Filed under: Classics, Performance, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury



The phrase "instant classic" gets thrown around a lot these days, and applied to all sorts of mediocre stuff, from mass produced retro muscle cars to Italian exotics that are astonishing only by virtue of price. Truth be told, you can probably count the numbers of cars that have ever been deserving of such a label on one hand (and perhaps have a finger or two left over). Certainly the Mercedes-Benz 300SL is one of the few.

First introduced at the 1954 New York Auto Show and produced for only four years, the amazing "Gullwing" is as shocking a sight to behold today as it was some six decades ago. Seeing this icon on the street was rare even in period, as Mercedes sold fewer than 1,500. Today, with values in the $800,000 range, Gullwings are more often than not ogled from afar or treated with care more befitting a Faberge egg than a 160-mile-per-hour sports car.

That circumstance only makes this four-minute video all that much more wonderful, as it is likely the best modern footage of a 300SL extant. With plenty of artistic camerawork and excellent sound recording of the direct-injected 3-liter six at full throttle, we're betting you'll want to watch it twice. Hearing the car's unidentified owner talk about owning and driving it made us want to cheer a little, as he's our kind of car guy, someone who feels that cars were meant to be driven and enjoyed rather than locked away in a museum.

Scroll down to watch the full video, and here's to hoping that maybe director Josh Clason might cut together an extended version.Continue reading Why the Mercedes 300SL Gullwing is so damn special, as described by an owner

Why the Mercedes 300SL Gullwing is so damn special, as described by an owner originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 May 2012 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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Autoblog
05-30-2012 08:45 PM

I rode in one yesterday, it is a visceral experience, if you have the opportunity, take it, go for a ride in one.

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68 280SL - 70 280SL - 70 300SEL 3.5 - 72 350SL - 72 280SEL 4.5 - 72 220 - 72 220D - 73 450SL - 84 230GE - 87 200TD - 90 190E 2.0 - 03 G500

Nissan GTR - Nissan Skyline GTS25T - Toyota GTFour - Rover Mini - Toyota Land Cruiser HJ60 - Cadillac Eldorado - BMW E30 - BMW 135i

Like the guy in the video, I remember putting together a model of a gullwing as a boy. It was actually the first model car kit I ever put together. It looks as good today as it did back then in 1960!

Great video, too.

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" We have nothing to fear but the main stream media itself . . . ."- Adapted from Franklin D Roosevelt for the 21st century

OBK #55

1998 Lincoln Continental - Sold
Max 1984 300TD 285,000 miles - Sold
The Dee8gonator 1987 560SEC 196,000 miles - Sold
Orgasmatron - 2006 CLS500 90,000 miles
2002 C320 Wagon 122,000 miles
2016 AMG GTS 12,000 miles

my first awareness of the mercedes 300sl was when babysitting my dad's boss's kids. they had a slot car setup and one of the cars was a roadster. i liked the low wide look of it and have been interested in mercedes ever since.

i know that a gullwing or roadster will never be mine, but I am still hopeing to snag the pagoda roof sl here in lafayette one of these days.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Turn the volume up when they start to show the interior of the car in the video. I just about nut up when that comes on and I am 55 years old.

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Jim

When I lived in the Detroit area in 73 I used to see occasionally a gullwing on the street. It was silver. I believe I saw it on telegraph road.

I remember thinking "Wow, a gullwing! They're worth about $35,000!"

Now of course they are worth from 700 to a mil.

I like the fact that this fellow drives his on the street. its not one of the prettier colors but hey, you know, I'd take it.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Grumpy in Europe says "I still can't see what the fuss is about - I'd much rather have a W111"

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!