Silverstone Auctions always attracts high caliber lots that are often fought over by collectors. The up and coming event at Silverstone Classics is on home turf for the British auction house, and so it has selected a very charismatic (German) machine to headline the sale. Feast your eyes on this early 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.

Feast your eyes on this early 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.

These Gullwing models are always an impressive sight, but this car even more so due to its great condition, and status as one of the first produced. Early examples of the 300SL feature ‘full belly pans’ of which are highly sought after amongst collectors. In total, just 1400 300SLs were ever built.

This example isn’t totally original, although it wouldn’t take too much work to return it to factory specification. It was delivered new on 27th December 1954 to New York, wearing a traditional shade of Mercedes Racing Silver. However, it has subsequently been repainted Fire Engine Red and hosts a camshaft upgrade. Another alteration includes the addition of electric power steering.

The car has been well maintained by specialists over the years and comes will an extensive history file. An interesting footnote in its past is that the Mercedes was owned by former Lotus Team Manager, the late Peter Warr. He owned the car for four years from 1989 to 1993. Its current custodian has cherished the car for the past 26 years.

Far from a garage queen, this Gullwing has taken part in many European tours through Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, and Monaco. It has also competed in the Ecurie Ecosse Scottish Tour an incredible 12 times.

Nick Whale, Managing Director of Silverstone Auctions said: ‘We are privileged to offer this car fresh to market from the same private ownership as the 300SL Roadster that we sold at the Silverstone Classic in 2018.’ He continued: ‘It has clearly been loved and cherished by our enthusiastic vendor who is now ready to let the car enjoy its next chapter.’

The 1954 Mercedes-Benz Sl300 Gullwing will be auctioned at the 27 – 28 July 2019 event and has an estimate of £850,000 – £1,000,000 ($1,100,000 – $1,300,000).

Just in time for Christmas, a classic silver grey 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing is now up for auction – with no reserve. Best known for the distinctive gull-wing doors and its direct fuel injection, in its day, this postwar model was the fastest production car and the first iteration of the SL-Class grand tourer.

This particular 300 SL had its first hime in New York with owner Ambie Collins before heading across the Atlantic in 1979 to join the Wiesenthal Collection in Vienna. The car still has its W-7990 number plate issued on February 28, 1979, making it likely to be one of the last Gullwings in the country with a black plate. The model, with matching numbers, was meticulously restored in the ’90s with thorough documentation, replacing its original checker print interior with black leather.

Take a look and place a bid on the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing at Dorotheum auction house.

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing

Press Release:

Chassis 198 040 5500200
Motor 198 980 5500225
Aufbau 198 040 5500185

In the Wiesenthal Collection since 1979
The center piece of the collection
Matching Numbers

Mercedes watched the new World Automobile Championship in 1950 with great interest. Ultimately, the competitors from the past placed their bets on the cars from the past, and the miracle cars from those days that were gathering dust in the cellar, thought to still be able to win as they had done back then. Nobody wanted to embarrass themselves, however, so the old race cars were first tested in South America, away from the big stage. And all of a sudden, that their former dominance was shattered. A new ruling that considerably cut down cylinder capacity for Formula 1 in 1952 meant that new developments were in order. As a result, executives decided against Formula 1 and for the World Sportscar Championship. All well and good – but they did not have a car to race in that, either.

With the new 300 series Mercedes had shown the world that they were once again the people to beat in the superior class.

Its 3-litre engine had potential and could actually get up to 170 horsepower. However, the unit was heavy, which meant that the body had to be light. An aerodynamic body made of light aluminium with a drag coefficent of 0.25 was shaped around a skeleton of a spaceframe. The frame itself weighed just 50 kilos. Standard doors would have taken the stability away from the construction, but the problem was solved by giving the 300 SL race cars the characteristic that everyone remembers them for today: their gull-wing doors.

