View allAll Photos Tagged SLClass
W198
'When it was first announced by Mercedes-Benz, the production 300 SL Coupé was a startling car built to the German concern's customarily startling standards, but above all what left the general public most open-mouthed about the new car was its upward-opening Gullwing doors...!' - Motors, 1963.
Mercedes-Benz returned to post-war competition in 1952, fielding two of its new 300 SL (W194) sports cars in the Mille Miglia. The pair finishing a creditable 2nd and 4th overall in this most difficult of events and this promising start was followed up by a win in the challenging Carrera Panamericana. The works first raced the 300 SL (Sport Leicht) in open form, but for the Le Mans 24-Hour Race in June a trio of 'Gullwing'-doored coupés was entered. High sills were a feature of the multi-tubular spaceframe chassis, and while access was not a problem of the open car, the coupé bodywork required innovative thinking - hence the Gullwing doors. Karl Kling and Hans Klenk duly brought their 'Silver Arrow' home in first place and the 300 SL was on its way to becoming part of motor sporting legend.
Launched in August 1954, the production 300 SL retained the spaceframe chassis and lightweight aluminium-alloy bodywork of the W194 racer while its mechanical underpinnings, like the latter's, owed much to the contemporary Mercedes-Benz 300 luxury saloon. A 2.996 cc overhead-camshaft inline six, the 300 SL's engine was canted at 45 degrees to achieve a low bonnet line and produced 215 bhp (DIN) at 5.800 rpm using Bosch mechanical fuel injection. A four-speed, all-synchromesh manual 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.
A production 300 SL (W198) was tested by Road & Track magazine in 1955, accelerating from 0-60 mph in 7,4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 140mph. Half expecting the long-awaited 300 SL to provide an anti-climax, R&T were delighted to find the new car, 'far beyond our wildest expectations. In fact, we can state unequivocally that in our opinion the 300SL coupé is the ultimate in an all-round sportscar. It combines more desirable features in one streamlined package than we ever imagined or hoped would be possible. Performance? It accelerates from a dead start to 100mph in just over 17 seconds. Dual purpose? A production model 300 SL can make a very acceptable showing in any type of sportscar competition. Yet the car is extremely tractable and easy to drive in traffic. Comfort? The fully enclosed 300 SL is the most comfortable (and safe) high-speed 'cross-country' car built today.'
A 300 SL roadster featuring conventional doors was first exhibited at the Geneva Salon in May 1957 and, although built in greater numbers, has never matched the immortal Gullwing for desirability. Its racing parentage notwithstanding, the 300 SL remains a thoroughly practical car, as civilised in city traffic as it is exhilarating on the autostrada. By the time 300 SL Coupé production ceased in 1957, some 1.400 examples had found customers. Today the model is both rare and most sought after by connoisseurs of fine automobiles.
One of 867 'Gullwing' coupés built in 1955, this example was delivered new to Mercedes-Benz Distributors Inc of New York, USA in November of that year. According to the 300 SL Registry (copy record on file), chassis number '823' was originally finished in light green metallic with red leather interior, a rare combination. The Register extract confirms matching chassis/engine numbers and states that this car was built with a 3,25:1 ratio rear axle - rare for a US-delivered Gullwing - which reduces engine revs and makes the car more comfortable to drive at high speeds. It is believed that this axle is the 'Special Order' referred to in the Register records. In order, the owners listed are Lawrence T Lee of Stafford Springs, Connecticut; Stephen R Narans of Denver, Colorado; and Eric Eichler of Malvern, Pennsylvania. The car spent its life with these three owners for its first 45 years.
The immediately preceding owner, Mrs Suzanna Navarro, bought the Gullwing in 2000 and brought it to Naples (Florida) for a full restoration. The rebuild took four years to complete, and in 2004 the finished car was sold to the current Dutch owner, who brought it to Holland in 2005. At that time (2005) the odometer reading was 2.800 miles (post-restoration). In the current owner's possession for 11 years, the Gullwing has covered only some 3.500 miles in that time, making the total since restoration circa 6.300 miles. In 2015, the engine was totally overhauled at a cost of €13,342 (see notes and photographs on file). While in the current owner's possession, the Gullwing won its class at the 2011 Schloss Dyck Concours d'Élégance.
This car has been inspected by Mr Benny Valkenburg, the leading 300 SL authority in Western Europe, who has confirmed its originality with respect to the chassis, body and engine (report on file). It is worthwhile noting that this Gullwing still has the standard gear lever, and not the lower, remote-linkage shifter fitted to many examples. The car comes with an instruction manual; the purchase invoice and some photographs dating from 2004; sundry invoices for minor works; German TüV paperwork; and a copy of the old US title in the name of Mercedes-Benz, Naples.
