The Mercedes 300SL, a legendary butterfly worth millions!

But what is this emblematic car that has left its mark on the automotive world as much for its looks as its performance?

It all began in 1951, with a desire to return to competition on the part of Mercedes-Benz. In 1952, the Gullwing era began with a victory of the W194 version in the Carrera Panamericana and in the 24h of Le Mans. The W194 had a tubular chassis (weight distribution and increased rigidity), an aerodynamic and light body. Following this success, the Mercedes importer in the United States, Maximilien Hoffman, asked the managers to market a road version. Once the Stuttgart premises were convinced, an order of 1000 examples from Hoffman was placed on account. Indeed, at the end of World War II, money is welcome to transform a 300SL type W194 into a luxurious GT.

Concerning the engine and the performances of this GT, the car embarks a 6 cylinders in line of 3L of displacement of the Mercedes 300 Adenauer (a big sedan). It is at the level of the chassis and the bodywork that the 300SL will stand out: a rigid chassis designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut which weighs only 50 kg! The aerodynamic bodywork was worked on in great detail, and the butterfly doors were the basis for the name 300SL: Papillon, Gullwing or Flügeltüren. For the record, the engine is tilted by 50° under the front hood to keep the car low. Also, since the gullwing doors do not allow for sliding windows, the installed windows can be removed and folded into special storage compartments. Inside, ideas are developed to facilitate the installation of the pilot: a tiltable steering wheel.

The 300SL W198 was unveiled at the 1954 New York Auto Show. This road version has an evolved body with a strong style. But it is also a symbol of revolution in the automotive world: indeed it is the very first car to adopt fuel injection. Its 3L engine develops 225 hp (more powerful than the other 6 cylinders 3L of the range). A car weighing 1400 kg and reaching 235 km/h, a crazy record at that time (0-100 km/h in 8s)! It was a huge success, offered in the catalog until 1957, 80% of the 1400 examples were sold in the USA.

A car that requires a lot of money: up to 1.7 million euros currently!

Hugo Cortes