It was not long before it enjoyed success on the race track. No matter whether at the Nürburgring, Carrera Panamericana or at Le Mans, in 1952, the 300 SL won practically every race it competed in. However, retirement was announced as soon as the end of August for the ten race cars that had been built. Ultimately, Mercedes wanted to return to Formula 1 in 1954. It looked like the 300 SL’s fate was sealed before it had even properly got started. A fresh approach was taken to the situation in December. Rudolf Uhlenhaut wanted to have five cars built for 1953 – after all, there was room for improvement, especially in terms of power. Despite this, the chop came once and for all at the start of 1953. They had won everything, dominance had been sufficiently asserted, and Mercedes could confidently dispense with providing further proof.

One of the five cars for which the death knell had sounded was almost finished. This car was now the guinea pig for the Experimental Department. The aim was to make it even lighter, even more streamlined, and above all, even more powerful. While experiments with superchargers had been carried out in the previous year, now fuel injection technology was intended to provide a boost, along with increased compression and bigger inlets and outlets. Work on aircraft engines provided experience in this domain, and the 6-stample injection pump brought it up to 215 horsepower.

We have a man from Vienna, who had emigrated to New York, to thank for the fact that it did not just remain a prototype. Max Hoffmann had been importing Mercedes cars since 1952, but he offered much more than that. He was an aficionado of fast cars and had a keen sense of what the New World wanted. The success of the 300 SL had left an impression on him: the impression that a car like that could make good money.

Hoffman begged the executives in Stuttgart to produce the SL en masse, and even ordered 1,000 of them, until they gave in, in autumn 1953. The racing prototypes gave birth to a mass-produced sports car, just toned down where necessary. The SL was given bumpers, and to save money, the light alloy was dispensed with apart from for the bonnet and doors. The gear-box was returned to the front of the car, by the engine. However, the engine was the same injection-based racing unit from the prototypes. It was rocket science when compared to everything else trundling down the roads.

Mercedes unveiled the finished production 300 SL at the International Motor Sports Show in New York in February 1954, along with its smaller, more civilized brother, the 190 SL. Production began in August, but the first cars stayed in Europe – so Hoffman and his New World had to be patient. Despite the eye-watering price of DM 29,000, it became a triumph. With larger numbers built from 1955 onwards, it also enjoyed success, especially in the USA, where the majority of the cars were sold.

Precisely 1,400 cars were built in just three years. 29 of them were made purely from aluminium and one had a fibreglass body. The 300 SL was continuously improved throughout the period it was produced. It had been a legend for years by the time it was replaced by the Roadster in 1957!

The 300 SL Roadster was revealed in 1957 and replaced the coupé. In terms of design, it was bang up-to-date, and in Stuttgart, they once again exploited their knowledge to the max, giving the Roadster a new rear axle to drastically improve its handling. Later, disc brakes were added, and, finally, an engine block made from aluminium. The Roadster was quite a bit more expensive than the coupé, but it was also quite a bit more successful. 1,858 of them had rolled off the assembly lines by 1963.

The 300 SL in the Wiesenthal Collection is the 200th car produced in 1955. This year saw 855 gullwings produced, the most of any production year. One reason behind this was that this was the year when supply to the USA really began in force – the country where, thanks to Max Hoffman, almost 80% were sold. This car was also sent to New York in a lightweight shipping box, along with a kilo of paint in its DB 180 silver grey. It was cloaked in this most traditional of colours, as were almost 40% of its fellow 300 SLs. Even the interior was standard, inasmuch as you can say that about a vehicle like this: L1, blue-checkered fabric and L, grey upholstery on the doors. Add-ons came in the form of instruments in English, sealed-beam headlights, bumper guards and an SWF windscreen washing system.