One of the Bonhams Motoring Department specialists has had the pleasure of driving this beautiful Gullwing, and is happy to confirm that it performed excellently with no faults noted; it responded eagerly to the throttle while the clutch, gearbox, and brakes all worked well – a truly memorable experience.
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Sold for € 1.016.666
Estimated : € 1.100.000 - 1.300.000
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2017
See more car pics on my facebook page!
- - -
The Triumph Stag is a British car sold between 1970 and 1978 by the Triumph Motor Company, styled by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti.
Envisioned as a luxury sports car, the Triumph Stag was designed to compete directly with the Mercedes-Benz SLclass models. All Stags were four-seater convertible coupés, but for structural rigidity – and to meet new American rollover standards of the time – the Stag required a B-pillar "roll bar" hoop connected to the windscreen frame by a T-bar. A removable hardtop was a popular factory option for the early Stags, and was later supplied as a standard fitment.
The car started as a styling experiment cut and shaped from a 1963–4 Triumph 2000 pre-production saloon, which had also been styled by Michelotti, and loaned to him by Harry Webster, Director of Engineering at Triumph. Their agreement was that if Webster liked the design, Triumph could use the prototype as the basis of a new Triumph model. Harry Webster, who was a long time friend of Giovanni Michelotti, whom he called "Micho", absolutely loved the design and spirited the prototype back to England. The end result, a two-door drop head (convertible), had little in common with the styling of its progenitor 2000, but retained the suspension and drive line. Triumph liked the Michelotti design so much that they propagated the styling lines of the Stag into the new T2000/T2500 saloon and estate model lines of the 1970s.
The initial Stag design was based around the saloon's 2.5-litre six cylinder engine, but Harry Webster intended the Stag, large saloons and estate cars to use a new Triumph-designed overhead cam (OHC) 2.5-litre fuel injected (PI) V8. Under the direction of Harry Webster's successor, Spen King in 1968, the new Triumph OHC 2.5 PI V8 was enlarged to 2997 cc (3.0 litres) to increase torque. To meet emission standards in the USA, a key target market, the troublesome mechanical fuel injection was dropped in favour of dual Zenith-Stromberg 175 CDSE carburettors. A key aim of Triumph's engineering strategy at the time was to create a family of engines of different size around a common crankshaft. This would enable the production of power plants of capacity between 1.5 and 4 litres, sharing many parts, and hence offering economies of manufacturing scale and of mechanic training. A number of iterations of this design went into production, notably a slant four-cylinder engine used in the later Triumph Dolomite and Triumph TR7, and a variant manufactured by StanPart that was initially used in the Saab 99. The Stag's V8 was the first of these engines into production. Sometimes described as two four-cylinder engines Siamesed together, it is more correct to say that the later four-cylinder versions were half a Stag engine (the left half).
(Wikipedia)
R230
Chassis n° WDB2304791F159976
5.980 cc
V12
Metropole Classic Cars
Meubellaan 1
Druten
Nederland - Netherlands
June 2021
W198
'When it was first announced by Mercedes-Benz, the production 300 SL Coupé was a startling car built to the German concern's customarily startling standards, but above all what left the general public most open-mouthed about the new car was its upward-opening Gullwing doors...!' - Motors, 1963.
Mercedes-Benz returned to post-war competition in 1952, fielding two of its new 300 SL (W194) sports cars in the Mille Miglia. The pair finishing a creditable 2nd and 4th overall in this most difficult of events and this promising start was followed up by a win in the challenging Carrera Panamericana. The works first raced the 300 SL (Sport Leicht) in open form, but for the Le Mans 24-Hour Race in June a trio of 'Gullwing'-doored coupés was entered. High sills were a feature of the multi-tubular spaceframe chassis, and while access was not a problem of the open car, the coupé bodywork required innovative thinking - hence the Gullwing doors. Karl Kling and Hans Klenk duly brought their 'Silver Arrow' home in first place and the 300 SL was on its way to becoming part of motor sporting legend.
Launched in August 1954, the production 300 SL retained the spaceframe chassis and lightweight aluminium-alloy bodywork of the W194 racer while its mechanical underpinnings, like the latter's, owed much to the contemporary Mercedes-Benz 300 luxury saloon. A 2.996 cc overhead-camshaft inline six, the 300 SL's engine was canted at 45 degrees to achieve a low bonnet line and produced 215 bhp (DIN) at 5.800 rpm using Bosch mechanical fuel injection. A four-speed, all-synchromesh manual 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.
A production 300 SL (W198) was tested by Road & Track magazine in 1955, accelerating from 0-60 mph in 7,4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 140mph. Half expecting the long-awaited 300 SL to provide an anti-climax, R&T were delighted to find the new car, 'far beyond our wildest expectations. In fact, we can state unequivocally that in our opinion the 300SL coupé is the ultimate in an all-round sportscar. It combines more desirable features in one streamlined package than we ever imagined or hoped would be possible. Performance? It accelerates from a dead start to 100mph in just over 17 seconds. Dual purpose? A production model 300 SL can make a very acceptable showing in any type of sportscar competition. Yet the car is extremely tractable and easy to drive in traffic. Comfort? The fully enclosed 300 SL is the most comfortable (and safe) high-speed 'cross-country' car built today.'
