Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing specs

added a couple pics... don't know why one of them was flipped =/

It is a common misconception that one needs to be a rear-mid-engined car in order to be a supercar, hence why the press constantly refers to the 1960s Lamborghini Miura as the first supercar. This one is front-mid-engined, so it is a mid-engined car, just positioned a bit differently. Instead of behind the driver, the engine is in front of the driver. Still, the engine sits not around the wheels, but behind the wheels (for a front-engine car, this is the equivalent to where a rear-engine car has the engine in front of the wheels). This car has incredible performance and had no true competitors at the time of release in 1955. It was the first supercar if you count front-mid-engine cars.

The Corvette and Thunderbird and (Jaguar) E-Type also had comparable performance in later years, but this is the one that started the whole entry-level supercar segment. It's the SLS AMG of the 1950s. Ferrari was mostly coachbuilding cars then, but come 1957-'59(?), they had a wonderful 3-liter(+/-) V12 that was as fast as a top-dog Corvette or Tbird. An Aston Martin wasn't truly a supercar until the 1970s, come the "V8" which would soon be known as the Vantage.

@fastestlaps please change name to "mercedes-benz 300 SL (W198)" and years to 1955-1957

@fastestlaps please delete the 261 kph topspeed, it is not possible

Auto, Motor und Sport (21/1955):
0-60 kph – 4,5 sec
0-80 kph – 7,0 sec
0-100 kph – 9,3 sec
0-120 kph – 12,3 sec
0-140 kph – 14,1 sec
0-160 kph – 17,7 sec
Top speed – 228 kph

Automobil Revue (22/01/1959):
0-50 kph – 2,8 sec
0-80 kph – 5,7 sec
0-100 kph – 7,9 sec
0-120 kph – 10,2 sec
0-160 kph – 17,0 sec
0-180 kph – 22,3 sec
0-200 kph – 43,8 sec
Top speed – 237 kph

Auto, Motor und Sport (23/2015):
0-40 kph – 1,9 sec
0-80 kph – 5,1 sec
0-100 kph – 7,2 sec
0-120 kph – 10,1 sec
0-140 kph – 13,6 sec
0-160 kph – 18,4 sec
0-180 kph – 24,9 sec
0-200 kph – 34,8 sec
400 m – 15,3 sec 148 kph

Road&Track (April 1954):
0-60 mph – 7,4 sec
0-100 mph – 17,2 sec
Top speed – 140 mph

Sports Cars Illustrated (April 1956):
0-30 mph – 2,9 sec
0-60 mph – 7,7 sec
0-100 mph – 17,7 sec
¼ mile – 15,9 sec
Top speed – 138 mph

Autocar (25 March 1955):
0-60 mph – 8,8 sec
0-100 mph – 21,0 sec
Top speed – 135 mph

I already post that performance figure but somehow they didn't appears.

@Shaggy; Mental
Ooops, sorry, it was the wrong car. Embarrassing...

@Fangio
This car was capable of doing 266 kph and 8.8 sec to 100 kph.

@ Fangio Man: 154 MPH

0-100: 9.3 seconds
Topspeed: 228 km/h

Claimed by Mercedes

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/mercedes-300-sl-16843.html

@ Apathy: It must have been 682 horsepower, or 628, I know it was over 600, it was about 6 years ago, so I could have been mistaken. I do know the 426 Hemi won the comparison.

Now, they could have tested a performance crate engine that dodge sold for prostock racers.

The big three all offered hardcore crate veraions of their biggest engines for prostockracing. These engines werent put in production cars though.

Fords cammer v8 supposedly could make close to 700hp with the right carbs and gas.

Again, the 800hp is a tad unrealistic though.

All you need to do is look at the times the cars ran back then and the weight they were hauling around.

In the 70's guys with big engines were in the 9's with 3400lbs or so to lug around. They typically trapped in the high 120's or low 130's. Those times are indicative of a car closer to the 700hp range... And these guys modified their engines...

Just food for thought.

@shaggy

There was likely something wrong with that episode or youre remembering it wrong.

There was never a factory stock 426 hemi that ever made even close to 800hp.

427 FE Ford also a great engine. I used restored and modern version of that engine in my Galaxie. In specs said 425 Hp @ 6000 rpm but when I restored them, it has 580 Hp @ 6000 rpm. That's why Galaxie can reach over 145 mph ;D. I love that car.

@ Super8: Those old school big block Chevrolet engines have insane power, I was at first surprised at the power when I read about them, and amazed they couldn't go faster. I used to be a die hard Chevy fan and I used to champion the 454 LS6 engine. I once watched a comparison of old muscle car engines on SPEED, they had the 406 Ford, 427/435 HP Chevrolet Corvette engine, 409 Chevy, and 426 Hemi. All the engines were restored to original factory specs, the result: 406: 405 HP, 427: 560 HP, 409: 406 HP, 426 Hemi: 862 HP. I was shocked, but also curious as to why they didn't test the 454 LS6.

@ Shaggy: I ask my dad and he said it more likely have 540 Hp than 560 Hp. L88 had 430 Hp in specs but the actual power when measured is 560 Hp. Using modern measured, it has around 700 Hp. LS6 in specs has 450 Hp in specs and actual power is 655 Hp which become 426 Hemi Rival. Standard ZL1 has 430 Hp in specs. Using standard fuel, it has 376 Hp. Using high octane (over 96), it has 525 Hp. And when measured using modern measured, it has over 600 Hp with incredibly high rpm make it look like a race ready engine. On Corvette which slightly modified has around 700 Hp. My dad ever work at GM before so he know something about Chevy big block. He already retired now.

