TESTING THE GULLWING TWICE PART 2

YESTERDAY, R&T GOT ITS FIRST LOOK, in 1955, of the fabulous Mercedes-Benz 300SL. Today in Part 2, the magazine borrows another original Gullwing in 1968 for a second evaluation. Lucky them. Here are tidbits gleaned particularly from that road test. 

R&T’s Classic Test in 1968. “In the past,” R&T said in October 1968, “we have simulated road tests of great cars from the past by synthesizing data from tests done in their day. This test, however, is not a synthesis of earlier data (we road tested a 300SL coupe for our April 1955 issue) but rather a full road test conducted right now.”

“Finding a really good example of a 300SL wasn’t too difficult, but we did have to do some talking to convince the owner that we wouldn’t break his pride and joy. Don Ricardo, the well-known orchestra leader—and car enthusiast—has what is probably the best 300SL in the world…. he bought it new in 1955 and it is still winning concours regularly though it has never been restored, as such.” 

The Gullwing’s Interior. R&T describes, “The steering wheel, which swings down out of the way to make more room for the driver in climbing in over the high doorsill, seems just the right distance away—and the windowsill is not unduly high. There is glass all around, and even though the seats are a bit confining laterally there is no feeling of claustrophobia.”

“Seatbacks aren’t adjustable,” R&T noted, “as they would be if Mercedes were building the car today, and it is apparent from the Comfort Index ratings that the 300SL is not at its best with a tall driver aboard—seating width and the low roof stand out as restrictions for tall occupants.”

The 300SL’s Powerplant. “The engine in the Ricardo car,” R&T recounted, “has just over 51,000 miles on it and has had only a valve and ring job in its 13 years of use—everything else is original.”

The sohc six-cylinder powerplant produced 243 hp at 6100 rpm.

R&T said, “The engine has, as some have pointed out years ago, a hard metallic note about its underhood sound, and its exhaust note is a purposeful snarl rather than a beautiful purr. It is not quiet by any means, but neither does it sound overworked.”

The 1968 data panel contains added information, but still neither skidpad nor slalom (which came in the next decade).

R&T’s 1968 Summary. “Too bad Mercedes isn’t building something like the 300SL today…. Until the day when the long-rumored 630SL hits the market, or perhaps until the day when international racing rules can settle down long enough for Mercedes to get back onto racing, we’ll have to content ourselves with the utter rationality of today’s Mercedes models—and with nostalgia for great cars like the 300SL.”

In time, of course, Mercedes-Benz responded with the SLR McLaren. Another story for another day. ds 

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2023