A 300 SL roadster featuring conventional doors was first exhibited at the Geneva Salon in May 1957 and, although built in greater numbers, has never matched the immortal Gullwing for desirability. Its racing parentage notwithstanding, the 300 SL remains a thoroughly practical car, as civilised in city traffic as it is exhilarating on the autostrada. By the time 300 SL Coupé production ceased in 1957, some 1.400 examples had found customers. Today the model is both rare and most sought after by connoisseurs of fine automobiles.
One of 867 'Gullwing' coupés built in 1955, this example was delivered new to Mercedes-Benz Distributors Inc of New York, USA in November of that year. According to the 300 SL Registry (copy record on file), chassis number '823' was originally finished in light green metallic with red leather interior, a rare combination. The Register extract confirms matching chassis/engine numbers and states that this car was built with a 3,25:1 ratio rear axle - rare for a US-delivered Gullwing - which reduces engine revs and makes the car more comfortable to drive at high speeds. It is believed that this axle is the 'Special Order' referred to in the Register records. In order, the owners listed are Lawrence T Lee of Stafford Springs, Connecticut; Stephen R Narans of Denver, Colorado; and Eric Eichler of Malvern, Pennsylvania. The car spent its life with these three owners for its first 45 years.
The immediately preceding owner, Mrs Suzanna Navarro, bought the Gullwing in 2000 and brought it to Naples (Florida) for a full restoration. The rebuild took four years to complete, and in 2004 the finished car was sold to the current Dutch owner, who brought it to Holland in 2005. At that time (2005) the odometer reading was 2.800 miles (post-restoration). In the current owner's possession for 11 years, the Gullwing has covered only some 3.500 miles in that time, making the total since restoration circa 6.300 miles. In 2015, the engine was totally overhauled at a cost of €13,342 (see notes and photographs on file). While in the current owner's possession, the Gullwing won its class at the 2011 Schloss Dyck Concours d'Élégance.
This car has been inspected by Mr Benny Valkenburg, the leading 300 SL authority in Western Europe, who has confirmed its originality with respect to the chassis, body and engine (report on file). It is worthwhile noting that this Gullwing still has the standard gear lever, and not the lower, remote-linkage shifter fitted to many examples. The car comes with an instruction manual; the purchase invoice and some photographs dating from 2004; sundry invoices for minor works; German TüV paperwork; and a copy of the old US title in the name of Mercedes-Benz, Naples.
One of the Bonhams Motoring Department specialists has had the pleasure of driving this beautiful Gullwing, and is happy to confirm that it performed excellently with no faults noted; it responded eagerly to the throttle while the clutch, gearbox, and brakes all worked well – a truly memorable experience.
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Sold for € 1.016.666
Estimated : € 1.100.000 - 1.300.000
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2017
R230
Chassis n° WDB2304791F159976
5.980 cc
V12
Metropole Classic Cars
Meubellaan 1
Druten
Nederland - Netherlands
June 2021
W198
Estimated : CHF 1.100.000 - 1.400.000
Unsold
The Bonmont Sale
Collectors' Motor Cars - Bonhams
Golf & Country Club de Bonmont
Chéserex
Switzerland - Suisse - Schweiz
September 2019
'When it was first announced by Mercedes-Benz, the production 300 SL Coupé was a startling car built to the German concern's customarily startling standards, but above all what left the general public most open-mouthed about the new car was its upward-opening Gullwing doors...!' - Motors, 1963.
Mercedes-Benz returned to post-war competition in 1952, fielding two of its new 300 SL (W194) sports cars in the Mille Miglia. The pair finishing a creditable 2nd and 4th overall in this most difficult of events and this promising start was followed up by a win in the challenging Carrera Panamericana. The works first raced the 300 SL (Sport Leicht) in open form, but for the Le Mans 24-Hour Race in June a trio of 'Gullwing'-doored coupés was entered. High sills were a feature of the multi-tubular spaceframe chassis, and while access was not a problem of the open car, the coupé bodywork required innovative thinking - hence the Gullwing doors. Karl Kling and Hans Klenk duly brought their 'Silver Arrow' home in first place and the 300 SL was on its way to becoming part of motor sporting legend.