@ Super8: I know about those one off cars, they're awesome, but have never been put into production, I wish they were. If the 1970 Corvette LT2 was put into production, that would have been my favorite muscle car from the 60s and 70s. The 427/435 engine in the '66-69 Corvette Stingray is no slouch, that engine is confirmed to put out 560 horsepower right from the factory.

@ Shaggy: Chevy and Dodge actually had cars that can be the fastest car in that time if they are not one off car. Maybe ZR1 is the first production Corvette that can reach 200 mph. But the first Corvette that reach 200 mph is actually Corvette ZL1 with 3.08 final and the second is Corvette LT2. But they are one off cars so they never listed. Corvette LS7 also never listed as fastest car during early 70's cuz it's one off car even it has 180 mph top speed. Dodge also had Supercharged Daytona that can reach 200 mph but it's also one off

@ Apathy: The power output of the 427 C.I V8 in the Corvette was rated at 435 horsepower, actual output was 560, the output of the 426 Hemi has never really been accurately determined, it was underrated at 425 horsepower, some speculate 480 horsepower, one restored to original factory specs was dyno-tested a few years ago and registered at well over 600 horsepower, if I remember correctly, it was either 682 or 862 horsepower, it was 6 years ago, so I'm not absolutely sure. But my favorite car of the 60s is the 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427/435 Coupe, with the long ratio transmission, it had the highest top speed of any American car of that time, and a Corvette with the L88 or L89 was the only car that could give a Shelby Cobra 427 S/C a run for its money. BTW Most engines of that time had iron blocks, I'm not too sure if the 426 Hemi's block was iron, but I couldn't find any source that said it wasn't, so I assume it was iron, but the advantage to an iron block was durability, aluminum block: lighter weight.

@Shaggy

I disagree.

I think the L88, L89, or ZL1 427 from GM is the most powerful engine. Aside from being underrated from the factory, even their factory rating was slightly higher.

I would also argue that the GM engines were a bit more impressive in general. Many of them sporting aluminum heads and in the case of the ZL1 engine, an aluminum block. If I remember correctly, the 426 hemi was all iron.

@ Super8: The 3 quickest accelerating cars of the 60s and 70s
1. Shelby Cobra 427 S/C: 0-60 MPH in 4.2 seconds
2. 1966-69 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427/435 hp
3. 1970 Dodge Challenger RT Hemi/1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda.
BTW You're right, the Miura did have front end lift, if I designed the Miura, I would have put an air dam in front and a wing spoiler in the back for downforce, but of course, spoilers were first introduced in 1968 on F1 race cars.

@ Super8: The 426 Hemi is my favorite engine of the 60s and 70s, it was most likely the most powerful automobile engine of that time. If Dodge decided to build a lightweight sports car back then and given it a 426 Hemi, it would probably have left Shelby Cobra 427 S/C, C3 Corvette Stingray 427/435, Ferrari 365 GTB4 Daytona and Lamborghini Miura in the dust. Any old school mopar with that engine commands a lot of respect.

This car is a milestone. It gave the new impression what the car could be.
It gave a life to the SLS, and now I can enjoy just watching it. Thank you, Mercedes.

Charger Daytona can become the fastest car in 60's if Dodge use lightweight part. I believe it can reach over 170 mph cuz Hemi is powerful enough to beat Chevy big block or even Ferrari V12 in that time.

@ Shaggy: There must be an explanation why they are not listed. I remember 67 C2 427 hit 160 mph using wide ratio. After more aerodynamic C3 came out in 68, top speed increased to 170 mph using wide ratio and 155 mph with automatic wide ratio. However not much people know about this cuz most of the Vette are fitted with close ratio. Miura is not the fastest car cuz it has aero problem. Ferrari Daytona is the fastest car in that time. Being eclipsed by Shelby Cobra, Dodge Daytona and Chevy Corvette.

@ Super8: What a magnificent machine! This one makes my list of one of the world's greatest cars, and my list of dream cars. :)

@ Super8: You forgot the 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427/435 hp: 170 MPH
1969-1973 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV: 179 MPH
1968 Ferrari 365 GTB4 Daytona: 174 MPH
Also: In 2000: 2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4: 253 MPH
In 2010: 2011 Koenigsegg Agera R 273 MPH (Factory Claimed)
2010 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport: 267 MPH (Ungoverned)

Top 10 Fastest top speed car:
In 1930: 1936 Duesenberg SSJ (150 mph)
In 1940: 1948 Jaguar XK120 (128 mph)
In 1950: 1954 Mercedes Benz 300 SL and 1958 Ferrari 250 Testarossa (160 and 161 mph)
In 1960: 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C and 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T (both has 165 mph)
In 1970: 1978 Aston Martin V8 Vantage (175 mph)
In 1980: 1985 Lamborghini Countach, 1986 Porsche 959 and 1987 Ferrari F40 (192, 197 and 200 mph)
In 1990: 1994 Mclaren F1 (240 mph)
Source classicandperformancecars.com