Auto Car | 1954-1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe | Eternal youth is a miracle, since only a few cars and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL coupe is one of this elite group. The Mercedes-Benz presented its new sports car in February 1954 at the International Motor Sports Show in New York, while the lit fuse for an icon of the automotive world. With its flat, graceful body, the 300 SL was nothing fresh about his even as the millennium approached, and the “sports car of the century” in 1999. “Gullwing” doors provided that essential touch of inspiration, opening to the sky to reveal a tight molded interior. The history of the 300 SL is inextricably linked with the life of an influential admirer connected. American importer Maximilian E. Hoffman was called on the Mercedes-Benz, a car on the way to build the image of its racing coupe, the start of production in 1954, offers a sweet fruit for his efforts. The assembly lines may have waved goodbye to the last made of only 1400 pieces of the 300 SL coupe ever in 1957, but the spirit of this particular car safe lives.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was originally designed as a purpose-built race car (W 194) is designed. In 1952, the coupe notched up an impressive track record in major competitions years ago. At the Grand Prix in Bern the 300 SL sealed a clean sweep of podium places, a wonderful performance by a double victory in front of a dove field in the 24 Hours of Le Mans secured. The Nürburgring duly yielded another one-two-three, and the new Mercedes racing car claimed the victory in the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico. It has everything up to a majestic return to motor sport for Mercedes-Benz, begins where the brand had left during a very successful period before the Second World War.
Although initially no plans, the 300 SL into series production, the Daimler-Benz Board had been sent in the words of Maximilian (“Maxi”) Hoffman rings in the ears. The official importer of Mercedes-Benz in America promoted tirelessly for a sports car with his wealthy clientele, and the 300 SL racer fitted the bill perfectly. After long deliberations, the green light for series of road-trim 300 SL (W 198) and a smaller, open-top sports car, the 190 SL (W 121).
The two models were selected for their premieres less than six months after the Board celebrated its approval of the project was granted. The occasion was the International Motor Sports Show in New York instead of 2:06 -14, 1954, and currently the major U.S. auto show. The engineers took the challenge of racing against the clock, and the 300 SL and its little brother, the 190 SL, were prepared to the cheers of the admiring crowd arrives. Series production began in Sindelfingen in August 1954, and the price to 29,000 mark – a huge amount of time, appropriated, fixed, especially if the new model alongside the Mercedes-Benz 170 V in comparison – on sale at Marks 7900th
The body of the 300 SL was with the primary aim of cutting aerodynamic drag to a minimum develops. The result was a streamlined form with few adornments, a car that is faithful to the design brief and retained its freshness and radiance to the present. Beautifully proportioned and extremely dynamic it was as if the 300 SL – surging forward were cut to the wheels – to form a shape.
The new sports car was a real crowd-puller, thanks in no small measure to its wonderfully charismatic ‘gullwing’ doors. Rather than serve merely as a stylistic gimmick, they are the central element of the 300 SL design, the ultimate example of necessity as the mother of invention. The car’s aluminum skin was stretched over a metal frame, which – in the interest of increased stability – much more than usual on the sides of the vehicle, making it impossible to fit conventional doors. The reaction of the engineers was to work an opening top door concept. The elegance of the side view of the car remained undisturbed by a door handle, with a discreet pull-out bar, release the lock. The door then opened upwards with the aid of a telescopic spring.
The tubular frame for the 300 SL, designed by Rudolf Uhlen skin, reduced weight to a minimum but provided maximum strength. A series of extremely thin tubes were welded together into triangles to a frame which boasted impressive torsional stiffness and was only exposed to pressure and tensile forces to produce. In the standard SL frame tipped the scales at only 82 pounds, while the complete car in ready-to-drive condition and including spare wheel, tools and fuel weighed 1295 kg.
The body of the 300 SL was constructed largely dependent on high-quality steel, aluminum, although it was used for the hood, trunk lid and the skin panels for the doors and window sills. For a relatively small fee, customers can choose, the whole body of the alloy, which have 80 kilos total weight of the car cut. However, only 29 SL customers took this option and today their cars are searched high for rarities.
