This image was taken after the 1952 (third) edition of the Carrera PanAmericana road race which was ridden in Mexico , on November 23, 1952. Shown in this gorgeous image is the nr. 4 Mercedes Benz 300 SL a.k.a. Mercedes Benz W 194 winners, the German Mercedes-Benz works riders Karl Kling and Hans Klenk:

the winners of that years edition of the Carrera PanAmericana!

The Mercedes-Benz factory had organized several tire-changing stops during the route. A few doubled as a service point, where the cars got a quick once over. Here we see one of the service stops. Karl Kling stands next to the car (RH side of the photo), Hans Klenk (LH side of the photo) is cleaning the car and taking care of the shattered windscreen. The front windshield broke after an high-speed collision with a 45” wingspan vulture, 45 miles (70 km) earlier…

In 1952, the original Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (model Mercedes-Benz W194) scored overall wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in Berne-Bremgarten, in the sportscar race of the Eifelrennen at the Nürburgring, and in Mexico's Carrera PanAmericana where this photo was taken. It also managed second and fourth places at its first outing, the Mille Miglia in 1952. These successes, especially those on the high speed open road races, were rather surprising as the engine then was fitted only with carburetors, producing 175 hp (130 kW). Low weight and low aerodynamic drag made the 300SL fast enough to be competitive, while reliability improved its chances of winning.

In 1952 the Carrera Panamericana saw the introduction of two categories - Sports Cars and Stock Cars, dividing what had previously been a single class, so American heavy saloons did not have to compete directly with the nimble European sports cars. The major automobile manufacturers had taken notice of the race and Mercedes-Benz sent a highly organized group of people and cars to the race. First and second places were won by Karl Kling and Herman Lang, driving the 300SL. This group may well have achieved a 1-2-3 finish had American John Fitch not been disqualified for permitting a mechanic to touch his 300SL on the penultimate day. American Chuck Stevenson won the touring car class in a Lincoln Capri. Famously, the victory of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL of Kling and Hans Klenk came despite the car being hit by a vulture in the windscreen. During a long right-hand bend in the opening stage, taken at almost 200 km/h (120 mph), Kling failed to spot vultures sitting by the side of the road. As the birds scattered at the sound of the virtually unsilenced 300SL, one impacted through the windscreen on the passenger side, briefly knocking co-driver and navigator Klenk unconscious. Despite bleeding badly from facial injuries from the shattered windscreen, Klenk ordered Kling to maintain speed, and held on until a tyre change almost 70 km (43 mi) later to wash himself and the car of blood, bird and glass. For extra protection, eight vertical steel bars were bolted over the new windscreen. Kling and Klenk also discussed the species and size of the dead bird, agreeing that it was a bird with a minimum 115-centimetre (45 in) wingspan and weighing as much as five fattened geese. Less famously, but with far greater implications, was the innovative use of pre-prepared 'pace-notes' which allowed Klenk to ascertain and communicate upcoming road bends in rapid shorthand to Kling. This system proved so effective that it is used in all motorsports involving a navigator today (such as rallying).

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was a magnificent two-seat, closed sports car with characteristic gull-wing doors, and later, offered as an open roadster. Built by Daimler-Benz AG and internally numbered W198, the road version of 1952 was based (somewhat loosely) on the company's highly successful competition-only sports car of 1950, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL (W194) which had less power, as it still had carburetors. This model was suggested by the American Mercedes importer Max Hoffman. Because it was intended for customers whose preferences were reported to Hoffman by dealers he supplied in the booming, post-war American market, it was introduced at the 1954 New York Auto Show—unlike previous models introduced at either the Frankfurt or Geneva shows. The 300SL was best known for both its distinctive gullwing or butterfly wing doors and for being the first-ever gasoline-powered car equipped with fuel injection directly into the combustion chamber. The gullwing version was available from March 1955 to 1957. In Mercedes-Benz fashion, the "300" referred to the engine's cylinder displacement, in this case, three liters. The "SL", as applied to a roadster, stood for "Sport Leicht" or "Sport Light." More widely produced (25,881 units) and starting in 1954 was the similar-looking 190SL with a 105 hp (78 kW) 4cyl engine, available only as roadster (or with an additional hardtop, as Coupe Roadster). The 190SL, based on a shortened 180 saloon floorpan, was equivalent to today's SLK in its market positioning when compared to the SL. Production for both the 190SL and 300SL ended in 1963 when the 230SL was introduced.

The Carrera PanAmericana was raced from 1950 through 1954. It was held on open roads in Mexico that ran from a southern Mexican west-coast city towards Texas. The race was formed to celebrate the competition of the Panamerican Highway. It was a multi-staged race across the country that counted towards the World Sportscar Championship. The race saw entrants from factory teams, privateers, and amateurs. On average, only one-third of the entrants were able to finish the race. The first cars to run the race had top speeds of around 100 mph. By 1954, the cars were easily running at 170 mph. The vehicles were not adequately designed to protect the drivers at speeds this great. Being run on open roads meant that many areas of the course could not be managed; live stock, people, obstacles, and a number of other scenarios could make their ways into the road and cause disaster. The decision to cancel the race in 1954 was sad, but necessary.  Many people agree that the Carrera Pan Americana race was one of the most grueling road race ever conceived. The race was open to stock production vehicles. A few marque's took advantage of this difficult course to prove their vehicles stamina and toughness, Mercedes Benz were one of them!

This is a very nice and very rare photo that reflects a wonderful era of Mercedes ‘s automotive history in a wonderful way.  This is your rare chance to own this photo, therefore it has a nice large format of ca. 8" x 10" (ca. 20 x 26 cm).  It makes it perfectly suitable for framing.