Mercedes-Benz surprised at the 1954 New York Auto Show with the launch of the 300 SL, quickly known as Gullwing or Gull Wings due to the peculiar upward opening of its doors. When the car is viewed from the front, they draw a clear gull-wing shape. It was a solution chosen for technical reasons, not aesthetic ones; but this feature has ended up being one of the reasons why it is one of the most sought-after classic cars.
Little did the brand’s managers imagine 70 years ago that this model was going to become an icon. The idea was to create a high-performance sports car with a certain luxury that could compete in a market where Jaguars and Ferraris were selling very well. The green light for the project came late and the design team for this car, codenamed W198, only had six months to develop it. The company’s top racing engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, took charge of the project, while Friedrich Geiger was in charge of styling.
They both looked at the most advanced the brand could offer. And they found the key pieces, which they assembled like a puzzle. The 300 SL was used as a basis for racing, which during 1951 and 1952 achieved great triumphs in the Mille Miglia and the Carrera Panamerica, and which also shone at Le Mans. But there was also its successor, the short-wheelbase 300 SLK, made for the 1953 season, which did not debut because the brand’s leadership decided to bet on F1.
The W194 – code name of the 300 SL competition – had a three-liter, 6-cylinder engine, 16-inch wheels, a light multi-tubular chassis, a gearbox located on the rear axle and a body made of Elektron, a light magnesium alloy. which allowed him to reduce his weight by 85 kilos. The SLK was even lighter and the engine already had direct injection.
Uhlenhaut took them as a basis for this W198. He kept the tubular chassis, but had to give up the Elektron bodywork and replace it with steel. He used aluminum for some elements – hood, tailgate, dashboard and doors – so that the weight was limited to 1,500 kg. That’s where the name SL comes from, for Sport Leicht (light sports car), although it could also be for Super Ligero (Super Leicht).
The number in its name responds to the engine it was equipped with. The 300 sedan was taken, but with notable modifications. The Solex carburetors gave way to a Bosch mechanical injection system and, along with other improvements, the 175 HP of the standard engine initially increased to 215, enough to reach 250 km/h. 240 HP was reached with the “competition” camshaft.
In those days, top speed and acceleration were mainly worked on. To improve these aspects, it was decided to build a particularly low car. Therefore, the engine was mounted laterally inclined and was also equipped with a dry sump.
Other mechanical elements of the 300 sedan were also taken, such as the four-wheel independent suspension, with springs and hydraulic shock absorbers. Also the drum brakes, to which a brake booster was added. The recirculating bag steering was improved to improve its precision, while the 4-speed gearbox was mounted on the rear axle for ideal weight distribution.
The multi-tubular chassis was designed for competition. This meant that the side top tubes were at the height of the driver’s elbow, which added to such a low roof meant that getting in or out with traditional doors required contortionist skills. This forced us to rethink access to the interior. The solution also came from the W194, which featured upward opening doors. And a steering wheel was mounted that could pivot relative to the steering column to facilitate the driver’s entry.
The gull-wing doors had a drawback: they prevented descending glass in the windows, but you could resort to removing the glass and placing it behind the seats. Later a small deflector window was introduced.
This was not the only limitation. The spare wheel and the gas tank took up the trunk, so the only space for luggage was the one located right behind the seats, inside the cabin.
The general style of the car was very reminiscent of the W184 and the RSK, but it was more fluid, more elegant. The result was a slender coupé measuring 4.52 meters in length, 1.79 m in width and 1.30 m in height.
Inside, we sought to offer sufficient comfort and a certain luxury. The standard seats were upholstered in checkered fabric with a choice of gray and green, gray and blue or cream and red. Optionally, you could order leather upholstery, which in the end was chosen by most customers.
Mercedes offered various extras, such as painting the body in a color other than silver gray and installing different wheels. It also offered the possibility of giving the car a racing character, with competition shock absorbers, competition springs, a competition camshaft and a short differential group to improve acceleration. In total, between 1954 and 1957, 1,400 units were manufactured.