Mercedes-Benz 300SL

Manufacturer	Mercedes-Benz
Class	sports car, GT
Body style	2 door coupé, roadster
Layout	FR layout
Platform	Mercedes-Benz W198
Engine	2995 cc M198 I6 SOHC
Transmission	4-speed manual
Wheelbase	2,400 mm (94.5 in)
Length	4,520 mm (178.0 in)
Width	1,790 mm (70.5 in)
Height	1,300 mm (51.2 in)
Curb weight	1,093 kg (2,410 lb)

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL was introduced in 1954 as a two-seat, closed sports car with distinctive gull-wing doors. Later it was offered as an open roadster. It was the fastest production car of its day.

Built by Daimler-Benz AG and internally numbered W198, the fuel-injected road version was based (somewhat loosely) on the company's highly successful competition-only sports car of 1952, the somewhat less powerful carbureted Mercedes-Benz 300SL (W194).

The road model was suggested by Max Hoffman. Being intended for customers in the booming post-war American market it was introduced at the 1954 New York Auto Show, unlike previous models introduced at either the Frankfurt or Geneva shows. In Mercedes-Benz fashion, the "300" referred to the engine's three litre cylinder displacement. The "SL" stood for "Sport Leicht".

The 300SL was best known for both its distinctive gull wing doors and being the first-ever four-stroke car equipped with a Gasoline direct injection. The gull wing version was available from March 1955 to 1957. Production of the roadster ended in 1963 with the introduction of the 230SL.

Mercedes-Benz 300SL also the one of 12 List of Fastest Cars in The World

Mercedes-Benz Launches 125th Anniversary Scale Models and Merchandise

Mercedes-Benz announced the introduction of new collection with special scale models and branded products to mark the 125th birthday of the motor car. The lineup includes a dedicated range of scale models of legendary vehicles produced over the years by the Stuttgart-based carmaker. Read more �

New ECO Start/Stop System Lowers Mercedes S 350 BlueTEC's Fuel Consumption to 6.2 lt/100 km (37.9MPG)

Mercedes-Benz has announced that the S 350 BlueTEC will be offered from now on with a standard ECO start/stop function. As a result, average fuel economy is rated at 6.2 liters/100 km (37.93 mpg US), down 9 percent from an already impressive �for the size and type of car- 6.8 liters/100 km (34.59 mpg US). Read more �

Mercedes-Benz AMG Ad Asks the Question: Rosberg or Schumacher?

It seems that the Mercedes Grand Prix team has made a habit of offering a commercial ahead of each Formula 1 race. With the Malaysian GP scheduled this weekend, Mercedes has released a new funny episode showcasing the Rosberg � Schumacher rivalry.

The clip is called �Decision� and features a pregnant woman about to give birth and her husband left on the side of the road by a damaged car. Out of nowhere, Nico Rosberg and Michael Schumacher come to her rescue, each behind the wheel of an AMG Mercedes. But then a new problem appears: which one to choose?

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Edo Competition�s 722HP Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Black Arrow

The impressive SLS AMG �Gullwing� may have long replaced the venerable SLR McLaren in the Mercedes-Benz�s ranks, but the tuning world is not about let go of the Stuttgart firm�s previous supercar. Edo Competition has revealed a new take on the SLR McLaren called the Black Arrow.

Edo Karabegovic and his team over at Edo Competition started out with the SLR McLaren�s body, which gains a stealthy looking flat black coating and an overdose of red livery combined with new black colored 21-inch alloy wheels with a red ring that are shod in high-performance sport tires. There�s also new exhaust tailpipes and carbon trim.

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VIDEO: Mercedes-Benz Explains the Design of the Concept A-Class

On Wednesday, Mercedes-Benz introduced an impressive design study for the next generation of the A-Class, heavily influenced by the brand's recent concept cars, mainly the F800 and the CLS Shooting Brake. Now, we have two new video of the concept model. In the first clip, exterior designer Mark Featherston, who worked on the Concept A-Class, explains the important styling features of the compact car in a short film released by Mercedes-Benz.

The German automaker also presented the first footage showing the Concept A-Class in motion and capturing the car's most appealing exterior and interior angles. Scroll down to watch both videos dedicated to the concept that previews Stuttgart�s upcoming rival to the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3.

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VIDEO: An Insane 900HP Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG

Why would someone want to upgrade a 451HP Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG remains a mystery to us, but the following car is a good example of the level of performance a C63 AMG can reach with the right aftermarket parts and some very deep pockets. Two years ago, owner Keith Brantley got in touch with aftermarket specialist Modern Horsepower (MHP) and ordered a complete transformation of his C63 AMG.

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Mercedes Brings Sexy to the Compact Segment with New Concept A-Class, will be Revealed in Shanghai

Mercedes-Benz plans to show up at this month�s Shanghai Auto Show with a brand new concept for a spectacular looking A-Class model. While the Concept A-Class is just what its name says it is � a prototype study - it�s also a very good indication of where the company plans to take its BMW 1-Series and Audi A3 rival with the presentation of the next generation model that is scheduled to go on sale in 2012.

For starters, Mercedes is giving up the minivan-like silhouette of the current A-Class for a more dramatic and sporty looking two-box profile with a long bonnet and a low roof-line. The concept�s exterior design details are heavily influenced by Stuttgart�s most recent prototypes such as the CLS Shooting Brake and especially the F800.

