Earlier this year, Mercedes-Benz revealed that it had painstakingly restored an incredibly significant racing car from its history, one of the Mercedes 2-litre racing cars that competed on the 1924 Targa Florio – a race that was won that year by its sister car. The 2-litre racer has since been displayed during Pebble Beach, run up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and even made an appearance at the Imola Grand Prix to celebrate its centenary year.
These were however just warm-up acts, as the racer was to returned to Sicily last month where it ran in the Targa Florio Classica event. Watch the documentary film below to see how the car got on in the event – with George Russell, Toto Wolff and Karl Wendlinger taking the wheel. You can read a full feature on the car in the upcoming issue of Octane.
Background on the rebuild
In 2022 Mercedes-Benz Classic decided to rebuild the original 2-litre Targa Florio racing car from the company’s own collection for the anniversary. – in accordance with the high standards of a factory restoration. As Werner’s winning car didn’t survive racing in period, the car in question is the one in which Christian Lautenschlager completed the Targa Florio’ in 1924.
The restoration required extensive research, which was possible due to the Mercedes-Benz Classic Archive – the brand’s “memory”. Original technical drawings and historical photos are crucial when it comes to correctly restoring the racer.
Much work was required to get the original supercharged engine up and running. This includes welding work to the block, regrinding the original camshafts. The bodywork was far from straightforward, as it has been modified by a private owner in the 1920s. Restoring it back to original required the use of blueprints and period photos. Forensic analysis of the original paintwork revealed enough information to recreate the original colour and finish. At every stage, the priority was to retain as much originality as possible. A recreation of the steering wheel was fitted for the outings this year, with the original item preserved.
Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH commented: ‘I was deeply touched by the Targa Florio racing car’s returning to Sicily, to the place of our great triumph 100 years ago. This experience is something very special, even for us at Mercedes-Benz Classic who deal with outstanding classics each and every day. In 1924, our brand wrote motorsport history with the 2-litre racing car. A hundred years later, one of the original vehicles has once again been stealing people’s hearts at its outings marking the anniversary. We owe our thanks to the combined expertise of the Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre, the Group archive of Mercedes-Benz Classic and a strong network of experts, who together made it all possible. After the racing car’s return to the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, every visitor can now admire it, initially in a special display on the Classic Island, and later in its regular place in the racing curve.’
