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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL endurance test - luxury two-seater of the highest quality (ZQ)

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Created on January 22, 1959

Reading time 17min

Written by:

AR «Tester»

Photos:

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1958) - mit aufgesetztem Hardtop

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1958) - das Dach hat unter einer Klappe Platz

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1957) - Seitenansicht des Cabrios

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1958) - vergleichsweise geräumiger Kofferraum und Ersatzrad

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1958) - Beschleunigungsvermögen grafisch dargestellt

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (1957) - attraktive Formgebung - speziell auch offen

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1958) - mit aufgesetztem Harddop

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (1957) - Seitenansicht Beifahrerseite

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Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (1957) - Seitenansicht Fahrerseite

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Summary

A serviceable luxury two-seater of the highest quality with the performance and driving safety of a top-class sports car - this is how the testers of the Automobil-Revue saw the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. And they summed it up accordingly: "There is no better way to combine the virtues of a strongly built touring car with those of a fast sports machine. With the exception of two additional emergency seats, it leaves nothing to be desired. From leisurely city drives to long business trips, from sporty excursions to vacation trips, the 300 SL offers something close to perfection, provided you don't mind its somewhat raspy voice. Enthusiasts will love it, technicians will admire it, and the better you know the car, the more you will envy its owners."

This article contains the following chapters

A dream come true
A technical showpiece
A test car for maximum performance
The 300 SL in everyday life
Sensational acceleration
Driving safety in excelsis
The real top speed
All around the bodywork
Technical and sporting refinements
Test results
Data/recommendations for maintenance

Estimated reading time: 17min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Only very few motorists can and want to lay out forty thousand francs for their car. It is even rarer to find this purchasing power combined with the ability to exploit the performance of a car of the caliber of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, which "AR" examined in a comprehensive review. Although such a vehicle is not intended for widespread use and can only rarely be fully utilized in today's traffic, it nevertheless deserves the utmost attention. The top product of Daimler-Benz AG, which has sold to a surprising extent, is a highlight among the fast cars suitable for everyday use. The type designation 300 SL is familiar to every car enthusiast thanks to the original bodywork with upward-opening gullwing doors, as featured on the first version. Today, the car is built in a more normal version as a roadster cabriolet with an attachable roof. With its brawny, striking bodywork of a strongly built shape that is in no way in keeping with current automotive fashion, the 300 SL is pure in style and has a unified appearance. Its appearance corresponds to its character.

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