This is how the 300 SL arrived to greet Ambie Collins, its first owner, in Port Chester in New York State. She was followed by two more owners before this 300 SL made its way to the Wiesenthal Collection in Vienna in February 1979. It, too, crossed the Atlantic via the network of dealers in the USA. In addition to its open-topped counterpart and the 300 S, it is one of the center pieces of the collection. It still has the number plate issued to it on 28 February 1979: W-7990. This might well make it the last gullwing in the country with black plates.

The old photo in the „Einzelgenehmigung“ reveals that the SL was in good condition back then. Even prior to that, in the USA, the interior had been refreshed in black leather: the checkered fabric had not been made to survive for ever. The body was fully restored in the company’s in-house workshop in 1992 and 1993. The work is documented down to the smallest detail with invoices and numerous polaroids, and, 25 years on, its quality speaks for itself. Ultimately, the engine was also completely overhauled at the turn of the millennium. The SL cropped up at rallies time and time again in the years that followed: it successfully competed at the Alpenfahrt, Ennstal Classic and, last but not least, the Mille Miglia. The SL club meeting in Laxenburg was always a firm date in its diary. Covering 20,000 miles in almost 20 years, it has been kept as inteded to.

It will take a good while before another car can compete with this one, having spent 40 years owned by the same company. With a wonderful patina on the inside and an outstanding restoration performed on its exterior, its overall appearance is fascinating. The 300 SL has always been more than just an automobile: it is a race car that is dressed for the road, more of a piece of art than a car. Every single one is unique – and this one is even more so!

The gorgeous, iconoclastic Mercedes-Benz 300SL has been fetching upward of a million dollars in the classic-car marketplace for years now. But two examples that are being sold by Gooding & Company may challenge even those lofty valuations. The SLs are both completely original, unrestored examples owned by a single family since new. Set to be auctioned during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance festivities this August, these two Benzes—a 1955 SL Gullwing and a 1957 SL roadster—are sure to draw intense interest among collectors when they hit the Monterey auction block later this year in California.

Original-Owner 1950s Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing and Roadster Headed to Auction

Original-Owner 1950s Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing and Roadster Headed to Auction

Original-Owner 1950s Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing and Roadster Headed to Auction

Original-Owner 1950s Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing and Roadster Headed to Auction

Original-Owner 1950s Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing and Roadster Headed to Auction

Of the two, the Gullwing coupe is the more rare example, as its original owner requested it be specially painted in British Racing Green over a tan interior. It has about 16,000 miles on the odometer and has been in the same family since new, with no restoration or modification undertaken over its 60-plus-year lifetime. The 300SL roadster, purchased by the same family two years later, is equally stunning if a bit less distinctive in its Silver-Blue Metallic exterior and gray leather interior. It also comes with an original fitted luggage set. The roadster has seen a bit more use, with 38,000 miles on the clock, but it is entirely original and unrestored just like the coupe.

Gooding & Company currently estimates prices for the coupe between $1 million and $1.3 million, and the roadster between $800,000 and $1 million, so get your checkbooks ready and head to the Pebble Beach auctions in August if you want to nab one of what may be the last single-owner 300SLs extant.

215 hp, 2,996 cc SOHC inline six-cylinder engine with Bosch mechanical fuel injection, four-speed manual transmission, coil-spring independent front suspension, coil-spring swing axle rear suspension, and four-wheel drum brakes. Wheelbase: 94.5 in.

1955 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ALLOY GULLWING

1955 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ALLOY GULLWING

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing Wheel

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing Interior

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing speedometer

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing

Continue below for the full photo gallery or click here.

One of only 29 aluminum-bodied examples originally produced; only 2% of total Gullwing production
Features the most desirable factory upgrades and options, including a Sonderteile motor, sports suspension, and Rudge wheels
Formerly owned by Swiss industrialist Rene Wassermann and Pennsylvania State Senator Theodore Newell Wood
Restored by world-renowned specialist Kienle Automobiltechnik
Matching numbers
The ultimate rendition of the famed Gullwing

For both the jet set and the burgeoning sports car crowd, there was one sports car that reigned supreme in 1955, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing,” as it became known. The car was so nicknamed for its unique roof-hinged doors, and it was the vehicle that had it all. Gorgeous proportions, brilliant race-bred engineering, and blistering performance made the Gullwing not only one of the most desirable vehicles of the 1950s but one of the most desirable vehicles of all time.

