Did you see how a lot that 1956 Mercedes “Gullwing” garnered finally week’s 2024 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Public sale? Three-million four-hundred ten {dollars}! How’s a man or gal like me otherwise you ever in a position to afford one of many coolest vehicles ever? Effectively, our Choose of the Day solutions that query: a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL reproduction on the market on ClassicCars.com by a personal vendor in Ko Pha-ngan, Thailand. (Click on the hyperlink to view the itemizing)

It’s potential it’s possible you’ll not know that the gullwing doorways of the 300SL had been created out of necessity and never model, however the car has taken a life all its personal due to it. The automobile itself was a avenue model of a race automobile often called the W194, however the race automobile actually didn’t turn into important till mechanical gas injection and a transaxle had been applied. The road automobile got here on the suggestion of none apart from American importer Max Hoffman, who then positioned an order of 1,000 items to ensure the 300SL’s success.

The W194 race featured an aluminum tube spaceframe chassis to save lots of weight, because the OHC straight-six was not as highly effective as its competitors’s. As a consequence of this building, a conventional door association was not potential, so gullwing-style doorways had been developed. This building was handed all the way down to the street-going 300SL.

The carbureted 3.0-liter six that was utilized in Mercedes’ flagship 300 four-door sedan put out 115 horsepower in 1951, with the 300 S reaching 150 horses. Including gas injection added one other 30 horses, however the engine as put in within the 300SL produced 240 horsepower.

In comparison with bespoke Italian exotics, the 300SL coupe was fairly fashionable, with 1,400 in-built 4 years. Regardless of a excessive survival price, the 300SL has extra folks wanting one than what’s obtainable, so the standard guidelines of provide and demand apply right here and, therefore, decide market worth. Nevertheless, that doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t expertise the potential thrill of what simply will be the final automobile from the 20^th-century as a result of this 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL reproduction is accessible at a way more cheap worth.

There’s not a lot data on this advert apart from this reproduction has an aluminum physique and a “excessive degree of end.” It’s powered by a contemporary Mercedes V6 of two,400, 2,700, or 3,200cc, so it may be inferred these are constructed to order, together with the driving place. Bucking the pattern of recent Mercedes, shifting is dealt with by a handbook five-speed. What is going to this value you? $320,000. That’s some huge cash, however it’s additionally one-tenth of the price of a restored instance you’ll by no means drive.

Click on right here for this ClassicCars.com Choose of the Day.