Today the 2015 running of the Mille Miglia begins and Mercedes-Benz has combined the old and the new with the creation of a cutting edge 360 degree film to mark a special anniversary.
A little over 60 years ago, on 1st May 1955, Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson won the Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR – number 722. They drove flat out for 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds and averaged 98 miles per hour – all on public roads.
It was recognised as one of the greatest feats of driving ever – their record still stands today.
In 1955, the W 196 R racers were the most advanced cars in the world – they won every race they finished and used cutting edge materials.
At a time when road cars would struggle to hit 70 mph, the W 196 R could exceed 180 mph. Today only eight examples still exist, but now and again they’re let loose…
Sixty years on, Sir Stirling Moss has been reunited with the 300 SLR number 722, on the very same roads on which he won.
The film released today allows you to control the camera and watch from nearly any angle as Sir Stirling Moss takes ‘722’ on the roads he and Denis Jenkinson set records on. Three dimensional sound makes the footage even more vivid.
In the coming weeks the film will be available to be downloaded via iTunes (for the iPhone and iPad) and the Android Store as well as being capable of being experienced on Oculus devices such as the Samsung Gear VR.
Mille Miglia – Watch it in 360 degrees
Few triumphs have inspired drivers like Sir Stirling Moss’ victory at the 1955 Mille Miglia. Then just 25 years old, driver Moss and co-driver Denis Jenkinson roared through 992 miles of Italian countryside in just 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds. Average speed? 98.53 miles per hour.
Here, Moss tells the story of his victory in his own words.
Once the flag fell, I went flat out,” said Moss. “Obviously, when I’d see a car I caught up with, I really felt great about it, but I had no idea of the enormity of what it meant to myself because it’s really—it’s quite the thing to have on your CV.”
Finishing ahead of the then-two times Grand Prix World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio, Moss’ achievement has long since been labeled “The greatest race”—a title that probably won’t be applied to any other motorsport event ever again. The 1955 Mille Miglia had it all: incredible drivers, now-iconic machines like the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR #722, and a harrowing course that was dangerous beyond belief.
How dangerous? Moss said he had to wiggle the car from left to right on the road so that spectators would take a few steps back as he flew through the often small Italian towns along the route.
Oh, I’m certain it’s my greatest win,” said Moss. “I can’t think of any other car in the world that would have given me the opportunity to achieve the speeds we did.”
Called SLR for Sport Leicht-Rennen (“Sport Light-Racing” in English) the 300 SLR was the world’s most advanced race car of its time: direct fuel-injected straight-8 engine, roughly 310 horsepower, and a top speed of around 180 mph (290 km/h).
The 722 is a really strong car…” said Moss. “The fact the car’s really old doesn’t matter—that car, the way it is now, I reckon we’d beat any other cars, anyway!”
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