One-Of-A-Kind 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” Gets Auctioned

Giancarlo Perlas March 3, 2023

A one-of-a-kind 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” formerly owned by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation is about to go under the hammer at Mecum Auctions. The rare green vintage car is expected to get up to $2.2 million during the sale.

A Brief History of the Car

According to records, only 1,400 units of the 300 SL Gullwing were produced from 1954 to 1957. Out of these, only one of them came in Mittelgrun (medium green with paint code DB-229G). The car in the auction happens to be it, and to date, it has been kept in its pristine condition.

The Gullwing with Chassis No. 5500263 was specially produced for the US market. The vehicle was rolled out from the Mercedes plant on April 30, 1955, and shipped via Mercedes-Benz Distributors of New York. The said company was owned by Max Hoffman who happened to be the one who suggested to Daimler-Benz to build a grand-touring coupe based on the famed W194 Grand Prix racer.

In January 1973, the green 300 SL changed hands to Indianapolis Motor Speedway Foundation. Between 2015 and 2020, the auto was showcased at the Speedway Museum Collection where it was carefully maintained with period-specific OEM parts and where it underwent body-off restoration by the specialists at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

Powertrain

The 300 SL is equipped with its original 3.0-liter straight-six engine featuring Bosch direct-fuel injection and Mercedes’ single-overhead cam design. The car produces a total of 215 hp and its max speed is capped at 161 mph. In its heyday, the 300 SL was the fastest production car in the world.

Date and Venue for the Auction

The auction for the Mittelgrun 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” will be up for grabs from March 28 to April 1 at the Mecum Auctions where it is expected to fetch between $1.8 million t0 $2.2 million. The event will be hosted at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.