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NEWS
Big Bs bring A game to Mille Miglia
Classic Benz and Bentley models will front up for iconic rallyPreparations for the 2014 running of the Mille Miglia are well advanced, with just a week remaining for the start of the event in the Italian city of Brescia.
Jaguar has already announced a contingent running in the reborn 'thousand mile' rally, and now Bentley and Mercedes-Benz have confirmed they'll have classic cars taking part also.
Two 'Blower' Bentleys – the 4½-litre supercharged models – will set out on the 1700km event, commencing from May 15. One vehicle is an original team car entered in the 1930 Le Mans by 'Bentley Boy' and owner, Sir Henry 'Tim' Birkin. The other Bentley taking part in this year's event is a former company demonstrator – complete with original four-seat sports touring body built by Vanden Plas. According to Bentley's press release the 4½-litre demonstrator is "nine decades" old and remains in service for customers visiting the company's Crewe headquarters.
Both vehicles have previously competed in the Mille Miglia on several occasions. The 'works' cars won't be the only Bentleys in Brescia for the start. There will be a big send-off the afternoon of the day before the event begins, open to Bentley customers from around the world, and members of the Bentley Drivers Club.
"We plan to see Bentley's Blowers and their drivers off in style. There will be Bentleys from all eras, some of them extremely rare, in Brescia to mark the start of Mille Miglia and it should be a real celebration of great cars", said Steve Miller, Club Secretary of the Bentley Drivers Club.
One of the most famous results for Mercedes-Benz – in a history filled with famous results – was the 1955 victory by Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson in a W196 300 SLR. But Rudolf Caracciola also won the event in 1931 at the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz SSK. Caracciola was the first non-Italian to win the event – and also did so at an average speed of 101.1km/h.
Mercedes-Benz is collaborating this year with the Museo Mille Miglia in Brescia to display an exhibition of classic posters and drawings by Hans Liska. On display will be Liska's stunning posters advertising Benz's involvement in the classic event.
"Our involvement is a reminder of how closely the Mercedes-Benz brand is connected with the history of the Mille Miglia, which was perhaps the toughest street race in the world in its day," explains Michael Bock, Head of Mercedes-Benz Classic.
"This year there is special significance to our active role in maintaining this unique bond, which combines motorsport success with innovative strength, passion with rivalry. That's because we are devoting 2014 to the celebration of magic moments from 120 years of Mercedes-Benz motor racing history."
The company's Italian distributor has also arranged the inaugural running of 'the Mercedes-Benz Tribute to Mille Miglia', a Benz-only competition in which non-qualifying vehicles leave the start an hour ahead of the main event.
Among the Mercedes-Benz models participating in the main event are a 1930 SS and a 1928 SSK (both powered by a 7.1-litre straight six), a 1952 300 SL and a 1954 300 SL Gullwing (both W194 examples with 3.0-litre six), and a 1954 220 a sedan.
On hand for the event will be DTM drivers – and Benz ambassadors – Roland Asch and Bernd Schneider.
The Mille Miglia, which commemorates the original running of the race between 1927 and 1957, follows a route from Brescia to Rome and back between May 15 to 18. To qualify, competing vehicles must have been in production during the years the original event was held.
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Written byCarsales Staff
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