However, not all Gullwings were created equal, and if you were a well-heeled sports car enthusiast in 1955, the aluminum-bodied 300 SL was the car to have. Its lighter bodywork made it even more competitive against other British and Italian 3-liter sports cars. Additionally, these cars were also outfitted with the Sonderteile engine, which utilized a competition-spec camshaft, increasing power output by 15 horsepower. With both a slight increase in power and decrease in overall weight, the additional performance in these cars was instantly discernable from behind the wheel.

It goes without saying that the alloy Gullwing was the cream of the crop and handedly capable of outperforming all of its competitors on both road and track.

CHASSIS NUMBER 5500786

The example presented here, one of just twenty-nine aluminum-bodied Gullwings built by Mercedes-Benz, was ordered new by Rene Wassermann, an industrialist and sports car enthusiast who was living in Basel, Switzerland. The car’s factory build sheet notes that Wasserman ordered his new alloy Gullwing with a plethora of special options, including special high-gloss white paint, a red leather interior, a sport suspension, two-piece matching luggage, sealed-beam headlights, and instruments in English, surely making it one of the most well-specified Gullwings built.

The car was completed on October 5, 1955, and rather than having it delivered to his home in Switzerland, Wasserman picked up the car himself and drove his new 300 SL back home. While it is not known when Wasserman sold the car, by the early 1960s it had been exported to the United States, where its second owner was Jerome Seavey, of Chicago, followed by John K. Scattergood III, a principal at Blenheim Motors, located in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.

THE SENATOR’S GULLWING

This 300 SL remained in Pennsylvania with its next owner Keystone State politician and enthusiast Senator Theodore Newell Wood. Along with representing the 20th District of Luzerne, Susquehanna, Pike, Wayne, and Wyoming counties in the Pennsylvania State Senate, Senator Wood enjoyed sports car racing in his spare time and served as the president of the Hill Climb Association. He also founded the Brynfan Tyddyn Road Races, which were held from 1952 to 1956, with the last year featuring Carroll Shelby as a driver. The SCCA even gave Senator Wood a free lifetime membership for his efforts in sponsorship and participation in racing in the Northeast.

After passing through the hands of Bill Kontes and Joe Marchetti, the 300 SL was acquired by Leslie Barth in 1983. Barth kept the car until 1989. In its next ownership, with Swedish businessman and collector Hans Thulin, it was consigned to Kienle Automobiltechnik in Stuttgart, Germany, one of the world’s foremost facilities, known for their restorations on Mercedes-Benzes and 300 SLs in particular. The car was sold to a German collector, who in turn commissioned Kienle to perform a full restoration. Notably, damage to alloy-bodied 300 SLs is remarkably common, as the aluminum is notoriously thin and can quite literally bend under the pressure of an ill-placed hand. Furthermore, the bodies are known to deteriorate at the mounting points, where aluminum meets steel. As a result, almost all lightweight examples have been reskinned or repaired at some point, and on this particular car, any parts of the body that were irreparable were replaced.

Upon completion, the car was repainted in traditional Mercedes-Benz silver and retrimmed in its original color of red leather. As is to be expected, the quality of the workmanship is absolutely superb, with the tremendous attention to detail and factory correctness befitting of a Kienle restoration. Indeed, aside from this car’s rarity as an alloy-bodied Gullwing, its association with this restoration facility is a point of pride and desirability all its own.

With a subsequent owner in 2002, the 300 SL was inspected by Mercedes-Benz Classic and determined to still retain all of its original mechanical components and drivetrain. After passing through a collector in Switzerland, the car was acquired by its current custodian. The Gullwing has been preserved in immaculate condition ever since, with its odometer displaying only 2,481 kilometers, presumably since Kienle’s restoration.

