1954-1963 жылғы Mercedes 300 SL: Қанат есіктердің көшбасшысы

Mercedes coupe/convertible (1954–1963)
the original 300 SL

The Mercedes Benz 300 SL (chassis code W 198) is a two seat sports car that was produced by Mercedes Benz from 1954 to 1957 as a gullwinged coupé and from 1957 to 1963 as a roadster. The 300 SL traces its origins to the company's 1952 racing car, the W194, and was equipped with a mechanical direct fuel injection system that significantly increased the power output of its three liter overhead camshaft straight six engine. The 300 SL was capable of reaching speeds of up to 263 km/h (163 mph), earning it a reputation as a sports car racing champion and making it the fastest production car of its time. The car's iconic gullwing doors and innovative lightweight tubular frame construction contributed to its status as a groundbreaking and highly influential automobile. The designation "SL" is an abbreviation of the German term "super leicht," meaning "super light," a reference to the car's racing bred lightweight construction. The 300 SL was introduced to the American market at the suggestion of Max Hoffman, Mercedes Benz's United States importer at the time, who recognized the potential demand for a high performance sports car among American buyers. The Mercedes Benz 300 SL remains a highly sought after classic car and is celebrated for its performance, design, and technological advancements.

The 300 SL traces its origin to a racing sports car, the Mercedes Benz W194. For this purpose, Daimler Benz decided to race in 1951 and built a sports car. As a result, Mercedes' largest engine was developed: the M186, shared by the 300 "Adenauer" saloon (W186) and the luxury 300 S two seat tourer (W188). Racing successes in 1952 were somewhat surprising as the W194 engine was fitted only with carburetors, producing less than competing cars by Ferrari and Jaguar and the 300 SL road car introduced in 1954. Nevertheless, low weight and low aerodynamic drag made the W194 fast enough to be competitive in endurance races. Mercedes Benz developed a new version for the 1953 racing season by adding fuel injection and 16 inch wheels; the gearbox was installed on its rear axle. Its body was made of Elektron, a magnesium alloy, which reduced its weight by Mercedes Benz decided not to race this alloy car, choosing instead to begin participating in Formula One in 1954. Later versions revised the body to lower air resistance, and did not continue the transmission arrangement.

Mercedes Benz did not announce what the abbreviation "SL" meant when the car was introduced; magazines and company officials have called it "Sport Leicht" and "Super Leicht" ("light"). It was called "Sport Leicht" on the company website until 2017, when "SL" was changed to "Super Leicht" after a chance finding in the corporate archives.

A special 300 SLS (Super Light Special) version of the 300 SL roadster was created for the Mercedes Benz US racing team to compete on the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) national circuit in 1957. After the 300 SL coupe dominated the D Production class en route to titles in 1955 and 1956, the rules were changed to make the class more competitive by enlarging the maximum engine size from three to 3.5 liters. Rather than radically modifying its engine size (on the cusp of releasing the company's new 300 SL roadster, replacing the coupe), Mercedes Benz created two roadsters to campaign on the D Modified class SCAA circuit. They featured a solid cover over the passenger seat, a low profile racing screen in place of a full width and height windscreen, a driver's seat roll bar, a custom cowl with engine air intake, and no front and rear bumpers. These and other modifications lowered vehicle weight from to Engine output was increased , to Team driver Paul O'Shea again won the title for the company.

The 300 SL has a steel tubular frame chassis, with a steel body combined with an aluminum bonnet, doors, dashboard, and boot lid to further reduce weight. An additional could be eliminated with an expensive all aluminum body, but only 29 were made. Storage space for luggage is behind the seats in the coupe; the boot only holds a spare wheel and fuel tank. The roadster was available with two custom fitted leather suitcases for the larger boot. The coupe's windows are fixed and roll down in the roadster.