The technical make-up of the 300 SL owes to the Mercedes-Benz 300 (W 186 II) sedan, the vehicle of choice for many statesmen and entrepreneurs and also known as the “Adenauer Mercedes”. The six-cylinder engine featured a number of changes, saw the carburetor replaced by a direction injection system – requires a technical advance, the years of his time. This new technology increases the performance to 158 kW (215 hp) and the maximum speed of the vehicle as much to 260 kph, depending on the rear axle. Customers could order their SL with a choice of five different conditions. The standard 1:3.64 variant was primarily to deliver rapid acceleration and capable of 235 km / h were placed 1:3.89 1:4.11 and the conditions good for even faster acceleration, whilst the 1:3.42 option offered a higher top speed. This figure rose still further – up to 260 kilometers per hour – when the ratio was set at 1:3.25. But this “led to reduced acceleration, drive the car less comfortable in the downtown city traffic,” as the sales information pointed out. The 300 SL hit 100 km / h in just 10 seconds, with car testers in the measurement of fuel consumption to an average of 15 liters per 100 km. A 100-liter tank was placed on the rear of the car and up to 130 liters may be extended for an additional fee.
The engine had 45 degrees to the left to be tilted under the hood of the squeeze, what an extremely flat car, thus the amount of space within the passenger footwell. The SL focus was almost exactly in the middle of the car, with the perfect foundation for fast and precise cornering. The chassis was essentially the same as the sedan 300A, but with sportier tuning, and the drum brakes in response to the increased power of the muscle bound sports car adapted. Only later, in 1961 roadster variant, were these replaced by disc brakes all round.
The interior of the 300 SL was more solid than spectacular. The standard reference materials are available in a choice of three checked patterns are available, but most customers opted for leather instead. The body paintwork came in silver metallic as standard, but red, blue and black also found great success.
A lack of space in the 300 SL made something of a challenge – that was a sports car. Fortunately, the steering wheel can be folded down so that the driver turn his legs in the direction of the pedals. Once seated, the riders enjoyed an impressive ergonomically refined cockpit design. The steering wheel was just the right distance for the poor to reach the driver’s feet moved intuitively onto the pedal: the 300 SL was a real driver’s car. In addition, the instrument panel very neat and clean manner, with the tachometer and speedometer in the middle of the field of vision of the driver, as you might expect.
Out on the street, one comes to understand quickly why the 300 SL had been christened with those particular letters – the car was certainly Sporty and Light. With an engine delivers 215 hp and a weight of only around 1,300 kilograms, acceleration was impressive enough – especially with the right choice of rear axle ratio. Exceptional torque ensured good pulling power at all engine speeds. The steering is direct and the suspension allowed the car snuggled his way. There is no doubt that the 300 SL was a sports car in the best race. That is, it was far from impractical, as many owners were quick to appreciate. For them, this was a high-speed touring car which offered precise driving characteristics but which avoided undermining the power of the driver unduly. The trunk was big enough, adds, as it was by the extra space behind the seats for extra luggage. Plus customers can order a custom-designed luggage for most of the available space set.
Source : www.totonz.com
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was originally designed as a purpose-built race car (W 194) is designed. In 1952, the coupe notched up an impressive track record in major competitions years ago. At the Grand Prix in Bern the 300 SL sealed a clean sweep of podium places, a wonderful performance by a double victory in front of a dove field in the 24 Hours of Le Mans secured. The Nürburgring duly yielded another one-two-three, and the new Mercedes racing car claimed the victory in the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico. It has everything up to a majestic return to motor sport for Mercedes-Benz, begins where the brand had left during a very successful period before the Second World War.
Although initially no plans, the 300 SL into series production, the Daimler-Benz Board had been sent in the words of Maximilian (“Maxi”) Hoffman rings in the ears. The official importer of Mercedes-Benz in America promoted tirelessly for a sports car with his wealthy clientele, and the 300 SL racer fitted the bill perfectly. After long deliberations, the green light for series of road-trim 300 SL (W 198) and a smaller, open-top sports car, the 190 SL (W 121).
The two models were selected for their premieres less than six months after the Board celebrated its approval of the project was granted. The occasion was the International Motor Sports Show in New York instead of 2:06 -14, 1954, and currently the major U.S. auto show. The engineers took the challenge of racing against the clock, and the 300 SL and its little brother, the 190 SL, were prepared to the cheers of the admiring crowd arrives. Series production began in Sindelfingen in August 1954, and the price to 29,000 mark – a huge amount of time, appropriated, fixed, especially if the new model alongside the Mercedes-Benz 170 V in comparison – on sale at Marks 7900th
The body of the 300 SL was with the primary aim of cutting aerodynamic drag to a minimum develops. The result was a streamlined form with few adornments, a car that is faithful to the design brief and retained its freshness and radiance to the present. Beautifully proportioned and extremely dynamic it was as if the 300 SL – surging forward were cut to the wheels – to form a shape.