Launched in 1954, the production 300 SL retained the spaceframe chassis and lightweight aluminium-alloy bodywork of the W194 racer while its mechanical underpinnings, like the latter's, owed much to the contemporary Mercedes-Benz 300 luxury saloon. A 2,996cc overhead-camshaft inline six, the 300 SL's engine was canted at 45 degrees to achieve a low bonnet line and produced 215bhp (DIN) at 5,800rpm using Bosch mechanical fuel injection. A four-speed, all-synchromesh manual 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.
A production 300 SL (W198) was tested by Road & Track magazine in 1955, accelerating from 0-60mph (0-97km/h) in 7.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 140mph (225km/h). Half expecting the long-awaited 300 SL to provide an anti-climax, R&T were delighted to find the new car, 'far beyond our wildest expectations. In fact, we can state unequivocally that in our opinion the 300SL coupé is the ultimate in an all-round sportscar. It combines more desirable features in one streamlined package than we ever imagined or hoped would be possible. Performance? It accelerates from a dead start to 100mph in just over 17 seconds. Dual purpose? A production model 300 SL can make a very acceptable showing in any type of sportscar competition. Yet the car is extremely tractable and easy to drive in traffic. Comfort? The fully enclosed 300 SL is the most comfortable (and safe) high-speed 'cross-country' car built today.'
A 300 SL roadster featuring conventional doors was first exhibited at the Geneva Salon in May 1957 and, although built in greater numbers, has never matched the immortal Gullwing for desirability. Its racing parentage notwithstanding, the 300 SL remains a thoroughly practical car, as civilised in city traffic as it is exhilarating on the autostrada. By the time 300 SL Coupé production ceased in 1957, some 1,400 examples had found customers. Today the model is both rare and most sought after by connoisseurs of fine automobiles.
The accompanying copy of this Gullwing's factory data sheet, issued 7th June 1955, shows that it was sold new to Mr Alfred Rogers of Montreal, Canada. This document also records that the car was originally finished in black with red leather interior, the same colour scheme it has today, and that it was ordered with, among other options, special high-gloss paintwork, sealed-beam headlights, instruments in English, and special upholstery. The Mercedes stayed in Canada until at least 1989 when it was owned by Mr Fred Wegner of Woodbridge, Ontario. Previously owned by Mr Jochen Hackbarth of Hamburg, Germany, the Mercedes was purchased by the current vendor from Axel Schuette in August 1993.
Also on file is a professional condition and valuation report, compiled in December 2016 after the Gullwing had been restored, which confirms that the numbers on the chassis, body, and engine match those on the aforementioned data sheet. The odometer reading when the car was inspected was 1 kilometre, the same as it is today. This report is highly complimentary, remarking on the quality of the body, paintwork, brightwork, glass (replaced in its entirety), interior (fully re-trimmed), and chassis frame (plastic coated). It also states that the engine and differential had been overhauled, and it is worth noting that the body repairs and paintwork were entrusted to master craftsman Karl Lindermüller, one of the best specialists in the business.
Offered with German Fahrzeugbrief, this outstanding example of, arguably, the most charismatic of all post-war sports cars is presented in excellent condition and is worthy of the closest inspection.
Another 2002 model car from Germany, this one from Mercedes-Benz. It's an SL500, so called because its engine displaces approximately 500 centiliters, or five liters. It produces 302 horses, which makes for exciting speed with the top down.
I took this picture in a brand-new townhouse development, so the car is much older than the townhouses or the streets. :-D
Car: Mercedes 280 SL (W113).
Date of registration: 23rd May 1968.
Date taken: 14th September 2014.
Location: Easter Compton, South Gloucestershire, UK.
See more car pics on my facebook page!
- - -
The Triumph Stag is a British car sold between 1970 and 1978 by the Triumph Motor Company, styled by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti.
Envisioned as a luxury sports car, the Triumph Stag was designed to compete directly with the Mercedes-Benz SLclass models. All Stags were four-seater convertible coupés, but for structural rigidity – and to meet new American rollover standards of the time – the Stag required a B-pillar "roll bar" hoop connected to the windscreen frame by a T-bar. A removable hardtop was a popular factory option for the early Stags, and was later supplied as a standard fitment.
The car started as a styling experiment cut and shaped from a 1963–4 Triumph 2000 pre-production saloon, which had also been styled by Michelotti, and loaned to him by Harry Webster, Director of Engineering at Triumph. Their agreement was that if Webster liked the design, Triumph could use the prototype as the basis of a new Triumph model. Harry Webster, who was a long time friend of Giovanni Michelotti, whom he called "Micho", absolutely loved the design and spirited the prototype back to England. The end result, a two-door drop head (convertible), had little in common with the styling of its progenitor 2000, but retained the suspension and drive line. Triumph liked the Michelotti design so much that they propagated the styling lines of the Stag into the new T2000/T2500 saloon and estate model lines of the 1970s.
