Car of the week: Mercedes-Benz SL 300

Now I have a personal vendetta against seagulls. Ever since I was seven and in Llandudno and I was targeted by a vicious gang of violent gulls, who robbed me of my cone of chips, I can honestly say I’ve been the same again.

Dan Boland

03/01/2026

2–4 minutes

I have since entered myself into a brutal war against squawking white birds, and I swear to vanquish all of them before my time on this earth is done.

However, the one gull I can forgive is the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, otherwise known as the Gullwing.

I feel like I do say this a lot across Group B, but this car is singlehandedly one of the most beautiful cars in existence. I recently visited the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, Germany, and even with all of the AMGs, SLs, and even the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, the 300 SL stands out like a fart at a funeral.

After Mercedes’ introduction to Formula One in 1954, they identified a market for “toned-down” grand prix cars for the rich but performance-hungry enthusiasts after the post-war economic boom across America.

And they really honed in on this American audience. Instead of showcasing the car at the Frankfurt or Geneva motor shows, where the company often debuts its latest concept and production cars, it debuted at the New York International Auto Show.

In my opinion, this car is too beautiful for the US, especially if you pull up alongside a Chrysler PT Cruiser. But its greatness extends far beyond its beauty.

When it was produced, it was the fastest production car ever to reach the roads. Its speed was achieved through the car’s lightweight tubular spaceframe, aerodynamic design and its revolutionary direct fuel injection.

It was the first passenger car to feature direct fuel injection, which helped build its reputation as a revolutionary sports car, and it was also the first to have its distinctive gullwing doors, which gave it its name.

Due to the lightweight tubular spaceframe, doors couldn’t be mounted on your typical car door hinges because of the rigid steel frame. Instead, special gullwing doors had to be developed to accommodate the spaceframe.

It really was a car which redefined the 1950s; famous actors and celebrities jumped at the opportunity to own one, and some still do! In fact, the last-ever 300 SL was auctioned two years ago, selling for $3.5 million to a private collector.

The SL 300 even gave way to potentially one of the most valuable cars in the world, the SLR 300 (racing edition), associated with greats such as Stirling Moss. Only 9 were ever built, designed around the original SL 300, but these sold for a whopping €135 million back in 2022, making it the most expensive car ever sold.

Top speed	163 mph
0-60	7.4 seconds
How many units were sold	3,258
Cost when new	$6,820
Where is the best place to see one?	outside a fish and chips shop

Mercedes-Benz SL 300 coupe

The SL 300 is therefore our car of the week, as during my walk down to university today, I saw a seagull eat a rat, which subsequently led me to think of a Mercedes-Benz SL 300. Strange how something so disturbing can make you think of something so beautiful.

“SL 300” taken by Daniel Boland