Zoute Grand Prix, October 5-8, 2017: At the Belgian Seaside Resort of Het Zoute

5 to 8 October 2017: Zoute Grand Prix: Open-top automotive culture at the Belgian seaside

At the Zoute Grand Prix 2017, Mercedes-Benz Classic is presenting three outstanding open-top sporting vehicles that span the brand's history: the supercharged Model S sports car from 1927 stands for the racing victories of the late 1920s and early 1930s. The sports version of the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (W 121) recalls the motor sport successes of Mercedes-Benz standard-production sports cars in the 1950s. And the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS (W 198), raced in the 1957 US sports car championship, bears witness to the three successive championship titles of Paul O'Shea at the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz. The automobiles with the star will be presented and driven by, among others, Mercedes-Benz Classic brand ambassador Jochen Mass. The Zoute Grand Prix will be held for the eighth time from 5 to 8 October 2017. It will take place at the Belgian seaside resort of Het Zoute, a district of Knokke-Heist. This exclusive festival of automotive lifestyle will include the Zoute Rally, the Zoute Concours d'Elégance and the Zoute GT Tour, the Zoute Sale by Bonhams and the Zoute Top Marques car show.

Stuttgart. Once a year, the glamorous Belgian seaside resort of Het Zoute is transformed into an exclusive stage for showcasing the automotive lifestyle in all its diversity. For the Zoute Grand Prix, which has been held since 2010, offers five different formats for experiencing the fascination of automotive culture.

Classic vehicles will be especially in the spotlight at the Zoute Rally (5 to 7 October 2017), the Concours d'Elégance (7 to 8 October) and the Zoute Sale by Bonhams (5 and 6 October). The Zoute GT Tour (8 October) is devoted to outstanding sports cars from the past twenty years. On 18 podiums along the exclusive Kustlaan shopping mile and Albertplein Square, the Zoute Top Marques (5 to 8 October) will present the highlights of the current ranges of the participating brands. Mercedes-Benz is a Premium Car Partner of Top Marques.

Magic moments of motor sport

Mercedes-Benz Classic will be represented at the Zoute Grand Prix 2017 by three vehicles that recall magic moments of motor sport with near-standard open-top sports cars from different eras: the supercharged Model S sports car from 1927, the racing version of the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (W 121) and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS (W 198), the winning car in the 1957 US sports car championship. The automobiles of the Stuttgart brand will be presented and driven by, among others, former racing driver and Mercedes-Benz Classic brand ambassador Jochen Mass.

Ninety years ago, the Model S was the first member of the successful S-series to which it gave its name and which also included SS and SSK versions. It was with these supercharged sports cars that the brand dominated international motor sport in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The six-cylinder in-line engine of the Model S, the "S" standing for "Sport", had an output of  88 kW (120 hp). With help from the supercharger, this rose to a mighty 132 kW (180 hp), making the high-performance sports car the most successful racing car of its era. At the same time, the Model S was also produced in the guise of a highly exclusive, street-legal super sports car and sold to discerning customers.

The racing version of the Roadster 190 SL (W 121) stands for the motor sport successes of Mercedes-Benz standard-production cars in the 1950s. This field, however, was dominated by the "big brother" 300 SL, as the 190 SL was disadvantaged by the rules: the sports version was homologated by the FIA not as a GT, but only as a sports car – a class in which it really stood no chance. Even so, the 190 SL recorded some racing successes, such as in the Grand Prix of Macau and the Grand Prix of Casablanca in 1956.

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS was produced as a special version of the 300 SL Roadster (W 198), unveiled in 1957, for competing in the US sports car championship. Lightweight design along with an optimised engine made the vehicle a winner, with Paul O'Shea taking the championship title for the third time in succession.

Automotive culture between city, beach and golf green

Those participating in the Zoute Rally by Chubb will experience classic automobiles on dream roads of Flanders. This year, a field of almost 200 vehicles built between 1920 and 1965 will line up at the start. Following the technical inspections on the Thursday (5 October 2017) in the centre of Het Zoute near the Alberplein, the rally itself will take place on the following two days. The start is on the Friday (6 October) from 8.30 am as well as on the Saturday (7 October) from 8.00 am. The finish on both days is from 4.00 pm at the dyke near the famous sandy beach.

The Concours d'Elégance will take place at the Royal Zoute Golf Club. Over 50 outstanding classic vehicles will be presented to the public at this event alongside the Zoute Grand Prix. Among last year's prizewinners were a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing car (W 194) from 1952 and a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing" Coupé (W 198). In 2016, the 300 SL "Gullwing" won the prestigious "Most Iconic Car" award.

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