Not only is this one of just twenty-nine aluminum-bodied 300 SL Gullwings produced (as compared to over 1,400 steel-bodied cars), it also features all the highly desirable options and accessories one would want on a Gullwing, including the Sonderteile engine, sport suspension, Rudge knock-off wheels, and a two-piece luggage set. Following a recent test drive by an RM Sotheby’s specialist, he found the options on this example to be immediately apparent, making the car noticeably quicker than the “standard” 300 SL Gullwings, and he also reported that it was “dialed in” and great fun to drive.

For the discerning collector, it would be difficult to find a more desirable example than this matching-numbers car. This is, quite simply, one of the most sought-after and rarely seen Mercedes-Benzes in the world.

A photographer in Cuba has found an abandoned, partially destroyed and wrecked Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. If this news doesn’t bring you to tears, you’re dead to us.

Mercedes 300SL

Snapper Piotr Degler was entranced by the Caribbean republic’s automotive landscape – frozen, at least in part, since the 1950s – and soon got wind of a ‘legendary’ 300SL rumoured by locals to lay somewhere on the island.

So with his Inspector Gadget hat firmly on, Degler went hunting high and low for a month, travelling two thousand miles in the process. He asked everyone. He looked everywhere. And, only a few days before he was due to depart, he spotted the 300SL’s still-priceless silver remains hiding under a banana tree.

Piotr told Classic Driver: “When I found it, I spent the whole day taking pictures. Finding the car was an indescribable experience.” Also, we suspect, a heartbreaking one: the 300SL surely ranks as the prettiest Mercedes-Benz in history.

So, with the US and Cuba now on friendlier relations, we’d suggest taking a trip down Havana way to take in the motoring landscape in all its Fifties charm. Who knows what you might find?

Via: TopGear

The launch of the Mercedes-Benz 230 SL at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1963 caused quite a sensation: nine years after the introduction of the 300 SL (W 198) and 190 SL (W 121) sports cars in 1954, Mercedes-Benz presented the motoring world with a single successor to both these extremely successful early SL models. Known internally as the W 113, the two-seater Roadster was characterised by its exceptional comfort, excellent performance, and exemplary handling safety.

The team under Chief Designer Friedrich Geiger had produced a vehicle with a distinctly contemporary flair, which also set a new benchmark in terms of handling safety. For indeed, the 230 SL was the first sports car in the world to feature a safety body made up of a rigid passenger compartment with crumple zones both front and rear. The engineering designers’ work on the W 113 thus reflected the ideas developed by Béla Barényi with respect to the passive safety of automotive body shells.

The characteristic inward curvature of the removable Coupé roof improved the vehicle’s passive safety still further: the concave shape improved stability, while at the same time keeping the weight low. The curve of the Coupé roof, designed by Paul Bracq, was somehow reminiscent of the sweep of an oriental temple roof, so the W 113 model series soon acquired the nickname “Pagoda”.

Sports car with luxury-class genes

The technical basis of the Roadster was provided by the Mercedes-Benz 220 SE (W 111) luxury-class Saloon: the shortened and reinforced frame floor assembly of the sports car, including its front and rear-wheel suspension, stemmed from this predecessor of today’s S‑Class. The engine in the 220 SE also formed the basis for the development of the 150 hp (110 kW) M 127 six-cylinder in-line engine (with a displacement of 2306 cc), with which the new SL model series was launched onto the market in 1963. For the first time in an SL, a four-speed automatic transmission was available as an option.

Towards the end of 1966 the 230 SL was succeeded by the 250 SL model. Its six-cylinder in-line engine (M 129) also had an output of 150 hp (110 kW), but generated 10 per cent more torque. This meant that the vehicle could accelerate from a standing start to 100 km/h in 10 seconds, and thus 1.1 seconds faster than the version introduced in 1963. The top speed of both the 230 SL and the 250 SL was 200 km/h.

