If you had $2 million to spend on luxury items, would you dare to buy a 70-year-old Mercedes-Benz? The answer depends on your passion, knowledge, and extravagance. If you’re not a fan of the classic, vintage look of this car, then $2 million could still buy you a fleet of speedsters from Ferrari, Lamborghini, or McLaren, with enough left over for a Rolls-Royce or Bentley.
But for seasoned car collectors, this 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, set to be auctioned at Mecum’s Monterey 2024 on August 17, is a valuable garage addition. According to the auction house, they estimate the car to be worth between $2 and $2.5 million.
This is the legendary gullwing-door Mercedes-Benz that “Qua” Vu still lacks in his collection.
This isn’t the first time this Gullwing has been up for sale. The car was previously auctioned in September 2022 for $1.7 million. If it surpasses the $2 million mark, it will become one of the five most expensive 300SL Gullwings ever auctioned. The current record stands at $3.41 million.
What makes this soon-to-be-auctioned Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing so pricey? Firstly, it’s a meticulously restored example with a well-documented history. Acquired by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation in 1973, the Gullwing underwent a body-off restoration in the late 2000s. It has been cherished since then and was on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum from 2015 to 2020.
Additionally, 70 years have passed since the 300SL officially debuted in 1954, and the Gullwing is one of the most sought-after classic models from the three-pointed star brand among collectors. With only 1,400 units produced, many Gullwings now command prices in the millions. This 1955 green coupe is one of them.
In Vietnam, Dang Le Nguyen Vu has almost completed his collection of Mercedes-Benz SLS AMGs. So, the pinnacle of the gullwing-door range, the 300SL Gullwing, remains an unfulfilled dream for this entrepreneur. However, it’s unlikely to find its way into his garage due to the high price tag and the fact that these cars are too old to be imported into the country. The only options would be to find a loophole or register the car in a neighboring country like Cambodia or Laos.
Going back to the history of this car, in 1952, Mercedes-Benz introduced the W194, their first racing car after World War II. Equipped with a 3.0-liter inline-six engine, the W194 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Carrera Panamericana, beating fierce competitors Ferrari and Jaguar. The W194 was succeeded by the 300 SLR in 1955, but its development also led to a road-legal production model in 1954, known as the 300SL Gullwing.
Developed at the suggestion of Max Hoffman and targeted at the booming post-World War II American market, the 300SL was designed with a flashy, intricate style and featured the gullwing doors from the W194. Not only did it have an unusual design, but the 300SL was also capable of reaching a top speed of 163 mph (262 km/h), making it the fastest production car of its time.
The Gullwing is powered by a 3.0-liter inline-six engine that produces 240 horsepower and 217 pound-feet (294 Nm) of torque, paired with a four-speed manual transmission. This setup enables the 300SL to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 9 seconds.
The coupe was discontinued in 1957, but that wasn’t the end of the legendary 300SL Gullwing. That year, Mercedes-Benz started producing a convertible version. Production ended in 1963 after 3,260 units were built, including two 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupes. At the time, the 300SL was considered a success.
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