Iconic 300 SL coming soon to Mr. Benz
Motor enthusiasts can gear up this August as the New York International Auto Show will thrill audiences with the newest vehicles and the latest concept cars. Nearly 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display on more than four floors from the world’s automakers. Last year the show was cancelled for the first time since WWII – highly unusual, but not unexpected in light of current world events.
Last year was not the only anomaly when it comes to the New York International Motor Sports Show. In 1954 Daimler-Benz did something quite unusual. The German automaker would use this platform to introduce the legendary 300 SL Gullwing coupe and 190 SL roadster to the world. These cars had not been introduced in Germany at that point.
New York in the heart of winter was not such an unlikely place to debut these sports cars as Manhattan was home to Hoffman Motors, the Park Avenue dealership that played its part in establishing the German automotive industry in America.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is often described as one of best looking and fastest sports cars of its era. Now this classic is coming to a screen near you courtesy of Mr. Benz.
“Yes, in the next month we will be driving the legendary, iconic SL 300. With the Gullwing doors. It’s one of the most iconic Mercedes-Benz ever created… So that’s coming soon on our channel and a lot more new cars, which we can’t reveal now.”
In 2012 an ultra rare all-aluminum body 300 SL was sold for over $4,6 million. What makes it so rare? Only 30 of these cars were ever built.
Electrifying passengers since 1954
Autocar’s Kris Culmer had the pleasure of being introduced to one of these beauties. He describes the experience as follows: “For a passenger who has not travelled in the 300 SL before, the effect is electrifying. The occupant receives at first a mild pressing back into the seat and then, as the power comes in between 3500rpm and 400rpm, he feels as though he is being rocketed through space. Up to 70mph is available in second gear, and then comes a quick movement into third. The rev counter needle drops back for a second or two and, again, at 4000rpm, the effect of being urged forward by some irresistible force is felt.
Those seeking a thrill would be tempted to take the 300 SL into top gear. At over 100mph, Culmer describes the sensation as “…being on the end of a rope that is being pulled hard from in front of the car. The way the 300 SL does it all with so little fuss is almost uncanny.”
Germany’s rising Automotive Voice
The gentlemen of Mr. Benz started the project no more than a handful of years ago. What may seem like a perfectly routine course of action today, creating social media channels based on your niche interest, was actually quite uncommon at the time. Mr. Benz elaborated:
“When we actually started with our page, like a personal page, published pictures of cars, mostly Mercedes-Benz at that time, because we’re so fascinated about the entire product portfolio and then that’s actually how it started. Back in the day it was not normal to do so. Showing cars on social media, there were just a handful of people doing this at that time.”
“The entire motivation was just to share our passion. There was just a small community of Mercedes-Benz content creators back in the day and also connecting with all of these guys and making friends online.”
These motivations still lie at the heart of what Mr. Benz does and they regularly show their supporters appreciation. “We already planned some cool things. For example, we want to do a giveaway and then fly in followers from abroad. And then they can also experience some nice and cool cars with us.”
For the Love of Cars
If there is one thing that the team at Mr. Benz have in common with the iconic 300 SL it is this: timeless classics. While the 300 SL may be a classic in the literal sense, it is the old-school ethic of doing something out of love that is the driving force behind Mr. Benz.
