A box of metal – with wings

Weiter mit der Mercedes-Benz Reihe. Diesmal wieder ein ganz besonderer Wagen. Zwischen 1954 und 1957 bietet Mercedes-Benz den schnellsten Produktionswagen der Welt an. Firmenintern wird er unspektakulär W 198 genannt. Zum Verkauf kommt er als Mercedes-Benz 300SL 300 für 3.0 Liter Hubraum. SL für Super Leicht. Aus den drei Litern Hubraum kommen knapp 215 PS, die den Wagen auf 260 km/h Spitze beschleunigen. Den Preis von 29,000 DM (umgerechnet heute etwa 68.400 Euro) können sich nur wenige leisten und so wird der Wagen nur etwa 1400 mal verkauft. 1100 davon allein in den USA.

Pionierarbeit leistet Mercedes-Benz bei diesem Auto mit den Türen, welche den Wagen zu einer Ikone werden lassen. Niemand davor und nur wenige Firmen danach haben sich an dieses Prinzip erneut herangetraut.

front right view with some Roadster included

detailed view of the left wing

the doors might have a disadvantage in some car parks

View from the back into the mirror

Interior design

1957 300SL Roadster, added later to the portfolio

Another post of the Mercedes-Benz series. This time, it is going to be another special car again. Mercedes-Benz built the fastest production car in the world between 1954 and 1957. The internal name was pretty dry. The W 198 was based on a rally car, built since 1952. Customers know it as Mercedes-Benz 300SL. 300 as in 3 litre engine deplacement. SL as in Super Leicht (‘Super Light’). 215 hp accelerate the car up to 260 km/h (160 mph). Since it was very expensive for its time – 29,000 DM (11,000 US$) would be 68,400€ today – only 1,400 cars were sold. 1,100 of them in the USA.

The 300SL was the first production car ever to have gullwing doors. Still today, there are hardly any other car production companies, building car doors like that which adds to the speciality of Mercedes-Benz.

1957 300SL Roadster, added later to the portfolio

Fun fact. Officially the SL is for ‘Sport Light’. Even ‘SLs’ today have this tag. However, former Head of Construction Rudolf Uhlenhaut has signed personally that the 300SL means ‘Super Light’ instead.

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