The Mercedes-Benz->ke187 300SL Gullwing->ke1995 is a rare enough car, as there were only 3,258 examples ever built. Of those, only 1,400 were coupes. So, when you start talking about special edition models, you are getting into some of the rarest cars in the world.

When the SL300 was busy kicking ass at venues like the 24 Hours of Nürburgring->ke999 and 24 Hours of Le Mans->ke1591, it was not the standard road-going model that you saw. In fact, the car you saw boasted a completely different body. All of the road-going cars, prior to the car’s retirement from racing boasted a steel body and the racing models featured a lighter allot body.

After the 300SL’s retirement from racing, the alloy body became a 5,000 Deutsche Marks option on the already pricey base 300SL. Because of this massive markup, only 29 models were ever built and sold to the general public, thus making it one of the rarest Mercedes-Benz’s available today.

To read more about the 300SL Alloy Gullwing, click past the jump.

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Alloy Gullwing

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Alloy Gullwing
  • Engine/Motor: inline-6
  • Horsepower: 35
  • Torque: 120 @ 0
  • Transmission: 4-Speed Manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

On the outside, you have one of the most recognizable bodies in the automotive world. Its cab-rearward design gives the 300SL an extra-long hood, but it also positions the drive closer to the rear axle, giving him a better feel of how the back end is acting in the corners. The front end features single round headlights and a grille strikethrough that has the famed Mercedes star in the center of it. The 300SL’s downward-slanted nose helps this compact gullwing coupe be as aerodynamic as it could be, given the era it is from.

The side profile shows the primitiveness of the era, as the windshield is fairly straight up and down, but as you swoop over the roofline, you’ll notice Mercedes really did the best with what it had to work with. Just behind the front wheels, you get a pair of gill-style heat extractors that each features a chrome strikethrough. Additionally, there is a chrome strip that spans the ankle line of the 300SL, between the front and rear wheels. The amount of glass surrounding the cabin makes you feel almost like you’re sitting in a greenhouse – a really fast one.

As you come to the rear end, you will encounter a rather rounded backside, as the trunk line slopes toward the ground. On either side of this round rump, you get a small, rectangular taillight that houses the brake lights and turn signals. At the base, you get a rather thin bumper coated in chrome that wraps around the outline of the 300SL’s rear end.

Exterior Dimensions:

Overall Length

178 inches

Overall Width

70 inches

Overall Height

51.3 inches

Wheelbase

94.5 inches

Curb Weight

1,515 kg (1,515 lbs)

Drag Coefficient

0.380


Interior

Though it was bred from race cars, the interior of the 300SL Alloy Gullwing was not stripped like its racecar cousins. In fact, Mercedes was rather generous, for the era. It featured a dashboard-mounted rear-view mirror – yeah, rear-view mirrors were not a standard accessory in all cars of the `50s.The dashboard also featured an aluminum trim panel to contrast its main color and its gauge setup was very driver-centric, as the speedometer, tachometer, and other pertinent gauges were just a quick glance away.

The driver and passenger are wrapped up snugly by a pair of racing-style seats, which are rather primitive by today’s standards, but they do the trick. These seats are wrapped up in leather, as is the center console.

As an optional feature on the 1955 300SL Alloy Gullwing, you could add in interior-matching luggage that fits nicely behind the seats. This allows you to at least be able to haul a minimal amount of luggage for a short trip.

Engine and Drivetrain

Though many people assumed that the Alloy Gullwing boasted a high-performance engine straight from the factory, it did not. In fact, the high-performance engine offered on the 300SL was available in both body constructions. The 1955 300SL Alloy Gullwing came standard with a 3.0-liter engine with Bosch mechanical fuel injection that produced 215 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 275 Nm (203 pound-feet) of torque at 4,600 rpm. By today’s standard, that is subpar, but in the 1950s, this was mighty impressive for a 6-cylinder.

This engine mated up with a 4-speed manual transmission that drove power to the rear wheels.

This combination netted the 1955 300SL Alloy a 0-to-60 mph time of around 8.8 seconds and a top speed in the 130 mph range. Both of those numbers are not too bad for the 1950s.

Engine Type

3.0-Liter In-Line 6-Cylinder w/ Bosch Fuel Injection

Engine Horsepower

215 Horsepower at 5,800 rpm

Engine Torque

275 Nm (203 pound-feet) at 4,600 rpm

Transmission Type

4-Speed Manual

Drive Style

Rear-Wheel Drive

Acceleration (0-60 mph)

~8.8 seconds

Top Speed

~130 mph


Pricing and Availability

The 300SL is rare enough as is, but the alloy-body 300SLs are insanely rare, as only 29 models were ever built. For that reason, they fetch a ton of money at auction. In fact, one recently was bought at auction for over $4 million!

You do have a chance to get one here soon, as RM Auctions is auctioning off a 1955 300SL Alloy Body in London on October 31st, 2012. This particular model was fully restored in the 1990s, features a red, leather interior, matching luggage, 2,000 km (1,242 miles) and a grey body. It looks to be in pristine condition and will likely fetch nearly $4 million, though RM Auctions has not provided a public estimate.

Conclusion

If you have a space in your heart – and wallet – for pricey sports cars, then this is the ultimate one for your collection. Sure, you may have to explain why it is unlike most other 300SLs, but isn’t talking about why your car is cool the goal of any auto enthusiast? So, if you have an extra million, you may want to look into snagging this one up, as its value has nowhere to go but skyward.