1960 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

Sometimes, you always live in your older brother's shadow. This is the case with the Mercedes Benz 300SL Roadster. It was conceived in response to the American demand for a more practical and convenient drop top version of the famous Gullwing Coupe. With unlimited headroom and easier entry, the 300SL Roadster projects its own unique aura of dignity, elegance and speed.

Production of the 300SL roadsters began in 1958. The car shares the basic frame and drivetrain with the Gullwing, but uses a modified rear suspension design, wider tracks and tires. It also sports a wraparound windshield and a useful trunk. The roadster also benefits from engine refinements such as higher compression (9.5:1), and a new camshaft, increasing output to 235 horsepower. Performance remained consistent with the Gullwing due to the roadster's increased weight. 1,858 roadsters were manufactured.

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL used an innovative space-frame chassis, wrapped in steel, and given lightweight aluminum doors, hood, and trunk lid. The coupe, with its unique gullwing doors, was later joined by an open car called the roadster, debuting in March of 1957. It arrived with numerous mechanical advancements and stylistic revisions, chief of which were a new rear-axle design and a modified frame, the latter required for the conventionally hinged doors. Disc brakes arrived in 1960, adding to the vehicle's performance prowess, and an aluminum engine block arrived the following year.

The roadster body style came about from the prompting of Max Hoffman, the impresario of imported cars on New York's Park Avenue. He was responsible for many European brands' presence and popularity in the United States, including Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Jaguar, Allard and More. Mr. Hoffman persuaded Mercedes-Benz to install a high-performance 3-liter engine into the racing-derived tube frame W194 which had won the Carrera Panamericana in 1952, driven by Karl Kling. The new road-going sports car was aimed at the affluent portion of the U.S. sports car market, and while Mercedes-Benz was reluctant that such a market existed, Mr. Hoffman backed up his suggestion with his checkbook. He placed an order for a thousand luxury high-performance coupes based on a more civilized version of the W194, and the 300SL was born.

The road-going version received usability improvements while maintaining its racing car heritage and roof-hinged doors. Horizontal 'eyebrows' were added to the wheel openings to reduce drag and improve aerodynamics, and the engine gained a fuel injection system - the first of its kind ever offered in a production automobile - and was backed by a close-ratio gearbox with straight cut gears.

A total of 1,400 examples of the 300SL ('Sport Leicht' or 'Super Leicht') Gullwing Coupe were built between 1954 and 1957.

The 300 SL Roadster, with conventional doors, was first exhibited at the Geneva Salon in May 1957. It was based on the same chassis as the Coupe, with additional support to maintain rigidity. It had larger front fenders, larger headlights, a smaller grille, and a chrome spear traversing the side. It weighed 275 pounds more than the coupe, and its engine developed 240 horsepower, compensating for the weight gains. It had more space in the boot, the spare tire was positioned under the boot floor, and the fuel tank was smaller (from 130 liters to 100 liters). These changes made it possible for the custom-made luggage to be placed in the boot. An optional hardtop became available in September 1958.

Production of the 300 SL Roadster lasted from 1957 through 1963 with 1,858 examples built. At a price of $10,950, the new Roadster was ten percent more expansive than the outgoing Coupe.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2005