Finally, in 1968, the 280 SL with M 130 engine became the third and last version of the W 113 model series to enter the market. Its 2778 cc six-cylinder in-line engine developed 170 hp (125 kW) and could accelerate the sports car from a standstill to 100 km/h in 9 seconds. As before the top speed was 200 km/h, a very respectable figure for this era.

The three SL models that made up the W 113 model series were each available as a Roadster with folding soft top, as a sports car with a removable Coupé roof, and in a further variant that combined the removable Coupé roof with a Roadster soft top. As an optional extra, Mercedes-Benz would fit an additional transverse seat into the rear of the sports car.

Production of the W 113 ended in March 1971 with 48,912 units to its credit. The completely redesigned successor of model series R 107 took over from the technically and stylistically trailblazing “Pagoda” – and went on to set new benchmarks in its turn, for example in the form of the first eight-cylinder engine for the SL-Class.

The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing originally owned by Hollywood legend Clark Gable was auctioned off in the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction on January 19.  The real question of the night was, is the car worth more because of its original celebrity owner?

The 300 SL was purchased new by Clark Gable and customized with high priced updates, wood trimmed Nardi steering wheel and more.  When the actor passed away in 1960, the car changed hands a few times before eventually landing in the garage of Charles Wood in 1975.  In 1989, the Gullwing received a detailed restoration from a Massachusetts based Mercedes-Benz restoration specialist with Gable’s updates left in place.

Clark Gable’s 300 SL Gullwing was expected to go for $2 million, but it seems that in this instance, owning a car with a legendary owner was not worth the extra money.  The bidding hit a standstill at $1.9 million and did not sell because of the high reserve.  The car however did sell later on for $1.85 million.

Press Release:

Barrett-Jackson Lot: 5001 – 1955 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL GULLWING COUPE

Purchased new by Clark Gable at Mercedes-Benz of Hollywood, Calif. List price was $7,295 FOB NYC. After Gable’s death in November 1960, ownership was passed to Harry Haeigen, cartoonist and Gable’s publicist. Title passed to Charles Wood, owner of Grand Stand Amusement Park in 1975. In 1989, Mr. Wood commissioned Paul M. Russell of Gullwing Service Company, Inc. of Essex, Mass. To restore this classic at a cumulative cost of nearly $200,000. Gable ditched the standard steel wheels for the racing Rudge knock-offs the car wears now. The wood and chrome Nardi steering wheel replaces the standard white wheel, early photos show the Nardi wheel in Gable’s lifetime. The car was featured in the May/June 2006 edition of Motor Trend Classic magazine. At the time the car was subjected to extensive testing that shows it can handle and perform much as it did in 1955. Copies of the 1960s auto registration cards show Clark Gable’s signature along with Kathleen “Kay” Sprecker’s (5th Wife). Gable signed service orders from Mercedes-Benz of Hollywood for a lube/oil change for $4.00 and parts for $10.83 total. From the Bob Howard Collection.
Via: Autoblog

Gooding & Company, known for selling some high end, amazing cars, recently helped sell a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, which is only one of 29 that was built with an aluminum alloy body.

It is  no stretch to say that a standard Mercedes 300SL Gullwing prices will be over a million dollars, however this 1955 matching-numbers Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing was expected to sell between $2,500,000 and $3,000,000 because of the rarity of the alloy body. The final bid came in at $4.2 million, and with auction fees, the final selling price of the 300SL Gullwing was a whopping $4.62 million.  A record price for this car.

Information from Gooding & Company on the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is below.

“[The 300 SL Coupe] is the ultimate in an all-around sports car. It combines more desirable features in one streamlined package than we ever imagined or hoped would be possible”
–Road & Track Editors, 1955

If not for US importer Max Hoffman and his passion for a sports coupe based on the highly successful W194 series race cars, the Mercedes-Benz immortal 300 SL line would never have come to production.

