Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “722”: A Racing Legend Turns 70
The iconic Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR racing sports car “722” takes center stage at the Mercedes-Benz Museum to mark the 70th anniversary of its legendary 1955 motorsport season.
This Silver Arrow, driven by Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson, famously won the Mille Miglia with a record average speed of 157.6 km/h, starting at 7:22 am—hence its number.
Built for long-distance races on public roads, the 300 SLR featured road-ready equipment like indicators, lights, and a license plate, yet it was a purebred racer derived from the W 196 R Formula 1 car.
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Inside, its dashboard was loaded with controls uncommon for racing, including a complex ignition system by Scintilla and a high-revving 276 hp engine.
Stirling Moss favored a three-spoke steering wheel for better instrument visibility, which he kept as a memento after the Mille Miglia.
The car’s unique details included a flip-up country identifier hiding two spare wheels and an unusual pedal layout. Moss’s co-driver Jenkinson used hand-scrolled pacenotes to guide them across the treacherous 1,600 km route.
The 300 SLR helped Mercedes-Benz secure the 1955 World Sportscar Championship and contributed to Juan Manuel Fangio’s Formula 1 title.
Despite its brief career, ending with Mercedes-Benz’s planned racing exit after the 1955 season, the “722” remains a symbol of technical brilliance and racing heritage.
Sir Stirling Moss, who passed away in 2020, called it “the finest car ever built.” His handwritten dedication on the bonnet still graces the vehicle displayed in Legend Room 7 of the museum.
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