Eugen Böhringer (22January1922 – 19June2013) was a German racing driver and hotelier who spent the majority of his racing career on the Mercedes-Benz works team.[3] A specialist in grueling long-distance events, his crowning achievement was victory in the 1962 European Rally Championship.
Early life
1921 Mercedes-Knight 16-45 PS Tourenwagen in the Mercedes-Benz Museum
Eugen Böhringer was born on 22 January 1922 in Rotenberg, Stuttgart to Gottfried and Emma Böhringer. By 1925 the family owned a Mercedes-Knight 16/45 PS Tourenwagen, and Emma Böhringer was one of the first women in the Stuttgart area to have a driver's license. In 1928, his father started a bus service between Rotenberg and Untertürkheim for commuting employees of the Mercedes-Benz plant located there. Before becoming a driver, Eugen worked as a chef at the family's hotel and restaurant. His road to fame began with him entering a Mercedes-Benz W105 in local and regional competitions for a wager with friends.[citation needed]
Racing career
Böhringer drove various Mercedes roadsters, including the 230 SL "Pagoda"
Early successes brought a promotion to the Mercedes-Benz works team for 1960, and a second-place finish at Rallye Monte-Carlo behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Tourenwagen. The "fintail" saloons became his trademark, as he developed a reputation for nimble driving in rallies which often exceeded 5,000 kilometers.
