Mercedes Entering Classic SLs into the 2012 Mille Miglia

Mercedes-Benz Classic is entering a 1952  300SLMercedes-Benz 300 SL Comp...Germany, 1952 > 19523 photos
 into the 2012 Mille Miglia from May 17-20 to commemorrate taking second and fourth in the race in 1952. Those two cars in the race 60 years ago were driven by Karl Kling and Rudolf Caracciola. Mercedes-Benz Classic will also be entering an SSK, 300 SLRMercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhl...Germany, 1955 > 19565 photos
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, W198 300SLMercedes-Benz 300 SL Road...Germany, 1957 > present5 photos
and a 1955 180DMercedes-Benz 180 DGermany, 1953 > 19595 photos
.

The 300SLR being entered is the same car in which Juan Manuel Fangio took second in the 1955 Mille Miglia, and the W194 300SL that took a class win in 1955 with John Cooper Fitch driving. The 180D won the diesel class in 1955. 

Mercedes is also holding a museum exhibition at the Museo Mille Miglia in Brescia featuring the the 1952 racing debut of the 300SL, the winning 1931 SSKL and Stirling Moss' winning 300SLR from 1955.

The Mille Miglia covers a 1000 mile route from Brescia to Rome. It originally was held from 1927 to 1957 with the race being canceled in 1939 and from 1941-1946 due to World War 2. The race was canceled in 1957 after a tragic crash when Alfonso de Portago crashed his Ferrari killing himself, his co-driver and nine spectators. According to the Motorsport Memorial, which tallies deaths in racing per circuit, 56 people were killed in the race between 1927 and 1957. Since 1977, the Mille Miglia has been held as a historic rally for cars that would have participated in the race originally. 

The 2012 Mille Miglia will begin on May 17 with 376 participating vehicles. The cars will arrive back in Brescia on May 19 and there will be an awards ceremony on May 20. The route goes through Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Marche, Umbria, Lazio and Tuscany.