The legendary and iconic 300SL has always been known by the name 'Gullwing' due to the way the doors are hinged from the centre of the roofline. This arrangement was necessitated by the high tubular spaceframe chassis introduced to reduce weight. SL stands for 'Sport Leicht (Sport Light), with 300 referring to the 3.0 litre engine.
The car came about following racing success in 1952 which led to a request from a US car importer for a road-going version. The Coupe version seen here was introduced in 1954, with a roadster version following in 1957. Some 1400 were built, over 80% of which went to the US. It was a great success, enhancing the company's reputation there.
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