Mercedes-Benz at Mille Miglia 2016

The Mille Miglia 2016 will take place from 19 to 22 May. The route for the reliability trial is based on the historical course of the race, leading as then from Brescia to Rome and back. Demanding special stages await the participants and their classic vehicles along the 1,000 miles (around 1,600 kilometres).

Mercedes-Benz will field numerous vehicles from its own collection in the 1,000-mile race, including the Mercedes-Benz SS, SSK and 300 SL models. A 190 SL will also participate for the first time in the revived Mille Miglia, as original documents confirm that such a model took part in the original event in 1956.

The list of historic Mille Miglia triumphs by Mercedes-Benz includes the win by Rudolf Caracciola and Wilhelm Sebastian in an SSKL in 1931 — the first victory by a non-Italian driver — and the record run by Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson on board a 300 SLR in 1955.

At the 2016 Mille Miglia, Mercedes-Benz will be on hand at the start and finish as well as along the route in its capacity as Automotive Sponsor. It will be in the running itself, with a list of mouth-watering vehicles: The SS and SSK models will represent the era of the supercharged sports cars of the 1920s and 1930s. Several 300 SLs will be contending from the 1950s, plus the 180 D, 220 a and 190 SL models.

In addition to the actual Mille Miglia 2016, the Mercedes-Benz Mille Miglia Challenge will also be staged with a maximum of 60 vehicles competing. All Mercedes-Benz SLs, vehicles from Mercedes-AMG and AMG, special and concept vehicles of outstanding technical or historic significance and all Mercedes-Benz cars built before 1986 are eligible, with the exception of vehicles approved for the Mille Miglia.

[Source: Daimler AG; photo: Julien Mahiels]