Fifties star rocked the world

02nd January 2007

The original Gullwing stunned the world when it debuted in New York in 1954. Yet only 1,400 were made, and production ended in 1957.

With its roots firmly in motorsport, a roadgoing version was given the nod when it became clear that the car could be a big hit in the US. But it wasn't cheap, costing nearly four times as much as lesser drop-top models in the brand's range.

The doors aren't purely cosmetic. The 300 SL had an aluminium body stretched over a tubular frame. To maintain stability and rigidity, the chassis rose further up the sides than usual, so smaller doors extending into the roofline improved access to the cabin.