From S to SSK
Mercedes-Benz presented the SSK at the Geneva motor show in 1929. It was based on the S series that had been introduced in 1927, shortly after the merger of Daimler with arch rival Benz. In turn, the S was succeeded by the SS. The two models were very successful as long as the roads were straight. This limitation worried racing director Alfred Neubauer. So, in the spring of 1928 a new, less unwieldy car was commissioned. It became the SSK, which stood for Super Sport Kurz (short).
Completely original
Over the course of three years just 30 SSKs were built, a very low number compared to the 9000 cars produced by the company during this period. About half of the SSKs were successfully used in motor racing and as a consequence many suffered mechanical defects and serious damage. That was not the case for the car in the Louwman Museum. The history of this 1929 SSK is extensively documented and the car is completely original and unrestored. There is no other car like it. But despite its condition and provenance, it is still used for serious historical events, such as the Mille Miglia.
Fame and Success
The SSK’s publicity value was enormous. Many SSKs were owned by celebrities such as Dorothy Paget, the well-known sponsor of the Blower Bentley racing team and Mercedes-Benz historian David Scott-Moncrieff. Other SSKs won an unprecedented number of races such as the 500 miles of Argentina, the Mille Miglia, the British Tourist Trophy, the Grands Prix of Ireland, Spain, Argentina and Germany, numerous hills climbs and a great many more. Mercedes’ advertising the SSK as the ‘white elephant’, the world’s fastest sports car was no exaggeration.
Ferdinand Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche began his career with Mercedes-Benz. He designed the S, the SS and the SSK. The SSK is the last car Ferdinand Porsche developed for Mercedes-Benz before starting his own company. At the end of 1928, after a disagreement with the board of directors, the brilliant yet tempestuous engineer stormed out in a rage that purportedly was only a few decibels less cacophonous than the mighty Mercedes he had created. The sound of the mechanical supercharger fitted to the SSK was extraordinary and was appropriately nicknamed the ‘elephant blower’.
Come and see the Mercedes-Benz SSK for yourself!
