motor cars

MOTOR CARS | 133

Created to spearhead Mercedes-Benz’s return to competition in the
post-war era, the 300SL debuted in the 1952 Mille Miglia, finishing
2nd and 4th overall. Wins in the Carrera Pan-Americana and at Le
Mans followed, and the 300SL was on its way to becoming part of
motor sporting legend. The first racers were open-topped but before
the ’52 season’s end the distinctive gull-wing doored Coupé had
appeared. Unusually high sills were a feature of the multi-tubular
spaceframe chassis, and while access was not a problem of the
open car, the adoption of coupé bodywork required innovative
thinking - hence the gull-wing doors.

Launched in 1954, the production 300SL retained the spaceframe
chassis of the racer and was powered by a 2,996cc, overhead-
camshaft, inline six canted at 45 degrees to achieve a lower, more
aerodynamic bonnet line. Using innovative direct fuel injection,
this state-of-the-art power unit produced 215bhp at 5,800rpm.
A four-speed gearbox transmitted power to the hypoid bevel rear
axle. Suspension was independent all round by wishbones and coil
springs at the front, with swing axles and coil springs at the rear. It
was, arguably, the world’s first supercar.

Tested by Road & Track magazine in 1955, the 300SL accelerated

from 0-60mph in 7.4 seconds, going on to achieve a top speed of

140mph - outstanding figures for its day. Clearly the 300SL Coupé

would be a hard act to follow yet the Roadster version, introduced

just three years later, succeeded in bettering its closed cousin’s

already exemplary road manners. Conventionally doored, the 300SL

Roadster was first exhibited at the Geneva Salon in May 1957 and

would outlive the Coupé by several years. The production of an open

300SL involved altering the cockpit area, where the spaceframe was

redesigned to permit lower sills for improved access. At the same

time the rear suspension was changed to incorporate low-pivot

swing axles.

The Roadster’s neutral steering characteristics received fulsome

praise from Road & Track in its 1958 road test. ‘With the low-pivot

rear suspension and more adhesive tyres, the car handles beautifully

under all conditions. This is a tremendous improvement over the

hardtop models, which had a tendency to oversteer rather violently if

pressed too hard.’ A 0-60mph time of 7.0 seconds and a top speed

of 130mph were recorded, making the 300SL Roadster one of the

fastest convertibles of its time. R&T concluded: ‘There is no doubt

that the 300SL roadster is a truly great dual-purpose sportscar,

equally at home in traffic and the open road, or on the track,’ words

that remain equally true today.