Sixty Years Ago: Year of rallying success for Eugen Böhringer and Mercedes-Benz starts in Greece -- May 23-26, 1962

Eugen Böhringer (right) and Peter Lang with their Mercedes-Benz 220 SE rally car (W 111) after winning the 10th International Acropolis Rally 60 years ago from 23 to 27 May 1962. Eugen Böhringer becomes the 1962 European Rally Champion. (Photo index number in the Mercedes-Benz Classic Archive: U7979)

Year of rallying success for Eugen Böhringer and Mercedes-Benz starts in Greece

• Victory at the 10th International Acropolis Rally with a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE
• The rally driver born 100 years ago becomes European champion in 1962
• Successful on “Tail Fin” saloons and “Pagoda” SL

This is the beginning of the title of European Rally Champion 1962: Eugen Böhringer with his co-driver Peter Lang wins the 10th International Acropolis Rally 60 years ago in the near-production Mercedes-Benz 220 SE rally car (W 111). The competition is held in Greece from 23 to 27 May 1962. 1962 is the most successful season in Böhringer’s career, who was born 100 years ago on 22 January 1922. The chef and hotelier starts rallying as a works driver for Mercedes-Benz in 1960 and becomes European rally vice-champion as early as in 1961. In 1962, the year he wins the championship, Böhringer also wins the Rally Poland and probably the toughest of all rallies, the Liège–Sofia–Liège marathon. In addition, there are second places at the legendary Monte Carlo Rally and the Rally Germany. Böhringer ends his motorsport career in 1965.