The initial Stag design was based around the saloon's 2.5-litre six cylinder engine, but Harry Webster intended the Stag, large saloons and estate cars to use a new Triumph-designed overhead cam (OHC) 2.5-litre fuel injected (PI) V8. Under the direction of Harry Webster's successor, Spen King in 1968, the new Triumph OHC 2.5 PI V8 was enlarged to 2997 cc (3.0 litres) to increase torque. To meet emission standards in the USA, a key target market, the troublesome mechanical fuel injection was dropped in favour of dual Zenith-Stromberg 175 CDSE carburettors. A key aim of Triumph's engineering strategy at the time was to create a family of engines of different size around a common crankshaft. This would enable the production of power plants of capacity between 1.5 and 4 litres, sharing many parts, and hence offering economies of manufacturing scale and of mechanic training. A number of iterations of this design went into production, notably a slant four-cylinder engine used in the later Triumph Dolomite and Triumph TR7, and a variant manufactured by StanPart that was initially used in the Saab 99. The Stag's V8 was the first of these engines into production. Sometimes described as two four-cylinder engines Siamesed together, it is more correct to say that the later four-cylinder versions were half a Stag engine (the left half).
(Wikipedia)
R129
RM Sotheby's
Place Vauban
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2020
Estimated : € 150.000 - 200.000
Sold after auction (Highest bid : € 130.000)
This R129 SL began life as an elegantly understated 1998 SL 600 that was breathed upon by AMG Japan to become a supercar-rivalling brute that is offered for sale today. Under the bonnet the wonderful M120 V-12 engine was tuned and enlarged to 7.0 litres to produce a staggering 500 bhp, whilst the cabin was festooned with bespoke AMG carbon-fibre trim, an AMG instrument binnacle, and steering wheel. The exhaust system was also upgraded, whilst the hydraulic suspension was fettled to cope with the extra power.
Painted in the iconic Mercedes colour of Brilliant Silver, with extended grey nappa leather, this SL is offered in absolutely fantastic condition throughout, belying its age and mileage. Its Japanese service book is also comprehensively stamped and demonstrates a lifetime of pampering and care with metronomic annual servicing. The car has been regularly serviced in Switzerland, as well. The Bruno Sacco–designed R129 model is finally getting the recognition it deserves, and this is being reflected in appreciating values. This extremely rare example is quite simply one of the ultimate incarnations of the model and would make a fine addition to any collection.
The C107/R107 Series was introduced in April 1971, and designed by Joseph Gallitzendörfer and Friedrich Geiger in 1968.
R107 stands for the convertible version. It was manufactured a few years longer than the C107 coupé version.
4520 cc 8 cylinder engine.
1622 kg.
Production Mercedes C107/R107: April 1971-1989.
Production this C107 450 SLC: 1972 (in US) / March 1973 (Europe)-1980.
Original first reg. number: Febr. 2, 1979.
New Dutch reg. number: Oct. 12, 2007 (still valid, May 2021).
Same owner since then.
Amsterdam-Zuid, Hoofddorppleinbuurt, Albert Neuhuysstraat, Sept. 19, 2016.
© 2016 Sander Toonen, Halfweg / All Rights Reserved
R121
RM Sotheby's
Place Vauban
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2020
Estimated : € 100.000 - 130.000
Sold for € 123.625
While little is known about the early life of this stunning Mercedes-Benz 190 SL, the Bill of Sale on file shows that in 1985 Robert Trudo acquired the car from Stanley Fitton. Trudo subsequently sold the 190 SL to Roy Fontaine of Visalia, California. Fontaine would own this car until 2013, when he sold it to Dennis B Teale, also of Visalia.
Throughout the early 1980s and into the 2010s, this 190 SL would undergo periodic maintenance, with invoices on file dating back to 1983. It wasn’t until it entered European ownership in 2013 that more care and attention would be lavished on the car, resulting in the stunning vehicle it is today. The car retains its original engine, which is currently fitted with reliable Weber carburettors. The original Solex carburettors accompany the car.
With a huge number of invoices detailing the work undertaken (at a cost in the tens of thousands of euros), it’s unsurprising that this 190 SL is immaculate and would be a perfect car in which to spend the summer months, driving with the roof down, of course.
W198
1954 - 1957
3,0 Liter
6 in-line
215 PS
Vmax : 225 km/h
Designer : Friedrich Geiger (1907 - 1996) & Karl Wildert (1907 - 1976)
PS : Ich liebe dich
Sportwagen-Design der 1950er bis 1970er Jahre
27.09.2018 - 10.02.2019
Kunstpalast
Düsseldorf
Deutschland - Germany
January 2019
Car: Mercedes-Benz SL 350 Auto.
Engine: 3724cc in-line 6.
Power: 245 BHP.
Fuel: Petrol.
Year of manufacture: 2003.
Date of first registration in the UK: 21st March 2003.
Place of registration: Reading.
Date of last MOT: 14th June 2024.