The body consists mainly of sheet steel, with the bonnet, boot lid, dashboard, sill, and door skins made of aluminum. Silver grey was the standard color; all others were options. The objective of the overall design was to make the vehicle as streamlined as possible. The width of the tubular frame along the cockpit allowed the cabin roofline to be inset considerably on both sides, dramatically reducing the front area. The structure was also quite high between the wheels, prohibiting the attachment of standard doors. The only option – already used on the W194 race car – which would allow passengers over its high, deep sill was a gullwing door. The car’s distinctive eyebrows are a functional feature in the front, both physically and aerodynamically deflecting road water from the windscreen, and stylistic in the rear, added for visual symmetry.

The Mercedes Benz M198 engine is a water cooled overhead cam straight six. Like the racing Mercedes Benz M194, the 300 SL borrowed the basic two valves per cylinder M186 engine from the regular four door 300 (W186 "Adenauer") luxury touring car introduced in 1951. Compression was set at 8.55:1. The result was aerodynamic efficiency and an enormous, sand cast aluminum intake manifold as wide as the engine. The engine was coupled by a single disc dry clutch to a four speed transmission with gear ratios of 3.34:1, 1.97:1, 1.39:1, and 1:1, and a reverse ratio of 2.73:1. From March 1963 to the end of production later that year, a light alloy crankcase was installed in 209 vehicles.

Like modern racing cars, the 300 SL has a tubular frame, designed by Mercedes head engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut and made of steel. Such a frame provided high rigidity with low mass. Thin, straight chrome molybdenum tubes were assembled as triangles, with the finished frame weighing a remarkable Elements of the coupe frame fill span the entire width of the vehicle’s track from wheel to wheel, making for an unusually high and deep threshold for access to the passenger compartment. The upper tube is so high it is level with the driver's elbow,

The suspension was a regular Mercedes Benz W186 with a sportier tuning. Front to rear weight distribution is almost exactly in the center of the vehicle. Unlike many 1950s cars, recirculating ball steering was relatively precise, and the four wheel independent suspension allowed for a reasonably comfortable ride and markedly better overall handling. The front suspension consisted of unequal length double wishbones, coil springs, hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers, and a torsion anti roll bar. The rear has a low pivot swing axle, radius arms, and coil springs. Being jointed only at the differential (not at the wheels themselves), the swing axle could make rear end cornering treacherous at high speeds or on bad roads due to extreme changes in camber. This was remedied in the roadster by switching to a high pivot geometry. A brake booster was used to decrease pedal force by using negative pressure from the intake manifold. Brake shoes were wide. The front drum brakes were two wheel brake cylinders/wheels, and the rear drum brakes were one wheel brake cylinders/wheels. The handbrake was a mechanical parking brake that acted on the rear wheels. The roadster had the same drum brakes until March 1961, when Ø front and rear disc brakes were introduced. The rear axle was changed to a single joint arrangement, with its pivot point located below the differential centreline. This improved handling (particularly in corners) and comfort. Head engineer Uhlenhaut wanted the new low pivot axle for the coupe but was voted down by the board of directors, which reminded him that 3,000 manufactured axle units remained at the factory and costs were already high for the car. In 1951, the company built five V8 W165 cars and engines to enter the Grand Prix.

The 300 SL's first race was the 1952 Mille Miglia. The race was from Brescia to Rome and back, pitting Karl Kling's 300 SL against Giovanni Bracco's new 3 liter V 12 Ferrari. Stirling Moss won the overall title at the 1955 Mille Miglia in a 300 SLR racing car, and John Fitch won his class in a production 300 SL coupe. The marathon Liege Rome Liege rally was won in 1955 by Olivier Gendebien, and in 1956 by Willy Mairesse. A 300 SL won the Sports Car Club of America Class D championship from 1955 to 1957.

Horácio Macedo finished second in the 1960 Rali Vinho da Madeira. Former Gull Wing Group International president Bob Sirna set a Bonneville Speedway F/GT three liter sports car speed record of in a modified coupe in 2016.

Sales quintupled in the model's second year but dropped off over the next three years.