Rudolf Uhlenhaut
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Uhlenhaut was an Anglo-German engineer
and executive for Mercedes-Benz
. He had a long association with the Mercedes-Benz
racing programme
of the '30s and '50s, and is best known for his road legal version of the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR race car.
Uhlenhaut was born in London, during his father's term as head of the London branch of the Deutsche Bank
. Later the family moved to Brüssels
and Bremen
. As an avid skier, he pursued his studies in Munich
.
In 1931 he joined Mercedes-Benz, working under Fritz Nallinger
on the development of the Mercedes 170V
. In 1936 Uhlenhaut assumed leadership of the race car department. Auto Union
dominated the 1936 Grand Prix season
over the aging Mercedes-Benz W25
. As a talented driver in his own right, he was able to spot the deficiencies of the chassis and suspension, however he never raced competitively as he was needed for his engineering skills. The replacement for the Mercedes-Benz W25
, the Mercedes-Benz W125
, remedied the chassis and suspension shortcomings and was much more powerful. The W125 dominated the 1937 Grand Prix season
, and was considered the most powerful Grand Prix car until the turbocharged cars of the early 1980s. In 1938 rule changes necessitated a new car for 1938 Grand Prix season
, the Mercedes-Benz W154
.
In 1952, Uhlenhaut designed the Mercedes-Benz W194 "300SL" race car based on the Mercedes-Benz W186 limousine. The underpowered car achieved surprising success, winning important sports car races, and inspired the road-going Mercedes-Benz W198 "300SL Gullwing" of 1954.
The Mercedes-Benz W196
won the F1 Championship in 1954 and 1955. Uhlenhaut surpassed even Juan Manuel Fangio
's times in test sessions.
Based on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
sports cars racer of 1955, Uhlenhaut created a road legal race car with gull wings. Capable of 290 km/h, this [Uhlenhaut Coupé] was regarded as the world's fastest car in the 1950s, and it is rumoured that, running late for a meeting, Uhlenhaut exploited the unlimited-speed autobahns to make today's two-and-a-half-hour journey from Munich to Stuttgart in just over an hour.http://www.motortrend.com/features/consumer/112_0607_mercedes_benz_museum_tour/warehouse_gallery.html.
Rudolf Uhlenhaut, who never possessed a car of his own, retired in 1972. He needed hearing aids, possibly due to hearing damage caused by his loud cars.
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and executive for Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
. He had a long association with the Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
racing programme
Mercedes GP
Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team, the trading name of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Limited, is a British-based Formula One racing team and constructor, owned by Mercedes-Benz and racing under a German licence since the 2010 season....
of the '30s and '50s, and is best known for his road legal version of the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR race car.
Uhlenhaut was born in London, during his father's term as head of the London branch of the Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank
Deutsche Bank AG is a global financial service company with its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. It employs more than 100,000 people in over 70 countries, and has a large presence in Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and the emerging markets...
. Later the family moved to Brüssels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
and Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
. As an avid skier, he pursued his studies in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
In 1931 he joined Mercedes-Benz, working under Fritz Nallinger
Fritz Nallinger
Dr Professor Fritz Nallinger was a German automobile engineer and executive.Nallinger joined Daimler Benz AG in 1922...
on the development of the Mercedes 170V
Mercedes-Benz W136
The Mercedes-Benz W136 was Mercedes-Benz's line of four-cylinder automobiles from the mid-1930s into the 1950s. It became the foundation on which the company rebuilt after World War II because the tooling had survived Allied bombing....
. In 1936 Uhlenhaut assumed leadership of the race car department. Auto Union
Auto Union
Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers, founded in 1932 and established in 1936 in Chemnitz, Saxony, during the Great Depression. The company has evolved into present day Audi, as a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group....
dominated the 1936 Grand Prix season
1936 Grand Prix Season
The 1936 Grand Prix season was the fourth AIACR European Championship season. The championship was won by Bernd Rosemeyer, driving for the Auto Union team...
over the aging Mercedes-Benz W25
Mercedes-Benz W25
The Mercedes-Benz W25 was a Grand Prix racing car designed by Daimler-Benz AG for the 1934 Grand Prix season, in which new rules were introduced, and no championship was held. In 1935, the European Championship was resumed, and it was won by Rudolf Caracciola in a W25...
. As a talented driver in his own right, he was able to spot the deficiencies of the chassis and suspension, however he never raced competitively as he was needed for his engineering skills. The replacement for the Mercedes-Benz W25
Mercedes-Benz W25
The Mercedes-Benz W25 was a Grand Prix racing car designed by Daimler-Benz AG for the 1934 Grand Prix season, in which new rules were introduced, and no championship was held. In 1935, the European Championship was resumed, and it was won by Rudolf Caracciola in a W25...
, the Mercedes-Benz W125
Mercedes-Benz W125
The Mercedes-Benz W125 was a Grand Prix racing car designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut to race during the 1937 Grand Prix season. The car was used by Rudolf Caracciola to win the 1937 European Championship and W125 drivers also finished in the second, third and fourth positions in the championship.The...
, remedied the chassis and suspension shortcomings and was much more powerful. The W125 dominated the 1937 Grand Prix season
1937 Grand Prix Season
The 1937 Grand Prix season was the fifth AIACR European Championship season. The championship was won by Rudolf Caracciola, driving for the Mercedes-Benz team...
, and was considered the most powerful Grand Prix car until the turbocharged cars of the early 1980s. In 1938 rule changes necessitated a new car for 1938 Grand Prix season
1938 Grand Prix season
The 1938 Grand Prix season was the sixth AIACR European Championship season. The championship was won by Rudolf Caracciola, driving for the Mercedes-Benz team...
, the Mercedes-Benz W154
Mercedes-Benz W154
The Mercedes-Benz W154 was a Grand Prix racing car designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut. The W154 competed in the 1938 and 1939 Grand Prix seasons and was used by Rudolf Caracciola to win the 1938 European Championship....
.
In 1952, Uhlenhaut designed the Mercedes-Benz W194 "300SL" race car based on the Mercedes-Benz W186 limousine. The underpowered car achieved surprising success, winning important sports car races, and inspired the road-going Mercedes-Benz W198 "300SL Gullwing" of 1954.
The Mercedes-Benz W196
Mercedes-Benz W196
The Mercedes-Benz W196 was the Mercedes-Benz Formula One entry in the and Formula One seasons, winning 9 of 12 races entered in the hands of Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss....
won the F1 Championship in 1954 and 1955. Uhlenhaut surpassed even Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio , nicknamed El Chueco or El Maestro , was a racing car driver from Argentina, who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing...
's times in test sessions.
Based on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR was a sportscar racing car for the 1955 World Sportscar Championship season, which it won.-Technical highlights:...
sports cars racer of 1955, Uhlenhaut created a road legal race car with gull wings. Capable of 290 km/h, this [Uhlenhaut Coupé] was regarded as the world's fastest car in the 1950s, and it is rumoured that, running late for a meeting, Uhlenhaut exploited the unlimited-speed autobahns to make today's two-and-a-half-hour journey from Munich to Stuttgart in just over an hour.http://www.motortrend.com/features/consumer/112_0607_mercedes_benz_museum_tour/warehouse_gallery.html.
Rudolf Uhlenhaut, who never possessed a car of his own, retired in 1972. He needed hearing aids, possibly due to hearing damage caused by his loud cars.