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The Mercedes-Benz 300SL ‘Gullwing’ is a Miraculous Car

February 18, 2016 by Scott Grundfor

Check out this great article along with a superb video by EVO of the 300SL in action on the track …well, sort of!

300SL Gullwing on the Track

The Gullwing gets more incredible the longer you think about it.

Original Article – Road & Track – January 23, 2016

Many top-dollar classic cars are overhyped. The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing is not one of those cars. As our friends at Evo find out in their most recent video, the Gullwing’s reputation is extremely well deserved.

While the 1955 300SL featured here isn’t fast by modern standards, the performance was fairly mind-blowing for the day. The 215 horsepower, direct-injected straight-six propelled the 300SL from 0-60 mph in 8.5 seconds and to a top speed of 161 mph. Handling, thanks to a swing-axle rear suspension is challenging, and the drum brakes are very of the era.

Evo’s Nick Trott says the gearshift is one of the best he’s ever experienced and the sound is raw and angry; a 1950s version of the sort of aural delight of today’s Mercedes-AMG models.

The 300SL was an unbelievable technical achievement, but what’s most amazing is that the car exists at all. The racecar from which the 300SL road car was derived was built only a few years after German industry was decimated by the WWII and Mercedes had to be convinced by U.S. importer Max Hoffman to build a road car at all.

Hoffman placed 500 orders for a 300SL road car, and the rest is history. A miraculous car, in more ways than one.

 

 

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Filed Under: Articles, News, Resource Center, Video Gallery Tagged With: 300sl gullwing, evo, max hoffman, world war II, wwII

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Recent Posts

Photo Archive Vol. 3 – Mercedes C 111

February 18, 2019 By Scott Grundfor

The Mercedes-Benz C111 is a series of experimental automobiles produced by Mercedes-Benz in the 1960s and 1970s. The company was experimenting with new engine technologies, including 3 and 4 rotor Wankel engines, diesel engines and turbochargers. The C111 platform was the testbed for these technologies.
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Photo Archive Vol. 2 – Experimental Land Speed Project T80

February 17, 2019 By Scott Grundfor

The T80 was a six-wheeled vehicle built by Mercedes-Benz, developed and designed by Ferdinand Porsche and completed in 1939. It was intended to break the world land speed record, but never made the attempt, the project having been overtaken by the outbreak of World War
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Retromobile Paris 2019 – Auctions Recap

February 11, 2019 By Scott Grundfor

NOTE: all prices below include buyers premium The annual collector car auctions in Paris presented a mixed picture although the general atmosphere at the Retromobile show was upbeat and of course, frantically busy! As always, see our recap analysis of the event and of course
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CARS FOR SALE

FOR SALE: 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

December 30, 2018 By Scott Grundfor

This 280SL “Pagoda”, wearing its immaculately kept original paint and interior, has been exceptionally well taken care of from new and is fully sorted to the stature of top-of-the-line show quality example. With over $100,000 in restoration/preservation receipts from marque experts between 2010 and 2012, this incredibly original Mercedes
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FOR SALE: 1957 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster

October 5, 2018 By Scott Grundfor

Freshly and comprehensively restored to a show quality finish and superb mechanical condition by marque experts, this factory black, matching numbers 190SL is ready for show or drive with less than 250 miles on it since restoration was completed in 2017 Asking Price: $224,995 This
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FOR SALE: 1953 Bentley R Type Continental Fastback

August 30, 2018 By Scott Grundfor

Ordered new by legendary author Ian Fleming for his closest friend, inspiration and confidant Ivar Bryce, this left-hand-drive Coachbuilt Mulliner Fastback was delivered new with the most desirable equipment, features and colors. Last seen on the show field while winning its class at the 1971
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