Up and down the hills of Stuttgart on the wing of a seagull

Tapered line for running. But let’s go back to the beginning of this amazing car. The engine is based on that of the 300 series; in 1952 Stuttgart craftsmen put up a building next to it trellis frame and specially tuned bodywork run across. The racing car will do honors in grueling races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Carrera Panamericano. At this point, Max Hoffmann, the famous actor of beautiful sports cars from Europe to the USA, comes into use. When Hoffmann placed an order for one thousand SL models, he met the company’s desire to put it into regular production. The prototype that visits various car shows will be further “smoothed” and improved in the end, with an engine that for the first time in the history of the car will usedirect mechanical injection, developed in collaboration with Bosch. The system involves petrol being sprayed directly into the cylinder, for full power and torque gains.

Everyone wants it. Once submitted, The scenic effect of gull-wing doors is seductive everyone: Sophia Loren and Martin Carol chose it to participate in the Fashion Competition, while Zsa Zsa Gabor and Herbert von Karajan kept it in gray, and in black Connolly leather. Gregory Peck, who likes the three-pointed star, replaced it with a 300 sedan that ended three years later, and 1,400 copies were sold, then replaced by the Roadster (produced until 1963 in 1,858 units). Everything about this car has a romantic quality, associated with the heroic moments of racing. Starting the way to sit on board, far from easy, but like real pilots: you stretch your right leg in the cockpit, sit in the door and let yourself slide into the seat, pulling your left leg in. In this case, the possibility of lowering the steering wheel (thanks to the chrome release lever on the column) which facilitates access is a great help.

Red race, but it’s Germany. A wonderful red model with a black interior awaits us in front of the door Three Pointed Star Museum on Mercedesstrasse. The odometer shows only 28 thousand kilometers, the car seems to have never been restored, but only covered with paint about twenty years ago. We remain speechless for them amazing condition of the carwhile one of the mechanics at the Classic Center in Fellbach quickly explains to us how to start it, then when he realizes that we know the SL very well, he leaves us face to face with a gem.

An invitation to go quickly. The engine starts with a deep and powerful sound, but not scary. The speed, brakes, clutch and gearbox are very smooth to operate, as is the steering wheel. Ready, go: we go out of the city, towards the mountains that offer a beautiful panorama of green and vines. The six-cylinder, when combined, has a very loud sound, we always have to talk through a lot of curious and eager people who would like to stop us to take a selfie. If the queues at the traffic lights force you to drive at a walking pace, the SL doesn’t hold back, thanks to the good injection performance (extensive tuning has just been done).

Driving? Strange. Towards the AutoBahn, we have the opportunity to put the pedal to the metal. The fourth recovery is not short of Garibaldian, there is too much torque. When the road is a billiard table, the grip is better, when you face the roads that go up hills, here is the famous “flying” of the rear axle, criticized by users in the 50s But who cares , we grind km and unique driving pleasure and safety. Too bad lunchtime is fast approaching. We park the 300 SL in front of the Museum, after being filled with emotions. In the 1950s it was a luxury car, while today it is a dream car.