The racing success of the factory team was having a positive effect on Mercedes-Benz sales in the US. However, without a car clearly related to the race-winning machines, the marketing advantage of the immensely costly racing effort was limited. Accordingly, Mercedes-Benz management approved the 300 SL project after Mr. Hoffman’s firm made a commitment to purchase 1,000 of the cars for US distribution.

Integral to the marketing plan for the groundbreaking new sports car was the expectation that the cars would be used for competition by private owners in order to bolster sales in the showrooms, and the factory ensured that the 300 SL was accepted by the FIA for international competition.

As a result, the production Gullwing could be ordered with an all-aluminum body. When chosen, many additional competition upgrades followed suit. A competition camshaft was fitted along with stiffer, shorter springs that lowered the car and enhanced peak performance, while racing-specification tires on wider rims promoted better adhesion. Plexiglass windows and vented brake drums were also featured in the package. The cars were nearly 200 pounds lighter than the standard steel-bodied version. In all, just 29 of these aluminum-bodied cars were ordered and built – approximately 2% of the total Gullwing production.

This Car

Derived for sport, this aluminum Gullwing did not see competitive use. Completed on April 20, 1955, 5500208 was appropriately finished in metallic silver gray over a blue leather interior. The 300 SL was also outfitted with Rudge wheels, the NSL motor and Plexiglas windows per aluminum-build specifications.

On May 27, 1955, the Alloy Gullwing was sent to Rotterdam where it was loaded aboard a Holland America Line ship for transport to New York. Upon arrival, the Mercedes-Benz distributor sent 5500208 to the West Coast for ultimate delivery to Veron Holz of Bonita, California. The new aluminum-bodied Gullwing would have been an extravagant machine on the roads of San Diego in the late 1950s.

Although the early history of this Gullwing is not known, there is no apparent race record for 5500208. In March 1980, the 300 SL resurfaced in San Diego and was sold through a motorcar locator to Hans Dieter Blatzheim of Bonn, Germany. The purchase price was an astonishing $57,000 for an unrestored car, which the seller most likely assumed was steel. The invoice for the purchase still exists, indicating the alloy chassis number 198.043.5500208.

In need of some attention, the Alloy Gullwing made its way to the well-known restoration shop Hill & Vaughn in Santa Monica, California. Phil Hill and Ken Vaughn had gained a reputation for their high-quality restorations and were frequent winners at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Disassembly of the car began in April 1980, and the car is accompanied by a significant file of numerous invoices and photographs documenting the work performed by Hill & Vaughn.

The invoices identify the completeness of 5500208, as well as its solid state, which was no doubt a benefit of having spent 25 years in Southern California. Some necessary aluminum work was addressed and the meticulous fitting of the doors, hood and deck lid are thoroughly outlined. Additionally, the engine and gearbox were sent to AMG Motorbau in Germany for rebuilding. Subsequently returned to Hill & Vaughn in early 1982, the project was nearing completion. By mid-year, the car was ready for paint and assembly.

For unknown reasons, Herr Blatzheim requested that 5500208 be packed in a sea container and sent to Germany. The car was loaded and loose parts were thoroughly inventoried before shipment in November 1982.

The completion of the restoration was conducted in Germany, but not before the body was stripped and prepared again for paint. Photos dated October 1983 show the bare aluminum skin in outstanding condition, proving straight and showing good panel fit. Further photo documentation shows the restoration and assembly of the chassis and completion of the car in silver with gray leather.

