Beschreibung:

2,996cc SOHC Inline 6-Cylinder Engine Bosch Mechanical Fuel Injection 250bhp at 6,200rpm 4-Speed Manual Transmission 4-Wheel Independent Suspension 4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes *Used in the 2011 Mercedes-Benz commercial, "Welcome" *Driven by Sir Stirling Moss to lead the 2015 Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance *European-delivery example in iconic Fire Engine Red over Tan livery *Equipped with its original numbers-matching engine *Ideal choice for the Colorado Grand and other vintage rallies THE MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ROADSTER Mercedes-Benz's racing-bred 300 SL coupe was a considerable worldwide success from the moment of its introduction, accruing a list of owners that read like a "who's who" of motorsport, royalty, and Hollywood. Its innovative "Gullwing" design, more than just a party trick, represented one of the first times in the modern era that competition engineering and construction had been translated virtually verbatim for the street. Not just world-beating, it actually led the world, by demonstrating the latest in technology and engineering from an automaker that had been famous for it before the war and was now, firmly, ahead of the pack once again. The Gullwing's space-frame chassis was unlike anything else used on a production car at the time, and was fitted with a highly advanced, overhead-cam six-cylinder engine, fitted with fuel injection – the first of its kind on a production car – and installed at an unusual 45-degree angle, permitting a low hoodline. Suspension was independent at all four corners, and a hypoid rear axle served both to lower the car and improve its handling. Within, the passengers were cradled in individual bucket seats, deep within the car, in a cockpit that felt nearly like a jet fighter. The result was a roadgoing version of the Le Mans-running 300 SLR that lost virtually nothing in performance and zest and provided an exhilarating driving experience unequaled by anything else on the market. It was, without exaggeration, the fastest production automobile in the world. Nothing on a public highway could beat it. Today many consider the 300 SL to have been the first true supercar, in terms of its superb, virtually unbeatable performance and high cost. Perhaps it was unsurprising that development of an open version would soon follow. After all, the all-important U.S. market, with a booming postwar economy, had an almost bottomless appetite for roadsters, as importer Max Hoffman was frequently reminding Stuttgart. The top-of-the-line 300 SL, Hoffman's sporting baby, required an open model, too, to tempt the wealthy motoring crowd. The eventual 300 SL Roadster was developed from a prototype road-tested by David Douglas Duncan for an article in Collier's magazine. It adopted as standard equipment the hotter engine with "NSL" camshaft ("Special Parts for Sporty Driving") that had been optionally available on the Gullwing. Styling changes were overall minor, limited mainly to a smaller grille opening and chrome trim below the side sills, serving to catch the sunlight brilliantly. The new model still utilized the same essential state-of-the-art space-frame construction of its sibling, but was thoroughly re-engineered with conventional doors that made for easier entry and egress, thanks to a cockpit area altered to permit lower door sills. The spare tire was relocated below the floor, to maintain reasonable luggage space with the top lowered. Further, the rear suspension was modified to incorporate low-pivot swing axles, further improving the car's roadability. Altogether the result was a new, greatly improved 300 SL, representing not just merely "an open version of the Gullwing," but the latest evolution of the platform and Mercedes-Benz's newest high-tech engineering prowess. Mercedes-Benz introduced the Roadster at the Geneva Salon in May of 1957, and those who had earlier owned a Gullwing now rushed to acquire this latest offering to savor its 133 mph top speed. However the Roadster would, in the end,