This is a legendary race car. We're happy that we have been able to restore this treasure. 100 years ago, Mercedes-Benz gained victory with a 2-liter machine, which at that time was the top echelon of engineering expertise. The Germans are in Sicily with a team of supercharged Mercedes. The Targa Florio at that time was the most fascinating street race in the world. Returning to racing with Dr. Ferdinand Porsche as chief engineer. This is simply a great piece of engineering. They are up against several works teams and a vast private Hispano-Suiza. The sound of the engine is the heartbeat of a car. It is music to my ears. The race is won by Werner in a Mercedes. The biggest thing for me is the star on my chest. We see it as our mission to restore this Mercedes to the condition it had 100 years ago and get it back on the road. We actually started in 2022, taking the car from the museum to the workshop to look at the general condition of the car. We are aiming to have the car ready in April. This is a major challenge for us and we will do everything we can to achieve this goal. My name is Andreas Häberle and I am the project manager for the restoration of the Mercedes Targa Florio. I would say it’s almost unique in the world to have such a big archive. We have the possibility to recreate history in projects like the Targa Florio. My task in this case was to gather the historical material from our order books, from magazines or from old photographs. We really had all the technical drawings, the originals of the camshafts, also of the cylinder and also of the chassis to be able to restore the car in a really authentic way. Of course, we worked very closely with the Classic Centre, especially with the colleagues who actually work on the car. For many years we have maintained an international network of specialists whom we trust. For example, when it comes to the body, we work together with the van der Meij family, father and son, in the Netherlands. My name is Gerrit Johan van der Meij. I'm responsible for the restoration of the body of the Mercedes Targa Florio. We decided to build a frame with the same dimensions as the original. The body was then built with an iron structure and the skin was made of aluminium, which was very light. What they did back then really amazes me. It's just a great piece of engineering. We compared the pictures with the drawings and discussed them with Manfred from Mercedes to see if we had the same vision as they had. And then we started making new parts. It's very easy these days to draw something on a laptop and make a 3D model to make sure that all the proportions etc. are right and then you can approve it quite easily. The timetable is a bit tight, but so far we are on schedule. We are waiting for the axles and then we can start working on the fenders. I was involved from the beginning and was immediately excited. I said yes, let's do it! The engine was absolutely high-tech at the time and you have to take your hat off to the people involved. We have a twin overhead camshaft motor. We have 4-valve technology and the engine is supercharged by a Roots compressor. We chose Dieter because we have worked together for many years. My name is Dieter Braun and I am responsible for repairing the engine components. My work is based on the dimensions from the original drawings. This means that we rebuild the car exactly as it was. Looking at it from the outside, we see a couple of neuralgic points. First, the cylinder bank was in a state of disrepair, the water jacket was corroded and there was some warping of the top surface. We had to make tools because the tools that were used for the assembly no longer exist. First we removed the damaged cylinder liners. Both camshafts have to be repaired as the cams themselves are too worn to be reinstalled in this condition. I am convinced that everything will work as originally planned. There is a lot of anticipation, a lot of sweat and a lot of passion. You also want to know what will happen when you turn the crank for the first time. What will it sound like? So when it came to the colour, we actually had a kind of secret weapon in the form of Dr Gundula Tutt, who is a forensic analyst. My name is Gundula Tutt. I am a conservator and restorer. In the Targa Florio project, I am responsible for determining and reconstructing the car's historic paintwork and rebuilding it using the authentic materials of the time. I had a tip from the Mercedes Classic specialist that the car had been painted in a dark red called Mercedes Red at the time. I was lucky enough to find a little dark red underneath other layers on the rear axle, and I also found a little red underneath the car's tank. The first thing you do is run a laboratory analysis to see if the materials really match the period you're looking for. The lab I'm working with confirmed that it was an oil-based varnish and that all the pigments were correct for the period. I love working with my colleague Volker Lück, who is a very, very skilled craftsman and has a lot of experience in working with natural materials. He also has the facilities, a dust-free, well-tempered room for drying and painting. Today is special for me because I'm seeing the car live for the first time and it's just fantastic. It is a success that the body harmonises so well with the chassis we prepared. You can only achieve something like this by working hand in hand. It's simply great. We went to Italy yesterday to pick up the metres that we have to put in the dashboard because they can get damaged or lost. We finished the fenders in three to four weeks and the same with the belly pans. Now we just have to get the engine running. Most of the parts are already finished. The engine housing is all right and can be installed as it is. On the cylinder block with camshaft bearing race, the cylinder liners still have to be honed and the cut-outs for the connecting rods have to be moulded. The base drilling for the camshaft bearing still has to be finished, it is only pre-turned. The camshafts are both repaired, the pistons are newly manufactured and ready for installation. The compressor, carburettor and recirculation flap have all been refurbished and are also ready for installation. The crankshaft is currently on the grinder and the connecting rod bearings are also being worked on. I'm Volker Lück. I'm an art restorer and cabinet maker, and in this project I'm responsible for the varnishing of the Targa Florio. First I mixed modern colours to have a sample of what the car will look like. Then, with the help of Gundula Tutt, we had to mix the linseed oil-based paint. At this point we started with the primer, which we had to apply in three coats. The car is in good hands with Volker. He has already finished the primer and is now starting on the first coat of paint. We started with the red paint, and after about three coats of red, we have to finish with carriage varnish, which is also a linseed-based oil varnish to protect the paint. When you see the vehicle now, after Volker has applied the paint, it is of course amazing. You can see every trace of work and every hammer stroke on the bodywork. The car was handprinted with the brush. We blew up the photos on the computer so that we could even see the coarse brush marks in the paint, and that's what we want to do. We want to see the brush marks, in some places we even have some of the dust in the varnish as it was 100 years ago. So far I feel we are getting a good product. When you work so much on an engine, at some point it becomes like a little baby. You really have a relationship with it that involves a lot of emotion. And then the corresponding product comes out and that's what we have here and if you've done everything right, you press the button and it works. We have now reached the stage where we can install the engine in the vehicle. What belongs together has come together. The rest is just a bit of tinkering and then the vehicle will work like it did 100 years ago. That is Mercedes! We have the best team in the world, these are absolute experts. A compressor engine back then, 100 years ago, I mean the sound is amazing. So I want to congratulate the team that has restored this car. I would never have expected a racing car to be so harmonious, to absorb the bumps in the road and to be so relaxed while sitting in it. The only surprise is how easy this cars are to drive, engine pick up, engine drivability, also the way the gears shift. To experience something like that is truly unique. If you have the right team by your side, you can achieve anything. For me, today is a magical moment, a heartfelt thanks to you, Manfred and Dietmar. And of course to all the others, they have done an incredible job. You sit in a masterpiece of technology which is 100 years old. I’m absolutely grateful and I’m absolutely happy to be a part of this great brand and company. Our cars should be shown to the public so we will have it in Imola, we will have it at Goodwood and we will be also at the Targa Florio.