired from motor sport, but competed once again in the new German Touring Car Masters (DTM) in 2000, ending the season and his motor racing career with a third-place finish in the overall rating in a #mercedesbenz CLK-DTM.

Karl Wendlinger
Born on 20 December 1968 in Kufstein, Austria

Karl Wendlinger's motor sport career began in go-karting at the age of 14. In 1989, he won the German Formula 3 Championship. In 1990 and 1991, the Austrian was a member of the Mercedes Junior Team, along with Michael Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen, and competed in the sports car world championship. In 1991 he moved on to Formula 1. From 1994 Wendlinger drove for the Sauber-Mercedes team together with Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Racing assignments in the DTM, Formula 3000 and the Le Mans 24-hour race followed. His most outstanding successes on the racetrack include winning the FIA GT Championship (1999), 1st place in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the GTS Class (in the same year), overall victory in the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2000 and a second-place finish in the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring (2003). From 2004 to 2011, #karlwendlinger competed for various teams in the FIA GT Championship; with Jetalliance Racing he was the runner-up in 2007.