Car of the Month – July, 2025

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing”

Mercedes-Benz returned to post-war auto racing in 1952, fielding two of its new 300 SLR (Sport Leicht Racing) sports cars in the Italian Mille Miglia and finishing second and fourth overall in this most difficult event. It first raced the 300 SLR as an open-top roadster; however, for the 1952 Le Mans it entered a trio of SLR “Gullwing”-doored coupes and finished first and second.

Mercedes-Benz did not originally want to build the road-going version of its famous SLR racecar, but a New York Mercedes/Porsche dealer named Max Hoffman convinced the company that he could sell them to U.S. buyers. To prove his point, he placed an order for 1,000 300 SLs.

Weighing just 110 lbs., the 300 SL’s innovative space frame was a lightweight structure that offered maximum rigidity and supports the engine, transmission and axles. The downside was that the extra height at the sills left no room for conventional doors. Mercedes-Benz engineers solved this problem by introducing the unique upswinging doors.

Besides its doors, the car had many innovative design features. Most notably, it was the first production car with fuel injection. It had rack and pinion steering and independent front and swing axle rear suspension. Its vault-like interior was impeccably appointed in leather with matching fitted luggage

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