1954
Mercedes-Benz
300 Sl
The 300 SL combines multiple firsts, production car fuel injection, gullwing doors, direct racing-car DNA, into a single machine that is simultaneously a milestone of engineering history and one of the most beautiful ca...
1954–1963
In Uncommon
165
Public vehicles
0
Owners
$1,240K
Typical value
$543K–$1,366K
Value range
The story
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is one of the most significant automobiles ever produced, the first production car with fuel injection, the fastest production car in the world at its launch, and the origin of the iconic gullwing door. Its 3.0-liter inline-six producing 215 hp in road trim came directly from the 1952 Le Mans-winning racing car. The gullwing door design was forced by the high sill required by the tubular space frame chassis, becoming an accidental design masterpiece.
Its significance to both automotive progress and design has never been surpassed.
History
The 300 SL began life as the racing W194 of 1952, which won Le Mans and the Carrera Panamericana. American distributor Max Hoffman persuaded Mercedes-Benz to produce a road version, launching the W198 at the New York Auto Show in 1954. An open Roadster succeeded the coupe in 1957 with a conventional low-cut door, redesigned rear suspension, and optional disc brakes. In total 1,400 Gullwings and 1,858 Roadsters were produced before production ended in 1963.
On track
The 300 SL racing car won the 1952 Le Mans 24 Hours, the Mille Miglia, and the Carrera Panamericana in the same year, a triple crown of endurance racing that established Mercedes-Benz as the dominant force in international motorsport. The road car carried the racing car's technology directly into production, making it the most literal racing-to-road transfer of its era.
How they show up
Years in the garage
- 195523
- 195622
- 195718
- 195314
- 196113
Popular trims
Roadster
46
Gullwing
16
Generations
1954
1954-1963 (1954–1963)
Common questions
01
What is Mercedes-Benz 300 Sl on Uncommon?
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is one of the most significant automobiles ever produced, the first production car with fuel injection, the fastest production car i...
02
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