National Press Release

Legendary Silver Arrow Vehicle Exhibit Set for Concours d'Elegance

AMELIA ISLAND, Fla., March 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Silver Arrows at this year's Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, one of the nation's most innovative vintage auto shows featuring over 250 rare classics from seldom-seen private collections nationwide. The event runs from March 12-15, 2009, on the grounds of The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island.

On display for the 75th anniversary occasion at the 14th annual Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance are two vintage Silver Arrows including a W 154 and a W 196 R "Streamliner" and a 2009 SLR McLaren 722 S Roadster.

"Every record established by a Silver Arrow contributed to a legend that continues to intrigue car enthusiasts to this very day," said Mike Kunz, manager, Mercedes-Benz Classic Center USA. "From a technological standpoint, the Silver Arrows were superior against the competition and their international racing victories set new standards while also proving that Mercedes-Benz creates the best products that could win at the highest level."

The Mercedes-Benz W 154 Grand Prix car marked the pinnacle of the "kompressor" (supercharger) era of Mercedes-Benz race cars. It dominated both the 1938 and 1939 Grand Prix seasons with consecutive European Championships won by Rudolf Caracciola (1938) and Hermann Lang (1939). The W 154 on display is part of the Collier Museum collection.

One of only 15 units ever built, the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R was available in both an open wheel variant named the "Monoposto" and an aerodynamic version appropriately named the "Streamliner." The W 196 R holds nine victories including fastest lap plus 8 pole positions in 12 Grand Prix races. In 1954 and 1955, Juan Manuel Fangio claimed world championship titles behind the wheel. The W 196 R Streamliner on display is part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum collection.

A modern-day Silver Arrow, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 S Roadster pays tribute to the historic victory at the classic 1955 Mille Miglia open road endurance race won by British motor-racing legend Sir Stirling Moss and his co-driver Dennis Jenkins, in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR with the starting number 722.

The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 S Roadster continues the legend of the successful 1950s SLR racing sports cars, with innovative technology adopted from the world of motor sport. The powerful heart of the SLR Roadster 722 S is a hand-built AMG supercharged 5.5-liter V8 engine which delivers 650 hp, acceleration from 0 to 100 in 3.7 seconds and a maximum speed of 208 mph. With only 150 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 S Roadsters available worldwide, it aims to inspire the most discerning automotive enthusiasts.

Mercedes-Benz USA, headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United States. For more than forty years, MBUSA has taken pride in its commitment to the customer by providing superior quality luxury vehicles coupled with outstanding customer support.

The Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Irvine, California, plays home to dozens of vintage cars from the Mercedes-Benz Museum collection in Stuttgart, Germany. The Center operates a world-class restoration workshop, providing parts and restoration services for customers with classic Mercedes-Benz cars, beginning with the world's first automobile, the Benz Patent Motorwagen from 1886. More information on MBUSA and its products can be found at www.mbusa.com and www.maybachusa.com.

SOURCE Mercedes-Benz