It's not often that one gets so moved by an inanimate object that the result is going cross-eyed and swaying. But to say that to get my hands on this Mercedes
300SL Gullwing replica, I would do unspeakable things would be an
understatement.
I fell in love with this car many, many years ago, but then the
flame had diesel fuel thrown on it last year with the announcement of
the new version. Seeing this retro replica on top of that has just
killed me.
Based on a reproduction produced by Germany's Hooper, Gullwing-AG, the
300 SL has a powder-coated, rolled hollow steel reinforced chassis. The
body is comprised of a sprayed aluminium layer about a half millimetre
thick, coated with an epoxy, and covered with multiple layers of seven ounce
woven-glass cloth. The beast uses a 5.5 litre Mercedes M-133-55 engine, which is the same
one found on the SLR as well as the AMG models. The engine produces
370hp and a tyre tearing 530Nm of torque.
A few other notable points that make this car look so beautiful is the
removal of the bumpers, the addition of side mufflers, and a brand new
grille. She rides on 17x8 inch AMG wheels with Continental Sport tires.
The car also maintains the original instrument panel from the 300SL.
Respect.
Seeing a car like this makes it understandable that people like Jay
Leno have so many four-wheel babies in their garages. There are so many
beautiful cars that I would buy in a heartbeat, this one is now in the top
three.