Century performance goes into series
Today, the 300 SL Roadster is one of the most sought-after and valuable Mercedes-Benz classics. It made its debut 60 years ago at the Geneva Motor Show. From 1954 to 1957, the gullwing coupé wrote a success story. The 300 SL “Gullwing” thrilled sports car enthusiasts with its unusual design and exceptional performance. The starting point for its development was in the USA: “We need a great sports car from Mercedes-Benz here,” US importer Maximilian Hoffman is said to have said.
Century performance goes into series
Today, the 300 SL Roadster is one of the most sought-after and valuable Mercedes-Benz classics. It made its debut 60 years ago at the Geneva Motor Show. From 1954 to 1957, the gullwing coupé wrote a success story. The 300 SL “Gullwing” thrilled sports car enthusiasts with its unusual design and exceptional performance. The starting point for its development was in the USA: “We need a great sports car from Mercedes-Benz here,” US importer Maximilian Hoffman is said to have said. In September 1953, he fully convinced the Daimler-Benz Board of Management of the idea of building a production version of the successful 300 SL racing sports car. After just an incredible five months, the time had come in February 1954: the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198) celebrated a sensational debut at the International Motor Sports Show in New York. The new sports car was both beautiful and innovative. As the world’s first series-produced passenger car with a four-stroke engine, it was equipped with the power- and efficiency-enhancing gasoline injection system.
A breathtaking engine output of 215 hp (158 kW) enables a top speed of up to 250 km/h, depending on the axle ratio. This makes the 300 SL the fastest production car of its time. As with the legendary racing sports car of the 1952 season, the focus is on consistent lightweight construction, with a lattice tube frame carrying the engine, transmission and axles, leaving no room for conventional doors.
