Mercedes-Benz Classic debuts 1955 300 SLR at 1000 Miglia UAE

Mercedes-Benz Classic presents the 1955 300 SLR at 1000 Miglia Experience UAE and outlines Classic Partner expansion and Roarington digital plans. Read details.

Mercedes-Benz Classic has brought one of the brand’s most iconic racing cars to the Gulf region for the first time: the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S). The appearance of the “Silver Arrow” became a key highlight of the 1000 Miglia Experience UAE, staged in the United Arab Emirates from 30 November to 4 December 2025 and limited to 120 rare cars from around the world.

The organisers present the event as a Middle Eastern interpretation of the spirit of the historic Mille Miglia, blending automotive heritage with striking landscapes and modern architecture. For Mercedes-Benz Classic, the debut was designed as a moving encounter rather than a static display: spectators saw the 300 SLR both on the route and in action, including during the start and finish sections of the rally.

The narrative Mercedes-Benz Classic chose for this premiere is rooted in an anniversary year. The company points to 1955 as an exceptional motorsport season, recalling that Juan Manuel Fangio secured the Formula 1 world title and that the 300 SLR won the World Sportscar Championship. The press material also links the story to Mille Miglia history: Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson’s victory in a 300 SLR with start number 722 is highlighted for its record status, while John Fitch and Kurt Gessl achieved a class win and fifth overall in a near-production 300 SL (W 198) bearing number 417—an explicit reference to the 4:17 start time.

Alongside the 300 SLR, Mercedes-Benz Classic underlined continuity with a second thread: “No windscreen, pure racing.” Three additional cars were entered under that banner—a sport-optimised 190 SL, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss (a 75-unit run, without roof and windscreen), and the modern Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed. PureSpeed is presented as a strictly limited model, capped at 250 examples, powered by a 4.0-litre V8 biturbo delivering 430 kW (585 hp) and 800 Nm. Even its design is framed through historical echoes, with aerodynamic “scoops” behind the headrests described as a visual nod to the 300 SLR.

The rally also served as a regional milestone for Mercedes-Benz Classic’s customer network. Ahead of the event, the first Mercedes-Benz Classic Partner in the UAE was introduced: Gargash Enterprise LLC in Dubai, an authorised Mercedes-Benz dealer founded in 1958 and responsible for Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. The move signals a broader push to strengthen classic-car support infrastructure in the Middle East, aligned with the brand’s long-standing collector scene in the region.

A third layer of the story points toward digital heritage. During the same period, Abu Dhabi hosted Sotheby’s Collectors’ Week, where Roarington staged The Classic Car Trust Forum and Mercedes-Benz Heritage took part in a panel on how heritage and innovation can reshape collecting culture. In that context, Mercedes-Benz Heritage and Roarington have publicly tied their partnership to a digital twin of the Mercedes-Benz Museum and its future integration into Roarington’s emerging “Dreamland” ecosystem—an attempt to make iconic cars relevant not only in metal, but also through immersive digital experiences.

Taken together, the Gulf debut of the 300 SLR reads as more than a one-off appearance: it connects an anniversary narrative about 1955 with a contemporary “open-car” theme, while simultaneously expanding regional service capability and pushing a digital roadmap for heritage. If the brand continues in this direction, events like 1000 Miglia Experience UAE could become a recurring showcase of three pillars at once—historic icons, the classic support network behind them, and the digital tools intended to keep the story compelling for new generations.