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For those who don't know when Mercedes began its motorsport career, it was back in 1894 - on July 22nd, to be more precise. The first automobile race from Paris to Rouen marked the beginning of this era. 130 years later, the premium brand celebrated its anniversary with numerous promotions, marketing campaigns, and a special livery that was used in several races and championships. This included the Mercedes-AMG GT3, with which Maro Engel fought for the DTM title in 2024.
The racing car features a color combination of white, silver, and a classic carbon fiber look - a symbol of 130 years of motorsport. White was the signature color of the earlier racing cars, while silver was a tribute to the Silver Arrows, born in 1934. Legend has it that the paint on the W 25 racing cars was scraped off overnight to reduce the weight of the vehicles. The rear end of the anniversary design features a polished carbon fiber look, creating a natural bridge to the current racing cars in GT racing and Formula 1, whose outer skins are largely made of carbon fiber.
The design brought Engel luck. From the very beginning, he was among the top drivers of the season and was also usually the best-placed Mercedes-AMG driver. Thanks to his consistency, the Monegasque-born driver managed to maintain his championship chances until the finale in Hockenheim. In the end, he had to settle for third place overall, but was delighted with his best result in the series to date.
While the finale didn't go according to plan for Engel, teammate Lucas Auer shone in Hockenheim. The Austrian fought his way to a strong second place, scoring valuable points for the Winward team. Auer represented the 2024 main sponsor MANN-FILTER, which attracts attention with its snake-themed racing cars. In the Mercedes-AMG GT3, also known as the "Mamba," he frequently only occupied midfield positions – often overshadowed by his teammate.
This did not detract from the growing cult status of the Mamba design. The Mercedes, with its sharp fangs on its front and the striking snake-like look on its sides, now enjoys a great deal of popularity among motorsport fans. All the more impressive is Ixo's ability to accurately recreate all these animal-like details with models in scale 1:18 and 1:43.
And speaking of special details on a Mercedes-AMG GT3: In 2023, HRT impressed with an impressive move that probably no one had ever attempted before. Using black permanent marker on a yellow background, the racing team from Meuspath managed to transform the car into a "sketch."
All versions of the Mercedes-AMG GT3 were realized by IXO in the usual high quality and impress with their many details.
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo #22 Mamba DTM 2024 Lucas Auer 1:18 Ixo, RRP €99.95, item-no.: WWR-I-AMG-24-1822-DTM
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo #130 DTM 2024 Maro Engel 1:18 Ixo, RRP €99.95, item-no.: WWR-I-AMG-24-18130-DTM
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo #22 DTM 2024 Lucas Auer 1:43 Ixo, RRP €39.95, item-no.: WWR-I-AMG-24-4322-DTM
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo #130 DTM 2024 Maro Engel 1:43 Ixo, RRP €39.95, item-no.: WWR-I-AMG-24-43130-DTM
Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo #4 3rd 24h Nürburgring 2023 Main Racing, RRP €99.95, item-no.: HRT-I-AMG-23-1804-24H
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