Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Flügeltürer
(1954 - 1957)
Car articles about Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Flügeltürer by year
Car fans once dreamed of top-of-the-range or super sports cars. Since the turn of the millennium, however, hypercars have been regarded as the ultimate in automotive transportation. But whether they offer real driving pleasure is doubtful. To prove this thesis, this article takes you through the development of the sports car up to the present day and shows many of the cars mentioned in pictures.
At the end of January 1954, Mercedes-Benz presented two new models that are still among the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer's flagship models today: the 190 SL and the 300 SL road-going sports car. Naturally, the magazine 'hobby' did not miss the opportunity to take a seat behind the wheel as soon as possible. Editor Sponsel even gave the 190 SL a lot of racing potential. This article restores the driving report from that time and shows the 190 SL in many early historical pictures.
From 1951 to 1958, Mercedes built the 300 S/Sc as a Cabriolet, Roadster and Coupé. These luxury cars embodied the ultimate in comfort without being unsportsmanlike. In fact, industrialists also liked to drive these vehicles over long distances, which they could cover with high averages. This report portrays a 300 S Cabriolet A from 1954 and also shows it and its brothers in historical illustrations.
In 1956, the AR editors tested the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL and were impressed, which they documented with the following test summary: "The Mercedes-Benz 190 SL is suitable for all those who are looking for an elegant, two-seater vehicle with a sporty touch, who attach importance to careful production and extensive equipment and who want a car that is also fully serviceable in the long term and has the highest qualities in terms of driving characteristics. Despite its high performance, the 190 SL is not an actual sports car, but an uncomplicated, serious touring car with all four wheels firmly on the ground, as it were. Thanks to its exemplary driving characteristics, it is one of the very few types of vehicle in which you can reach the highest average speeds in complete safety without haste and with full consideration for other traffic."
Great victories and a racing tragedy of immeasurable proportions characterized the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S), which was only used in the 1955 racing season. This report looks back on the short career of the racing sports car, showing it in historical and new pictures, but above all also during extensive repair work that became necessary due to an accident in 1996.
Perhaps the most desirable racing car in the world never even drove a single race. The drivers preferred a different body shape; the planned first outing was canceled after a catastrophe. The "Uhlenhaut Coupé" based on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR remained a test vehicle against its will for the rest of its life. This article tells the story of the eight-cylinder racing coupé, which remained unsold for 66 years until it passed into new hands for EUR 135 million.
The Mercedes-Benz 190 SL was the 300 SL for all those who could not afford the expensive super sports car. However, these words are by no means intended to denigrate the 190 SL - quite the opposite. It offered good driving performance and a chic design at a reasonable price. This report reproduces the original wording of an intensive test from 1955 and supplements it with historical images and brochures.
In 1956, Hobby drove the Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing in a double test of almost 3000 km across Germany, Austria and northern Italy. The two authors Sponsel and Dettmer were impressed and enthusiastic, but also recognized the limitations of a narrow sports car geared towards racing.
In "AR"-LANGSTRECKENPRUFUNG NR.87, Automobil-Revue invites its readers to take a ride in a Mercedes 300 SLR racing sports car. Not a short trip, but 3,500 km were covered. And the AR test team were thrilled. Not only the driving performance was impressive, but also the almost everyday qualities of the car, which was actually built for the racetrack. With a sprint time of 7.1 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, a top speed of 284 km/h and braking deceleration of up to 9.8 m/s2, these are qualities that may be standard for sports cars in 2010, but must have seemed sensational in 1956. The significance of such a racing sports car is not limited to its successes or the enthusiasm it arouses in fans of sporting masterpieces. Rather, it shows that there is still untapped technical potential in automobile construction.
The Mercedes-Benz 190 SL was the Swabian car manufacturer's entry into a new segment and at the same time an important sales market, the USA. The first prototype was built in just three months after the investment decision and presented in New York. It was to take many more months from then until it was ready for production. The result was a robust boulevard cruiser with sporty ambitions, which has become one of the most popular classics today.
When you think of movie cars, the legendary Aston Martin DB5 from James Bond comes to mind for most movie enthusiasts. In comparison, however, the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL is a real blockbuster, as it has appeared in hundreds of films and has repeatedly been at the center of filming, including being driven by Grace Kelly! This report portrays one of the most popular classic cars of all time. And tells the story of the successful sports car.
Is the Mercedes 230 SL better than its predecessor, the 190 SL? Is it worth switching to a newer model? To get to the bottom of this and many other questions, hobby editor Heinz Kranz climbed into a fresh 230 SL and compared it visually, technically and on the road with its predecessor, the 190 SL. The result is a comprehensive vehicle report comparing the two models and detailing their advantages and disadvantages.
Current market prices for Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Flügeltürer
Coupe, 214 PS, 2996 cm3
Roadster, 214 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 104 PS, 1897 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 115 PS, 2996 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 125 PS, 2996 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 125 PS, 2996 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 160 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 115 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 125 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 125 PS, 2996 cm3
Coupe, 149 PS, 2996 cm3
Coupe, 175 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 149 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 175 PS, 2996 cm3
Roadster, 149 PS, 2996 cm3
Roadster, 175 PS, 2996 cm3
More vehicle evaluations from Classic Data can be found via the search function.
Auctioned vehicles of Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Flügeltürer
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Flügeltürer" 1955 Sold Artcurial Rétromobile Paris (February 9, 2018) |
300 SL "Flügeltürer" | 1955 | Sold | Artcurial Rétromobile Paris (February 9, 2018) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Flügeltürer 1955 Sold Bonhams The Mercedes Benz Sale (July 12, 2014) |
300 SL Flügeltürer | 1955 | Sold | Bonhams The Mercedes Benz Sale (July 12, 2014) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Flügeltürer 1956 Sold Artcurial Le Mans Classic 2018 (July 7, 2018) |
300 SL Flügeltürer | 1956 | Sold | Artcurial Le Mans Classic 2018 (July 7, 2018) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Flügeltürer 1955 Not Sold Bonhams Quail Motorcar Live & Online Auction (August 14, 2020) |
300 SL Flügeltürer | 1955 | Not Sold | Bonhams Quail Motorcar Live & Online Auction (August 14, 2020) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing 1955 Sold RM/Sotheby's Monterey (August 17, 2023) |
300 SL Gullwing | 1955 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Monterey (August 17, 2023) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing 1955 Sold Bonhams Audrain Concours (October 1, 2021) |
300 SL Gullwing | 1955 | Sold | Bonhams Audrain Concours (October 1, 2021) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing 1957 Sold Mecum Kissimmee (January 7, 2025) |
300 SL Gullwing | 1957 | Sold | Mecum Kissimmee (January 7, 2025) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupe 1955 Sold Broad Arrow Auctions “The Academy of Art University Collection” San Francisco (February 15, 2025) |
300 SL Gullwing Coupe | 1955 | Sold | Broad Arrow Auctions “The Academy of Art University Collection” San Francisco (February 15, 2025) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing 1956 Not Sold RM/Sotheby's Amelia Island (March 8, 2019) |
300 SL Gullwing | 1956 | Not Sold | RM/Sotheby's Amelia Island (March 8, 2019) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing 1955 Sold RM/Sotheby's Monterey Sale (August 16, 2013) |
300 SL Gullwing | 1955 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Monterey Sale (August 16, 2013) |
Query all auctioned vehicles of Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Flügeltürer
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