Mileage at last MOT: 38,985.
Date of last V5 issued: 19th June 2024.
Date taken: 1st September 2024.
W194
Chassis n° 2
2.996 cc
6 in-line
170 PS
254 Nm
Vmax : 230 km/h
Techno Classica 2012
Essen
Deutschland - Germany
March 2012
W198II
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Estimated : € 900.000 - 1.200.000
Sold for € 632.500
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2018
- Star and class winner in the 1997 Carrera Panamericana
- Re-creation of Paul O'Shea's original aluminium-bodied car
- Built using factory drawings
- Completed in 1997
- Extensively campaigned in prestigious historic events
- Two comprehensive files of build details
The unique Mercedes-Benz offered here was inspired by the American driver, Paul O'Shea, who enjoyed great success in sports car racing in North America throughout the 1950s. O'Shea co-drove with some of the finest drivers of his generation including Phil Hill, Dick Thompson, Zora Arkus Duntov, Augie Pabst, and Pedro Rodriguez to name but five. He competed in a wide variety of cars but overwhelmingly favoured Mercedes-Benz.
In particular, O-Shea was a huge fan of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, arguably the finest production sports car of its day; he built two SLS models, which were based on the SL and designed specifically for motor racing. One of these two cars was given an aluminium body, which (among other measures) reduced the overall weight of the SLS by an amazing 337 kg when compared to the stock version. Thus created he created the ideal car with which to compete against the motor sporting elite.
In 1957, Paul O'Shea began racing the 300 SLS, frequently beating more powerful Ford and Chevrolet-engined American sports cars, and even European makes like Maserati, Ferrari and Aston Martin. He sat behind the wheel of his 300 SLS for 22 races and was classified as one of the top finishers in 18 of them. O-Shea's SLS became famous for its reliability and stability, even under the toughest racing conditions. Despite these successes, Mercedes-Benz stopped participating in motor sport in the USA due to cost reasons.
But the legend lives on! Almost 30 years after the SLS's unprecedented winning streak, Georg Distler, an entrepreneur from Munich, Germany, who is also a keen classic car enthusiast and racing driver, owned an original Mercedes-Benz 300 SL roadster from 1957. Bought in 1986, this car was the ideal starting point for reviving Paul O'Shea's idea and recreating a race-worthy 300 SLS with the intention to do one thing: participate in one of the toughest rallies: the 'Carrera Panamericana'.
Organised for five consecutive years from 1950 to 1954, the Carrera Panamericana was an over-2,000-mile border-to-border race held on the Pan-American Highway in Mexico. Similar to the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio in Italy, it was widely held to be the most dangerous automobile race in the world, and in recent times been resurrected as a classic rally along some of the original course. In 1952, the Carrera Panamericana had been one of the events chosen to showcase Mercedes-Benz's return to international motor sport in the post-war era. Driving one of the three new W194 (300 SL) works racers entered, Karl Kling and Hans Klenk completed the challenging course at an average speed of 165.095 km/h (102.59 mph) to secure an historic victory for the German manufacturer.
Georg Distler's infectious enthusiasm for this major project knew no bounds and even affected Albrecht Lorenz, who had made himself a name as the 'Godfather of the 300 SL' and was well acquainted with its technology having worked as an engineer for Mercedes-Benz for over 50 years. Together, the two SL fans began researching the original plans of Paul O'Shea's car in the archives of Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart, and as it happened luck was on their side. And so they started their ambitious project: the 1:1 plans of the aluminium body were copied by Zagato in Italy, and under the direction of Gabriele Artom and his divinely gifted and meticulous bodywork engineers, Georg Distler turned his dream into reality. The team also included HK Engineering, which handled the technical implementation.
In addition to the aluminium body, noteworthy features include lightened seat frames, US-specification headlights, dual side-exit exhaust system, Getrag five-speed gearbox, disc brakes, electric cooling fan, oil cooler, and alternator electrics. The engine internals have been polished and balanced, and a modern safety fuel tank installed in the spare wheel recess. This mammoth project lasted for two years and was finally completed in 1997, and the accompanying Classic Data report testifies to the Mercedes' top quality construction. Two comprehensive files detailing the build come with the car.
Forty years after the 300 SLS's magnificent racing successes, this unique racing sports car began to make history all over again. In 1997 Georg Distler set off from the Carrera Panamericana starting line in his 300 SLS, as a private driver with no supporting service vehicle, in one of the world's toughest and most notorious races. Seven days of pure motor racing pleasure and pain, as well as 3,500 kilometres, lay ahead of him. But even before the race started, the 300 SLS had to overcome yet another challenge; just like Paul O'Shea's original car, Georg Distler's was only designed to carry a driver and therefore had no roll-bar for the co-driver. As this roll-bar was a mandatory safety requirement, the car had to be upgraded in a hurry. Unfortunately, Georg incurred a five-minute time penalty, which was added to his finishing time.
