Yahoo Autos Your First Time in a 300 SL Gullwing Is Magic
The 300SL is a fifties race car that was turned into a proper product thanks to a wide range of American A-listers being interested in purchasing such a Benz. That's also the reason why Mercedes built way more roadsters than coupés, which only makes the iconic Gullwings even more desirable.
Built around an innovative tubular frame and wrapped in aluminum and steel, the 300SL packed a three-liter straight-six with Bosch's mechanical fuel-injection for the first time in a production car, producing around 215 horsepower instead of the 170hp the carbureted version of that engine could do. It also had a highly rewarding, tight four-speed manual gearbox and a surprisingly spacious, although equally toasty, interior. What's it like to hop into one today? An absolute joy, of course!
All original matching-numbers 300SLs trade for seven figures nowadays, but out of the 1400 Gullwings they've built, there are still a few out there that can be used for high-speed cruising, just like they were 20-30 years ago. Cars with replacement engines, a new paint job or some battle scars all around. You know, because the cost of those rarely goes above the high sixes...
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