1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing

The Story

Few cars announce themselves like the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. Lift those upward-swinging gullwing doors — a solution forced by the deep sides of its racing-derived tubular spaceframe — and you are looking at one of the defining sports cars of the twentieth century. Born of the company's Le Mans-winning racer, the road-going coupe arrived in 1954 and became an instant legend.

Beneath the long louvered hood sat a 3.0-litre inline-six canted on its side, fed by Bosch mechanical fuel injection — a first for a production car. The result was 215 horsepower and, with the right axle ratio, a top speed approaching 160 mph, making the 300 SL the fastest production car of its day. It rewarded a smooth, deliberate driver; its swing-axle rear demanded respect, but its pace was simply intoxicating.

The Gullwing became the chariot of film stars, royalty and racing privateers, a symbol of postwar German engineering reborn at the highest level. Its silhouette — low, taut and faintly aeronautical — has graced more bedroom posters and concours lawns than almost any rival.

Scarcity and significance have made it blue-chip. Just 1,400 coupes were built, and today fine examples trade comfortably past a million dollars, with exceptional cars reaching well over two million at auction. The 300 SL is not merely collectible; it is a cornerstone of any serious collection.