Even the roll-bar issue could not prevent Georg Distler from succeeding at the 1997 Carrera Panamericana with his 300 SLS, coming home a class winner and in 11th place overall. One of 67 finishers in a field of 92 starters, Georg Distler's 300 SLS had demonstrated the same reliability as Paul O'Shea's original and made it through the toughest days' racing without any complaints. Indeed, although Georg had a box full of spare parts with him, he took it back unused. Unfortunately, Paul O'Shea did not live long enough to witness the fantastic success of this astounding car, which was based on his unique specifications.
Georg Distler has continued to compete in the major classic car races in his Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS: Hockenheim, Nürburgring, Oschersleben, Salzburgring, A1-Ring, Gaisberg, Roßfeld, Tour de France and Tropheo Baleares, and can always be found among the leaders of the pack. A unique re-creation of a famous and highly successful Mercedes-Benz sports-racer, this magnificent 300 SLS wants for nothing except an enthusiastic new owner willing to carry on the legend.
R230
Chassis n° WDB2304791F159976
5.980 cc
V12
Metropole Classic Cars
Meubellaan 1
Druten
Nederland - Netherlands
June 2021
Brabus Classics
W113
89th Geneva International Motor Show
Internationaler Auto-Salon Genf
Suisse - Schweiz - Switzerland
March 2019
W113
2.290 cc
6 in-line
150 PS @ 5.500 rpm
Vmax : 200 km/h
1.295 kg
Erwin Hymer Museum
Bad Waldsee
Germany
December 2019
W198
2.996 cc
6 In-line
215 hp
When Automotive Design becomes Art
06/09/2024 - 15/12/2024
Autoworld
Brussels - Belgium
July 2024
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The Triumph Stag is a British car sold between 1970 and 1978 by the Triumph Motor Company, styled by Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti.
Envisioned as a luxury sports car, the Triumph Stag was designed to compete directly with the Mercedes-Benz SLclass models. All Stags were four-seater convertible coupés, but for structural rigidity – and to meet new American rollover standards of the time – the Stag required a B-pillar "roll bar" hoop connected to the windscreen frame by a T-bar. A removable hardtop was a popular factory option for the early Stags, and was later supplied as a standard fitment.
The car started as a styling experiment cut and shaped from a 1963–4 Triumph 2000 pre-production saloon, which had also been styled by Michelotti, and loaned to him by Harry Webster, Director of Engineering at Triumph. Their agreement was that if Webster liked the design, Triumph could use the prototype as the basis of a new Triumph model. Harry Webster, who was a long time friend of Giovanni Michelotti, whom he called "Micho", absolutely loved the design and spirited the prototype back to England. The end result, a two-door drop head (convertible), had little in common with the styling of its progenitor 2000, but retained the suspension and drive line. Triumph liked the Michelotti design so much that they propagated the styling lines of the Stag into the new T2000/T2500 saloon and estate model lines of the 1970s.
The initial Stag design was based around the saloon's 2.5-litre six cylinder engine, but Harry Webster intended the Stag, large saloons and estate cars to use a new Triumph-designed overhead cam (OHC) 2.5-litre fuel injected (PI) V8. Under the direction of Harry Webster's successor, Spen King in 1968, the new Triumph OHC 2.5 PI V8 was enlarged to 2997 cc (3.0 litres) to increase torque. To meet emission standards in the USA, a key target market, the troublesome mechanical fuel injection was dropped in favour of dual Zenith-Stromberg 175 CDSE carburettors. A key aim of Triumph's engineering strategy at the time was to create a family of engines of different size around a common crankshaft. This would enable the production of power plants of capacity between 1.5 and 4 litres, sharing many parts, and hence offering economies of manufacturing scale and of mechanic training. A number of iterations of this design went into production, notably a slant four-cylinder engine used in the later Triumph Dolomite and Triumph TR7, and a variant manufactured by StanPart that was initially used in the Saab 99. The Stag's V8 was the first of these engines into production. Sometimes described as two four-cylinder engines Siamesed together, it is more correct to say that the later four-cylinder versions were half a Stag engine (the left half).
(Wikipedia)
Car: Mercedes-Benz SL 500 Auto.
Engine: 4973cc V8.
Power: 315 BHP.
Year of manufacture: 1998.
Date of first registration in the UK: 1st March 1998.
Place of registration: Brighton.
Date of last MOT: 18th April 2024.
Mileage at last MOT: 100,205.
Date of last V5 issued: 28th April 2022.
Date taken: 1st June 2024.
