Mercedes-Benz Worldwide

Menu
  • News
  • A-Class
  • B-Class
  • C-Class
  • E-Class
  • S-Class
  • G-Class
  • V-Class
  • X-Class
  • T-Class
  • CLA
  • CLS
  • CLK
  • GLA
  • GLB
  • GLC
  • GLE
  • GLS
  • SL
  • SLC
  • Citan
  • Sprinter
  • AMG GT
  • Maybach
  • EQ
  • Unimog
  • Trucks
  • F1
  • Concept Car

The Oldest Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing By Jay Leno

Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-AMG 22/12/2021 No Comments
Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-AMG
Click to rate this post
[Total: 1 Average: 5]

The Mercedes-Benz Classic Center has generously let Jay drive the oldest Gullwing in existence!

The Oldest Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing | Jay Leno’s Garage

 
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is a true classic royalty from the golden age of racing. Leno remembers this car as a kid from 1950s magazines. Coincidentally, the car from the Classic Center is a 1952 version (car number 5).
 
This car was in a race series designed specifically for the track. It comes with an aluminum body, with a later released version in magnesium. For a 1952 car, this 300 SL Gullwing has a low weight of below 1.000 kg (2,000 lbs), like a Lotus Elise of the time, with a closed roof.
 
It came with the Rudge wheels, and while it might seem peculiar to have heavier wheels on a race car, but they were much quicker to change in a track event. Plus, it’s cool watching the spinners following it from behind.
 
Leno also got another car from Mercedes Benz Classic Center, a W194 (Car number 11). It’s also a 1952 version with a magnesium body, a prototype developed for 1953. It weighs 960 kg. According to Leno, this car looks futuristic and feels like a recent production. Comparing it to a Porsche Carrera, he feels this was a big powerful meaty American car for the American taste.
 

Mercedes did not intend to make the SL 300 Gullwing into a series car. It was a race-breed, but Max Hoffman convinced them to build 1,000 units for the American market. Little did they know, a legend was born.
 
The number 5 car has a 180 hp 3.2-liter carbureted race car compared to the general series 170 hp. The number 11 car, based on the success of the 1952 season, came with a W198 motor, the same one as on the production Gullwing – a fuel-injected 3.0-liter 6-cylinder making 225 hp.
 
First drive inside the Gullwing, and Leno feels it is powerful even by today’s standards. The 300 SL Gullwing runs like a 4.5-liter in his experience. It’s nicely balanced with a loveable gear whine and no handbrake.
 
“You feel like you are driving when you are driving this. It almost feels like power steering. No effort at all,” Leno said.

Share this ↓

Related posts :

  1. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Can Fly!
  2. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Launched 0-60 MPS Test
  3. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing With Only 84,000 Miles
  4. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Hot Rod Restomod
  5. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Is For Serious Collectors Only
  6. 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Specs & Pictures
  7. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Wood Carving
  8. Mercedes-Benz Gullwing Construction Shortfilm
  9. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Has Clearly Lived A Full Life
  10. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Recommissioning An Automotive Icon
  11. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Full Restoration As A New Car
  12. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Restomod Versions By AMG
  13. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Mashed With Mercedes-AMG GT R
  14. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Good Condition With Cheap Price
  15. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Dunkelgrau Dark Grey Will Be Auctioned
  16. 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster From Monaco
  17. Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Replica Has LS1 V8 Power
  18. Mercedes 300 SL With A Modern Engine And Chassis
  19. Limited-Edition Hot Wheels Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Racing Works Edition
  20. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL For Auction Starting At $1.3 Million
Prev Article
Next Article

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Google Translate

Recent Posts

  • The New Mercedes-Benz E-Class 2023 Before You’re Supposed To See It
  • Mercedes-Benz G-Class Twin-Turbo Goes Beyond Hot Rod In Beastly Morphing
  • Mercedes-Benz S 560 Biaforca 22s Turns Properly Fresh And Monochrome
  • Driving Mercedes-AMG ONE On Track
  • Mercedes-Benz E 320 4MATIC Wagon Junkyard Gem
  • Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV To Go On Sale In November
  • Mercedes-Benz EQE 350+ AMG Line Premium Plus Review
  • 2023 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 Coupe Hardcore Crossover Coupe Spotted
  • Mercedes-AMG Carbon Fiber Speaker Box The Handcrafted AMG Performance Luxury Audio
  • Mercedes-Benz GLB Facelift Expected To Arrive In 2023
  • Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV The Luxurious Variant Of The All-Electric SUV
  • The New Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe C254 4K Video
  • 2023 Mercedes-AMG A 35 Sedan What Is Important
  • 2023 Mercedes GLE Coupe Hofele HGLE Ups The Game Of The GLE
  • 2023 Mercedes-Benz A-Class B-Class CLA GLA Facelift Convoy
  • 2023 Mercedes-AMG GT Will Also Be Built In Finland
  • 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL 63 4Matic+ Review
  • Mercedes-Benz G 550 Six-Wheeler Is Probably One Of The Wildest Vehicles Ever Listed
  • Travis Barker And Kourtney Kardashian Have His & Mercedes G-Class
  • Mercedes-Benz eActros Now Approved As A Truck-And-Trailer Combo

Categories

  • A-Class
  • AMG GT
  • B-Class
  • C-Class
  • Citan
  • CLA
  • CLK
  • CLS
  • Concept Car
  • E-Class
  • EQ
  • F1
  • G-Class
  • GLA
  • GLB
  • GLC
  • GLE
  • GLS
  • Maybach
  • News
  • S-Class
  • SL
  • SLC
  • Sprinter
  • T-Class
  • Trucks
  • Unimog
  • V-Class
  • X-Class

Mercedes-Benz Worldwide

Copyright © 2022 Mercedes-Benz Worldwide