1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupe

The 300 SL ('Super Leicht') Coupe is famously nicknamed the gullwing after the unusual swing-up doors. A gullwing is one of the rare instances in collector cars when the coupe is more valuable than its roadster counterpart.

With the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR racer, the Mercedes factory team won all of the important races they were entered. Of all the races that they entered, they won all but one or two. Mercedes-Benz utilized the technology and information gathered from their racing program to create a road going car that was every bit as good as a racing machine. The car was given creature comforts, improved access through the doors and some structural changes and dubbed the 300SL. The Gullwing doors became the cars trademark and gave it the appearance of a exotic supercar. Its proven performance and superior handling were just as exotic as the design.

The engine was a fuel-injected 2996-cc six-cylinder engine capable of producing 215 horsepower. A four-speed manual gearbox sent power to the rear wheels while drum brakes provided the stopping power.

This silver example with red interior was offered for sale at the 2006 RM Auction in Monterey, CA where it was estimated to sell between $350,000-$450,000. It comes equipped with Rudge wheels and factory fitted luggage. The rear axle ratio is 3.64. The car has traveled under 60,000 miles since new. At the conclusion of the auction the vehicle had been sold for $418,000.

By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2010