In May 1984, the 5500208 was sold to Markus Ahr of Germany. During his ownership, work was performed by Daimler-Benz Aktiengesellschaft including a rebuild of the engine. Herr Ahr kept the car well into the 1990s, at which time work was performed by Kienle Automobiltechnik. Photo documentation shows a rebuild of the transmission, rear end, brakes and suspension. Retaining the silver-over-gray finish, detail work was conducted on gauges and other ancillary components and the project was completed in 1998. Not long after, the Alloy Gullwing was sold to Friedhelm Loh, a noted German collector with a passion for significant Mercedes-Benz.

In 2009, Ken McBride of Seattle, Washington, was given the opportunity to buy 5500208. Having had a handful of Gullwings, Mr. McBride appreciated the importance of an Alloy and, for the first time in his many years of collecting, had the chance to own one. Although his collection was significantly diverse, Mr. McBride had always focused on Mercedes-Benz and had acquired a 540 K Special Coupe, a 540 K Cabriolet A and eventually a 380 K Erdmann & Rossi Special Roadster.

After some serious thought, and perhaps a little family persuasion, the Alloy Gullwing was bought for the collection. In the company of a J Duesenberg Murphy Roadster, a Ferrari 410 Superamerica and other significant cars, the 300 SL was more than a notable entry, it was a dream come true for a man who had an Alloy Gullwing high on a short list of cars to own.

In late 2009, Mr. McBride fell ill and the newly acquired Mercedes-Benz took a back seat. At that time, the Gullwing was sent to noted 300 SL restorer Rudi Koniczek at Rudi & Co. for some necessary sorting. Mr. McBride wanted certain aspects of the car corrected, predominantly the shade of silver and the interior. In the months to come, the Alloy Gullwing was stripped to bare metal and repainted in its original silver (DB 180). Necessary body work was conducted and a methodical process was undertaken to ensure proper assembly and fit of the aluminum body. The gray leather interior was removed and the correct blue leather was installed. Some additional mechanical work was conducted, as well as detailing of various components. One deviation from the original was the addition of seat cushions upholstered in plaid, acknowledging the lightweight car’s racing alter ego – they are a marvelous touch.

In mid-2011, Mr. Koniczek had finished the restoration but, sadly, Mr. McBride passed away before he could see the final masterpiece. The result was truly spectacular! Shortly after, Mr. McBride’s wife Patty and the rest of the McBride family chose to show the Alloy Gullwing at the Kirkland Concours d’Elegance where it rightfully won its class.

The finish of the 300 SL is of the highest level and the car retains a very correct appearance. With a livery that is a tasteful yet bold statement, the quality of the work and attention to detail is obvious and further inspection reveals the purity of this Alloy Gullwing. The original engine remains, correctly stamped NSL, and the body number can be found stamped on the left wheel arch in the engine compartment. Additionally, the Gullwing has belly pans, its chrome Rudge wheels are original, the luggage is properly finished in natural pig skin, the Becker radio is correct, the grille has the proper “curved star” – the list goes on.

Furthermore, this Alloy Gullwing is accompanied by a tool kit, a knock-off hammer, a jack, comprehensive documentation, the Mercedes-Benz Certificate, an owner’s manual, an instruction manual, a spare parts catalogue, a service book and Becker radio manuals.

5500208 is a sensation to drive. Its road manners are what one would expect from any beautifully engineered motorcar. The true excitement, however, is when this supercar comes on cam. With abundant power and torque, and precise gearshift, this Gullwing is simply addictive.

In recent years, these ultra-rare, competition- specification cars have come to be recognized by collectors and enthusiasts for what they have always been – truly the best of the best. They are a tiny group of factory-built, lightweight racers, constructed with the express intention of increasing the public visibility of one of the greatest sports cars ever constructed.

Gullwings are routinely acknowledged as favorites in a collection of any size. They are prized for their magnificent engineering and build quality, purity of design and outstanding driving experience. Aluminum-bodied examples – all 29 of which have survived to this day – are very seldom offered for sale.

As one of the most iconic motorcars of all time, it can easily be said that the Alloy Gullwing is the most significant road-going Mercedes-Benz of the post-war era.