It seems that these weeks the theme is about classics, but what classics! This time we will talk about the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SL a car that received different names throughout its life and was presented in 1954.
Initially the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was known as Gull Wing or Gull Wings and was later nicknamed Widowmaker or the Widow Maker.
This second nickname was earned because many wealthy owners lost their lives at the hands of a X, which is not surprising considering that its 3.000 cc engine (from which it received the name 300 SL) delivered 243 HP and reached a maximum speed of 245 km/h, more than enough figures to consider it one of the first supercars of the time.
On the other hand, the acronym SL referred to Sport Leicht, light sports car in German.
The first version of Gull Wings
The first version of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL known as W194 It had been created by and for the competition and was used to run, among other grand prix, the 24 hours of Lemans and the mythical Pan-American race. In both, the Mercedes 300 SL was declared the winner.
This vehicle only had one mission, to compete; so it was a very fast and light vehicle for the time. But as is evident, it lacked all kinds of comforts and approval for the street.
The birth of the 300SL street
Its birth was suggested by Max Hoffman, a well-known Australian, New York-based importer of luxury European vehicles in the 1950s.
Hoffman, who had regular dealings with Mercedes-Benz, pressured the house to develop the 300 SL W198 a street version of the W194. To do this, Hoffman justified knowing the American public perfectly; so soon in Stuttgart they began to develop the Gull Wings.
On February 6, 1954, it was presented at the New York show as one of the fastest street vehicles of the time. The 300 SL was successful, much more successful than Mercedes-Benz I expected.
A total of 1.400 units were made, of which 80% were sold to the North American bourgeoisie.
What differentiated the street version from the competition version?
The most characteristic thing about the W198 was that air vents were integrated into the sides that allowed the high temperature caused by the powerful engine to be evacuated, preventing entry into the interior cabin.
In addition, the interior was taken care of down to the smallest detail in the street version and the exterior design obtained variations.
Even so, his identity was maintained, the gullwing doors, although this time a little bigger for the street version.
Another change that affected the performance of the street version was the installation of steel panels that reduced costs compared to the light alloy panels of the competition version.
To meet this demand for extra power, caused by weight, a new engine with more power was delivered.
Why was he nicknamed Gullwings?
The answer to this question is more than obvious, but for those who don't know yet, The nickname of Gull Wings was due to the configuration of its doors, which instead of opening laterally had been designed to open vertically, leaving the silhouette of a seagull's wings clearly visible. when both opened completely.
Although, it is more interesting to know why this design was chosen at that time. In fact, the configuration of the vertical doors was born as a result of the lack of space in the Mercedes 300 SL.
To understand the reason for the door design, we must focus on the chassis. The tubular chassis was light but the configuration of the bars that made it up extended along the sides of the car, which prevented the installation of conventional doors.
Without a doubt, the design of the doors was a great bet on the part of Mercedes-Benz, which subsequently made the 300 SL your hallmark.
Mercedes 300SL Roadster
After the enormous sales success of the model, Mercedes-Benz saw another possibility and created the convertible version of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, the Roadster, a dream for many Americans since it allowed driving with the roof open, favoring the entry of air into the narrow cabin.
We must keep in mind that the first street version of the 300 SL (although it had been modified to eliminate much of the heat generated by the engine thanks to its side outlets), did not allow the windows to be lowered. Which meant that in hot areas such as California, where the vast majority of customers came from, the interior of the vehicle reached high temperatures.
300SL Roadster design changes
In order to design a roadster of the 300 SL body the chassis had to be modified. The doors They could no longer be the mythical Gull Wings since this design lacked a roof to hold them on and its chassis did not allow conventional type doors to be installed, so it was decided to rotate the tubular chassis structure 90 degrees, and the bars that prevented the normal opening of the doors were located under the flat.
This change, together with the adoption of a removable roof, led to a lack of rigidity in the assembly, which made it lose the essence of the racing vehicle from which it came.
In short, its lack of rigidity did not make it optimal for use on circuits.
Still, not everything was negative for him. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, the engine was retouched again and this time it already delivered 250 HP and was accompanied by a disc brake system that guaranteed good braking.
With this roadster edition, production of the car stopped in 1963. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and was replaced by Mercedes-Benz Pagoda 230SL.
The 300 SL today
Its silhouette and its type doors gull wings made the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL one of the most beautiful sports vehicles of the time and even today it continues to retain that quality. Which has made it an extremely sought-after vehicle on both sides of the pond, sometimes exceeding a million dollars (bargaining currency when it comes to buying and selling classic vehicles) in perfectly preserved or restored units.
