During the 1955 Le Mans disaster, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR that killed 83 spectators was traveling at an estimated 150 mph when it struck a slower Austin-Healey, and the impact launched it into the crowd with such force that it became a primary argument for circuit racing over street circuits—yet Mercedes’ response was to quietly withdraw from motorsport entirely, a decision so complete that the company didn’t return to racing until the 1990s, making it one of history’s longest self-imposed sabbaticals by a major automaker.
Car Fact #19 — July 5, 2026
