by J. R. Lindamood

Created on: March 17, 2008   Last Updated: November 07, 2008

Whether you like the Mercedes- 300SL or not, you have to admit it's a classic. Designed by Mercedes-Benz after WW2, the 300SL was Mercedes' reintroduction to the racing circuit. Unusually enough, the designers at Mercedes-Benz didn't design the car first. Instead, they took the 300 engine that they already had and said, "Okay, now how do we get this engine in a small car?"

A follow-up to the venerable "Gullwing," the resulting SL coupe turned into a racing fiend after its introduction in 1957. Since the car was designed around a tubular steel frame, and a body that incorporated both steel and aluminum, this kept weight down, and allowed more of the engine's torque and thrust to be channeled into getting the wheels to move. While the majority of the body was made of steel, the doors, hood, trunk lid, and rocker panels were all made of aluminum. This gave the car an extremely light frame to make up for the behemoth of an engine roaring under its hood. Couple that with the reliability of a the electrical and mechanical systems, and you have a Mercedes-Benz that is more than capable of outperforming more powerful Ferraris and Jaguars.
And roar it did. With a compression ratio of over 9 to 1, this 240 b.h.p monster could be pushed to a top speed in excess of 140 miles per hour. Couple this to a set of power assisted drum brakes, and you have a machine that could not only run with the bulls, but stop on a dime, too.

Of course, it's not enough to just go fast, you have to get their in style. Well, style is something that this roadster has in spades. Many people consider the possibility that this roadster was redesigned for the American consumer. The fact that American automakers in the late 50's were making cars that look more and more stylized and embellished all the time was not lost on the industrious Germans. They took their talent for minimalism, and applied it to this Mercedes-Benz roadster, hoping to appeal to American buyer. The low-swept hood and the chopped rooflines are ideal for cleaving through the air during a long road-race. Add to this the "eyebrow" flares above the wheels, and you have a machine that truly is more than the sum of its parts.

This car had it all: a fast engine, a comfortable interior, and a relatively small size. These features coupled with the Mercedes name make 300SL a classic car that still has many admirers today. Whether you are a car enthusiast or just a casual observer the Mercedes 300SL is a beauty to behold.

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