Here's a model we don't usually see listed on our car board, with keys hanging at the ready. And, honestly, this car wasn't on the board either. Unfortunately, it didn't pass through the office as part of a multi-week loan, including provisions for a photo shoot and track testing. But when you consider these cars start at the half-million dollar level and move up from there, depending on condition and history, it's hard to believe any modern journalist would have access to a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing for testing.
And yet, I did.
Of course this wasn't a traditional test car situation. My gray 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing was part of a larger Mercedes-Benz event in London last week -- the all-new CL World Premier. That event took place at the historic Brooklands Museum in the outskirts of London. And after the high-caliber event an extremely fortunate group of journalists were allowed to drive a cavalcade of classic Mercedes-Benz vehicles from Brooklands to the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Chichester, West Sussex (about 50 miles away).
I was one of those fortunate motoring reporters, and my ride was the Mercedes-Benz Gullwing pictured above.
If you think driving a 50-year-old, several-hundred-thousand-dollar car is intimidating, you're right. But there's an effective way to make the experience even more exhilirating -- drive said classic on the "wrong" side of the road. And throw in plenty of those roundabout thingies (that also go the "wrong" way) just to keep you on your toes.
I'm being melodramatic, of course. The fact is that after about 20 minutes I stopped thinking about the SL's value, and even got comfortable with oncoming traffic flying past the right side of the car. Truth be told, these cars are as fabulous to drive as you could imagine. Maintaining a confident 70 mph on England's A3 freeway was not an issue. Neither was stopping or turning, through our Gullwing did have a slight pull to the left during initial braking maneuvers.
And what about getting in and out of those swing-up doors? Well, the door sill is wider than with most cars, but it only took me about three tries to master the process (big step in with one foot, lower yourself on to the seat, and bring the other foot along), then it was easy. Shutting and opening the doors was similarly straightforward, convincing me that (just as with the modern M-B SLS AMG) this is a great design that more cars should utilize.
There was the issue of side windows that didn't roll down, raising the spectre of a toasty ride to Goodwood. The concern grew larger as the sky cleared and we experienced a very non-English, sun-filled drive toward West Sussex. But these old Gullwings have excellent ventilation, and with the vintage slide controls set for maximum airflow the cabin remained cool throughout the trip (even without any A/C compressor under the hood). Note the openings above the rear window that allow for constant airflow -- as long as the car is moving (the cabin temperature did creep up a bit as we sat in the traffic entering the Goodwood Festival of Speed).
If anything, my 90-plus mintues at the wheel of a 300 SL Gullwing convinced me that Mercedes-Benz had the great-car thing down over five decades ago. There aren't many 1956 models I'd feel confident piloting along foreign roads -- especially if they cost more than my house. But this is one of them.
And while the Gullwing version is the more iconic car in my mind, next time I'm asking for the keys to the 300 SL roadster (pictured below). As we scooted down the A3 at 70 mph, that one seemed fully up to modern driving standards, too.
By dougtheeng
on July 15, 2010
07:01 AM
Very cool story. What a car.
By scott65
on July 15, 2010
08:25 AM
That sounds great Karl! Driving on the left always weirds me out too
By jstandefer
on July 15, 2010
09:06 AM
So jealous!!