Nov 17, 2010 Imad Rahim
1955 300SL Gullwing - Image MatthiasKabelThe Mercedes-Benz 300SL introduced in 1954 as a two-seat, closed sports car with distinctive gull-wing doors; was the fastest production car of it's day.
It was only last week thanks to the local Mercedes Benz dealer, that we finally had a chance to get acquainted with not one, but two ‘Gullwings’; the 2011 Mercedes Benz SLS AMG and the 1955 Mercedes Benz SL300 ‘Gullwing’ on which the former was based. I will be talking about the 1955 300SL Gullwing in this section and the SLS AMG in my other article ‘2011 Mercedes Benz SLS AMG Review’.
Built by Daimler-Benz AG and internally numbered W198, the fuel-injected road version was based (somewhat loosely) on the company's highly successful competition-only sports car of 1952, the somewhat less powerful carbureted Mercedes-Benz 300SL (W194).
The road model was suggested by Max Hoffman. Being intended for customers in the booming post-war American market it was introduced at the 1954 New York Auto Show, unlike previous models introduced at either the Frankfurt or Geneva shows. In Mercedes-Benz fashion, the "300" referred to the engine's three litre cylinder displacement. The "SL" stood for "Sport Leicht" (Sport Light).
Read more at Suite101: 1955 Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing http://www.suite101.com/content/1955-mercedes-benz-300sl-gullwing-a310417#ixzz1D1EzNbAp