W198-II
Mercedes SL - History and Evolution of a Legend
Presented by Thierry Halff
Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille
Château de Chantilly
Chantilly
France - Frankrijk
September 2024
R129
Estimated : CHF 35.000 - 45.000
Sold for CHF 28.750 - € 26.105
The Bonmont Sale
Collectors' Motor Cars - Bonhams
Golf & Country Club de Bonmont
Chéserex
Switzerland - Suisse - Schweiz
September 2019
In 1989 Mercedes-Benz retired its classic Type R107 bodyshell that had been used for a succession of beautiful sports roadsters for almost the preceding 20 years, replacing it with an equally appealing, sleek new design in the modern idiom. This new Type R129 body style was used for three different engine types: 6.0-litre V12, 5.0-litre V8, and 3.0-litre straight six. As installed in the 500SL, the fuel-injected, 32-valve V8 produced 326bhp and delivered stupendous performance, as reflected in a 0-100km/h (62mph) time of 6.2 seconds and a top speed of 250km/h (156mph). As one might expect, these new SL luxury sports cars were designed to be world leaders in their class and were lavishly equipped in the best Mercedes-Benz tradition.
This outstanding example of Mercedes-Benz's luxury flagship was sold new to Gunter Sachs, the famous German photographer, documentary film-maker, author, industrialist and third husband of Brigitte Bardot, who bought the car as a gift for his then wife, Swedish former model, Mirja Larsson. The Mercedes was next owned by another gentleman and then by the current vendor, who later sold the car before buying it back in 2018. Finished in the desirable colour scheme of silver with black leather interior, this immaculate car was last serviced in May 2018 and is offered with Swiss registration papers and its stamped service booklet. Top of the range, the highest-performance model in 1989 and European-delivered, this is the one to have.
W 198
3,0 Liter
6 Cylinder
Semi-Private Entry.
In 1955, Mercedes-Benz stopped their competition program before this special 300 SL (Steel body, aluminium bonnet and doors, revised injection, lowered suspension, etc) actually raced. Stirling Moss entered it for the 1956 Tour de France with Frenchman Georges Houel as co-driver : he finished second.
Les Voitures du Tour de France Automobile (1951-1964)
Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille
Château de Chantilly
Chantilly
France - Frankrijk
September 2016
W113
2.290 cc
6 in-line
150 PS @ 5.500 rpm
Vmax : 200 km/h
1.295 kg
Erwin Hymer Museum
Bad Waldsee
Germany
December 2019
Car: Mercedes-Benz 280 SL.
Year of manufacture: 1983.
Date of first registration in the UK: 20th January 1984.
Place of registration: Armagh.
Date of last MOT: 17th February 2022.
Mileage at last MOT: 163,662.
Date of last V5 issued: 16th July 2021.
Date taken: 12th June 2022.
Location: Scolton Manor, Pembrokeshire, UK.
Album: Classics @ Scolton June 2022
Pre-production Model
W198
The 300 SL was on the small Mercedes stand at the 1954 Paris Motor Show. Its very low lines, silver paint and gullwing doors grabbed the eye. The latter had been seen on the cars that won the 1952 Le Mans 24 Hours. The Gullwing, a luxury touring car, became the stuff of dreams.
3.000 cc
6 in-line
Paris Motor Show Cars at the Grand Palais, until 1961
Presented by Historic Cars
Chantilly Arts & Elegance Richard Mille
Château de Chantilly
Chantilly
France - Frankrijk
June 2019
Car: Mercedes 450 SLC (C107).
Date of registration: 16th October 1975.
Registration region: Edinburgh.
Date taken: 14th September 2014.
Location: Easter Compton, South Gloucestershire, UK.
W113
Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais
Bonhams
Estimated : € 90.000 - 120.000
Sold for € 94.300
Parijs - Paris
Frankrijk - France
February 2018
'For those who value engineering finesse and high quality construction, it's alone in the field,' enthused Road & Track magazine after testing a 280 SL in 1968, while its manufacturer considered the 280 SL: 'a Grand Tourer in the traditional sense' and 'a unique combination of sports car performance and saloon car comfort (a Mercedes-Benz saloon naturally).'
The last of a popular and extremely successful line begun with the 230 SL of 1963, the Mercedes-Benz 280 SL was introduced in 1967. The new 2.8-litre six-cylinder engine produced 180 bhp, 20 hp more than the preceding 250 SL's. The 280 SL's 120 mph top speed was no greater but it was significantly quicker off the mark, its 0-60 mph time of 10 seconds being a whole second better than its predecessor's. Christened 'Pagoda' after their distinctive cabin shape, these SL models were amongst the best-loved sports-tourers of their day and remain highly sought after by collectors.
This particular 280 SL was delivered new to the USA and since its return to Europe has been converted to European specification by a Mercedes-Benz dealership. Finished in gold metallic with brown leather interior, the car has been partially restored and is described by the vendor as in generally excellent condition. Accompanying documentation consists of a Mercedes-Benz certificate and FIVA passport.