Rods & Classics: SL remains most coveted Mercedes

Mar - 01 | By: admin-pub | no comments.

Filed under : 1. Jan / Feb 2010, Feature Articles

Only 1,400 300SLs ever made

Story by Nigel Matthews

I can understand the reintroduction of mass-produced Volkswagen Beetle and Mini cars. They’re cute and popular.

However, the recently announced modern version of the 300SL — the SL stands for Sport Leicht (Sport Light) — named SLS AMG, has me really excited.

I hope that they produce more than the 1,400 original Mercedes 300SLs. The car was a road-capable version of a successful race car that entered mass production after Mercedes received an order for 1,000 of them from New York Mercedes distributor Max Hoffman, Daimler-Benz’s official importer in the U.S.

The most distinctive 300SL feature was its gullwing doors. The driver and passenger doors were hinged in the centre of the roof and supported by gas struts when opened.

The driver and passenger had to climb over the wide sill (which hid the lightweight tubular steel framework) to enter the car. Other design flaws include poor ventilation and tricky handling characteristics.

Despite these irritations, the 300SL remains one of the most desirable cars of all time. Production of the Gullwing 300SL ended in 1957.

Today, a 300SL is considered one of the most collectible Mercedes-Benz models of all time, with prices reaching well over $700,000 US.

The new version of the car, made by Mercedes-Benz and power division AMG, made its world debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September. It is Mercedes’ intention to create the classic car of the future and make it available to today’s customers.

The SLS AMG has an unparalleled technology package that includes an aluminum space frame; an AMG 6.3-litre front-mid-mounted V-8 engine that produces 571 horsepower; a dry sump lubrication system as in the original 300SL; seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle; and an ideal weight distribution between the front and rear axles (47/53 per cent, respectively).

The new SLS Gullwing can accelerate from zero to 100 kilometres an hour in 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of 315 km/h (electronically limited).