The new sports car was a real crowd-puller, thanks in no small measure to its wonderfully charismatic ‘gullwing’ doors. Rather than serve merely as a stylistic gimmick, they are the central element of the 300 SL design, the ultimate example of necessity as the mother of invention. The car’s aluminum skin was stretched over a metal frame, which – in the interest of increased stability – much more than usual on the sides of the vehicle, making it impossible to fit conventional doors. The reaction of the engineers was to work an opening top door concept. The elegance of the side view of the car remained undisturbed by a door handle, with a discreet pull-out bar, release the lock. The door then opened upwards with the aid of a telescopic spring.
The tubular frame for the 300 SL, designed by Rudolf Uhlen skin, reduced weight to a minimum but provided maximum strength. A series of extremely thin tubes were welded together into triangles to a frame which boasted impressive torsional stiffness and was only exposed to pressure and tensile forces to produce. In the standard SL frame tipped the scales at only 82 pounds, while the complete car in ready-to-drive condition and including spare wheel, tools and fuel weighed 1295 kg.
The body of the 300 SL was constructed largely dependent on high-quality steel, aluminum, although it was used for the hood, trunk lid and the skin panels for the doors and window sills. For a relatively small fee, customers can choose, the whole body of the alloy, which have 80 kilos total weight of the car cut. However, only 29 SL customers took this option and today their cars are searched high for rarities.
The technical make-up of the 300 SL owes to the Mercedes-Benz 300 (W 186 II) sedan, the vehicle of choice for many statesmen and entrepreneurs and also known as the “Adenauer Mercedes”. The six-cylinder engine featured a number of changes, saw the carburetor replaced by a direction injection system – requires a technical advance, the years of his time. This new technology increases the performance to 158 kW (215 hp) and the maximum speed of the vehicle as much to 260 kph, depending on the rear axle. Customers could order their SL with a choice of five different conditions. The standard 1:3.64 variant was primarily to deliver rapid acceleration and capable of 235 km / h were placed 1:3.89 1:4.11 and the conditions good for even faster acceleration, whilst the 1:3.42 option offered a higher top speed. This figure rose still further – up to 260 kilometers per hour – when the ratio was set at 1:3.25. But this “led to reduced acceleration, drive the car less comfortable in the downtown city traffic,” as the sales information pointed out. The 300 SL hit 100 km / h in just 10 seconds, with car testers in the measurement of fuel consumption to an average of 15 liters per 100 km. A 100-liter tank was placed on the rear of the car and up to 130 liters may be extended for an additional fee.
The engine had 45 degrees to the left to be tilted under the hood of the squeeze, what an extremely flat car, thus the amount of space within the passenger footwell. The SL focus was almost exactly in the middle of the car, with the perfect foundation for fast and precise cornering. The chassis was essentially the same as the sedan 300A, but with sportier tuning, and the drum brakes in response to the increased power of the muscle bound sports car adapted. Only later, in 1961 roadster variant, were these replaced by disc brakes all round.
The interior of the 300 SL was more solid than spectacular. The standard reference materials are available in a choice of three checked patterns are available, but most customers opted for leather instead. The body paintwork came in silver metallic as standard, but red, blue and black also found great success.
A lack of space in the 300 SL made something of a challenge – that was a sports car. Fortunately, the steering wheel can be folded down so that the driver turn his legs in the direction of the pedals. Once seated, the riders enjoyed an impressive ergonomically refined cockpit design. The steering wheel was just the right distance for the poor to reach the driver’s feet moved intuitively onto the pedal: the 300 SL was a real driver’s car. In addition, the instrument panel very neat and clean manner, with the tachometer and speedometer in the middle of the field of vision of the driver, as you might expect.
Out on the street, one comes to understand quickly why the 300 SL had been christened with those particular letters – the car was certainly Sporty and Light. With an engine delivers 215 hp and a weight of only around 1,300 kilograms, acceleration was impressive enough – especially with the right choice of rear axle ratio. Exceptional torque ensured good pulling power at all engine speeds. The steering is direct and the suspension allowed the car snuggled his way. There is no doubt that the 300 SL was a sports car in the best race. That is, it was far from impractical, as many owners were quick to appreciate. For them, this was a high-speed touring car which offered precise driving characteristics but which avoided undermining the power of the driver unduly. The trunk was big enough, adds, as it was by the extra space behind the seats for extra luggage. Plus customers can order a custom-designed luggage for most of the available space set.
Source : www.totonz.com
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