MERCEDES BENZ 300sl GULLWING:

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL was available as a two-seat closed sports car with characteristic Gullwing door, and later as open roadster.

Built by Daimler-Benz AG and internally numbered W198, the road version of 1954 was based (somewhat loosely) on the company's highly successful competition-only sports car of 1952, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W194) which actually had less power as it still had carburetors.

Introduced at the 1954 New York Auto Show - unlike previous models introduced at either the Frankfurt or Geneva shows - the 300SL was best known both for its distinctive gullwing or butterfly wing doors and for being the first-ever gasoline-powered car equipped with fuel injection directly into the combustion chamber. The gullwing version was available from March 1955 to 1957. In Mercedes-Benz fashion, the "300" referred to the engine's cylinder displacement; in this case, three liters. The "SL" as applied to a roadster stood for "Sport Leicht" or "Sport Light."

More widely produced (25,881 units) and starting a year later was the similar looking 190SL with a 110hp 4cyl engine, available only as roadster (or with an additional hardtop, as Coupe Roadster). Production for both the 190SL and 300SL ended in 1963 when the 230 SL was introduced.

The gullwing doors, hinged at the roof and so named because the open doors resembled a bird's outstretched wings, were implemented as such to accommodate for the car's tubular chassis, designed by DBAG's chief developing engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut. Part of the chassis passed through what would be the lower half of a standard door. This tubular chassis was a necessity, as the original car was designed solely for racing and needed to be as light as possible while still providing a high level of strength. This required the driver and his/her passengers to do some gymnastics to get in or out of the car, usually by sitting on and sliding across the wide door sill.