I uploaded this butt-shot of a naked Mercedes Benz W 196 R Grand Prix car taken at the factory in 1954 to the primotipo Facebook page the other day, with interest levels as crazy as a frog-in-a-sock since…
So I’ve updated the piece with the shot and a few others from Mercedes’ archive, see here; https://primotipo.com/2015/10/09/mercedes-benz-w196-french-gp-1954/
The photograph shows the spaceframe chassis, two inboard brake drums and rear mounted 5-speed transaxle. The rear suspension comprises swing axles and tubular shocks with the spring medium longitudinally mounted torsion bars, which are not in view.
Credits…
Mercedes Benz
Finito…
primotipo... 
Great photo but can’t fathom rear suspension. Eyeballs are failing.