MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL

Since Karl Benz's first bold experiment with in­ternal combustion in 1885, Mercedes-Benz has maintained an eminence in the motoring world. The name is synonymous with quality, power and fine sporting tra­dition.

Perhaps the last great sporting era for Mer­cedes-Benz began with the 300SL... and the 300SL began with the gigantic Mercedes-Benz 300 saloon, launched in 1951. This top-class range of cars used a six-cylinder, 3.0-litre, overhead-cam engine with an alloy head and twin carburettors, plus such advanced fea­tures as an all-synchromesh gearbox, hypoid drive (the first German car to have this) and independent rear suspension.

It was a natural choice for Mercedes-Benz engi­neers to base a new sporting model on. Engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut realised that, if he used the basic mechani­cals in a space frame chassis of the type being used by Aston Martin, Jaguar and Cisitalia, he could have a competitive racing car. And so the W194 project began.

The chassis took form of two large cross-members joined by a lattice of smaller steel tubes. To achieve the necessary stiffness, the tubes had to run beside the cockpit and it was this factor which gave rise to the gullwing doors of the 300SL. A stressed aluminium body was designed by Karl Wilfert around the space frame. It was a coupe because this body type was be­lieved to give the best aerodynamics.

Surprisingly, the new racing coupe was given drum brakes, not discs. The 3.0-litre engine had to be inclined at 50 degrees to fit within the complex lat­tice of tubes, a new cylinder head was designed and dry sumping was used. There were also three carburet­tors, an uprated camshaft and a new exhaust, the net result was an output of 171 bhp which was very impres­sive for its day.

Mercedes-Benz's larger-than-life racing director Hans Neubauer, didn't like the prototype and insisted that more power, better brakes and a five-speed gear­box should be fitted. Thus Mercedes-Benz re-entered sports car racing. With Rudi Caracciola, Karl Kling and Hermann Lang at the wheel, the team attacked the 1952 Mille Miglia. Kling came in second behind Giovanni Bracco's Ferrari V12. However, at the next race, the Swiss Grand Prix, the 300SL scored a memorable 1-2-3 victory. This was followed by a convincing 1-2 at Le Mans.

For the 1952 Nurburgring race, Mercedes-Benz chopped the top off three 300SL coupes to create racing roadsters. Not surprisingly the all-conquering Mercedes team stormed to victory with another 1-2-3 result and Lang led the trio home. The only other race run by 300SL was the gruelling Carrera Panamericana in Mexico. This yielded yet another victory for Kling and Mercedes, with Land in second place. Mercedes-Benz would not race in 1953, officially because they had learn all they needed to know'.

After this crushingly successful competition record, the road-going version was eagerly awaited. It might never have happened had not the American Mer­cedes-Benz importer, Max Hoffmann, place an advance order for 1, 000 cars.

Some modifications were made: the body was sub­stantially redesigned by Paul Bracq to become more aerodynamic and steel became the main material of con­struction (except for a run of 29 all-aluminium cars). The 3.0-litre engine's power and torque rose signifi­cantly and it was given Bosch fuel-injection - a pio­neering step.

The suspension was modified to cure oversteer caused by the swing-axle rear, recirculating ball steering replaced the old warm-and-nut system arid proper heating was installed (though ventilation would always be a problem with the Gullwing).

The new 300SL made its debut at the 1954 New York International Motor Show. It caused a consider­able stir with its amazing gullwing doors, dramatic lines and advanced specification. There was no short­age of flapping cheque books at the show, despite the exorbitant price being charged.

With some 215 bph on tap, and up to 240 bph with the right modifications, the new Mercedes could do an amazing 145-160 mph depending on rear axle ratio, and reach 60 mph from rest in a little over 8 seconds.

The 300SL was by no means perfect: entry and exit was decidedly awkward, the gullwing doors irksome to open, luggage space rather restricted and ventila­tion poor. Driving it required great skill, as it would snake as the driver floored the throttle and it still had a propensity for oversteering.

Although Mercedes-Benz never fielded official 300SL racers, it supported private owners. These often had great success, like Fitch and Gendebien's class win in the Mille Maglia, Tak's victory in the Tulip Rally and Engel's European Touring Car Championship.

There was also a spin-off of the 300SL, the 300LR, which was conceived to compete in Grand Prix racing. Stirling Moss drove the 300LR in its debut race at the 1955 Mille Miglia, winning after a punish­ing ten-hour drive. At Le Mans, Levegh's 300LR plunged into the crowd with devastating results, leading to the team withdrawing from the event. Mercedes-Benz won the 1955 World Sports Car Championship.

A Roadster version had always been planned but, when it arrived in 1957, it replaced the Coupe rather than supplementing it. The claustrophobic and imprac­tical Gullwing was frankly unsuited to American tastes and climate and, after all, Californians did buy most of the 1, 371 Coupes made.

The Roadster debuted at the 1957 Geneva Salon. It had a proper folding hood which disappeared into boot and the novelty of winding windows. The gullwings were replaced by conventionally-opening doors. Suspen­sion modifications improved handling, the headlamps were restyled and the engine now developed between 225 bph and 250 bph. A removable hard top was offered from 1958 and four-week disc brakes were standardised in 1961. By the time 300SL Roadster production ceased in 1963, Mercedes-Benz had built 1, 858 of them. Some of the Roadster's reflected glory was apparent in the cheaper 190SL, made from 1954-63. This had only 105 bph available however, and was more of a boulevard cruiser than a true sports car.

There are few examples of a classic car, which is worth more in a closed coupe from than it is in con­vertible form. The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing is such a car. Its awe-inspiring presence guarantees a premium over the more effete Roadster. The magic, which it cannot fail to weave on all who set eyes on it con­tinues today and examples can fetch extraordinarily sums.