Mercedes-Benz Renntransporter

The Mercedes-Benz Renntransporter, formally the Rennwagen-Schnelltransporter and nicknamed Blaues Wunder (Blue Wonder), was a one-off high-speed truck built by Mercedes-Benz to carry racing cars between workshops, depots and race circuits. The idea dated back to 1924, when a Mercedes 24/100/140 PS was fitted with a ramp for the job. A completely new vehicle was designed from 1954 and completed in 1955, using existing parts from the 300 S, 300 SL and 180 models alongside newly developed components. The body and final assembly were done by Robert Friess KG in Malmsheim. From May 1955 it regularly moved Formula One and sports racing cars, but Mercedes-Benz left motor racing at the end of that year, and the truck was afterwards used for some years to carry exhibition pieces. It was scrapped in 1967. In 1997 a faithful replica was built from the old documents, and it stands in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, where it is occasionally driven at shows.