Aside from the new nose with a prominent Mercedes grille, the three-door Concept A-Class also features concave surfaces with sweeping lines throughout the body.

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Mercedes-Benz Issues Recall on Select 2011MY E-Class Sedans and Estates

Daimler AG is conducting a voluntary recall campaign on certain 2011MY Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans (chassis code W212) and Estates (chassis code S212) to inspect, and if necessary, replace a potentially defective auto part. The recall will include approximately 41 E-Class models in the States manufactured from July 8, 2010, through July 12, 2010.

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Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Turned Into a Sport Ute

Inspired by BMW�s costly but cool April Fool�s Day E92 M3 Pickup Truck, ROAD CARS reader L il-k Amaru drew up a similar design proposal based on the Bavarian sport model�s alter-ego from Stuttgart, the new Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe. Take a look at both renderings after the jump and tell us what you think about Merc concept as well as the ute category in general in the comments section below. Read more �

Mercedes Recalling More than 136,000 M-Class SUVs Because Cruise Control May Not Disengage by Braking

A defect associated with the cruise control system has prompted a U.S. recall of 136,751 units of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and M-Class AMG SUVs from the 2000-2004MY. In a filing to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], Mercedes-Benz said it has determined that under certain circumstances, use of the brake pedal may not automatically disengage the cruise control system.

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SCOOP: All-New 2012 ML 63 AMG is Mercedes-Benz�s Answer to the BMW X5 M

ROAD CARS�s spies have bagged new photos of the upcoming 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG testing in Germany. The most powerful member of the new M-Class family will compete against BMW�s X5 M, which packs a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine pumping out 555HP and 680Nm or 501 lb-ft of peak torque.

The current ML 63 AMG is powered by a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine delivering -in U.S. spec- 503HP at 6,800 rpm and a peak torque of 465 lb-ft at 5,200 rpm. Even thought the 63 badge will remain, as with other new AMG models, the flagship version of the next ML will ditch the 6.2-liter lump for the firm�s newly developed 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 boasting direct-injection technology.

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Why Lexus Lags Behinds its German Rivals in China�s Luxury Market

For the past eleven years, Lexus has been Numero Uno in U.S. luxury vehicle sales. Not so in China, where Germanic giants BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi lead the pack and Lexus is relegated to a paltry fourth.

One issue is customer service, or rather a level of customer service that fails to differentiate Lexus from its competitors. As business owner and Lexus customer Maggie Lin explains: �Nothing stands out from Lexus's service. I don't feel there's anything special compared with what Audi has been doing. They are more or less the same.�

It�s one of the reasons Lexus�s Chinese arm has sent two of its top managers to the United States to learn how things are done at the brand�s North American operation. According to J.D. Power, Lexus sold just a fifth of market leader Audi�s sales total for 2010. That�s just 49,000 vehicles to the latter�s 236,000. There�s also the issue of consumer tastes.

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VIDEO : Watch the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Apply for Jobs

What is the best way to promote a commercial van? Well, you can follow the classic way by showing off its qualities and advantages over the competition, but that lacks originality. On the other hand, a van that writes its own letters of application and sends them to 121 potential employers (i.e. big buyers of commercial vehicles) sounds a lot more creative.

And that�s exactly what a German marketing campaign for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is all about. Check it out in the video below, but don't try to do that to your Sprinter, it might lose its grip -literally...

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V�TH Turns up the Wick on the Mercedes-Benz CL500 Coupe

The Mercedes-Benz CL500 [C216] coupe is the latest car to drop into the hands of German tuning firm V�TH. The company starts by squeezing more power out of the 5.5-liter V8 engine through the use of sport camshafts, custom stainless steel sport catalysts and air filters. Output is lifted from 388HP to 460HP and 600Nm, while V�TH also removes the speed limiter allowing the modified CL500 to reach a top speed of 290km/h or 180mph. Read more �

Wimmer RS� Colorful Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Packs 601 Ponies

The standard Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG sedan with its 457HP 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 lump is by no means a slow car, but when it comes to the tuning industry, the more ponies under the hood, the merrier. Bypassing the colorful body wrap, which is optional anyway, German tuning firm Wimmer RS starts by upgrading the C63 AMG�s eight-cylinder engine.

The massaging includes a sports camshaft, reworked cylinder heads, a new manifold and down pipe, high flow catalytic converters and a reconfigured ECU that help nudge output from 457HP and 600Nm to 601HP and 720Nm (531 lb-ft) of peak torque. Wimmer RS also removes the electronic speed limiter allowing the modified C63 AMG to reach a maximum velocity of 329 km/h (204.6 mph). The engine conversion by Wimmer RS costs �19,900 or about US$26,700.

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Sebastian Vettel Takes Dominant Australian Grand Prix Win

Sebastian Vettel won the inagural race of the 2011 F1 season after a dominating performance in Melbourne. The German driver made full use of his pole-position and lead the race from start to finish, taking his 11th Formula 1 win. Vettel adopted a two-stop pit strategy and finished with a 22.2-second advantage over second ranked Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), who had to race with a detached floor after running wide on lap 33.

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�ber Luxurious Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Puts Limos to Shame

It may look like an ordinary van that transports a boatload of people, but this Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is much more than that. Called the Brilliant Van, the specially equipped fleet of Sprinter limo vans belongs to a company called Brilliant Transportation. Read more �

SCOOP: Walkaround Video of a 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML Found Parked on the Road

A camo�d 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML was recently spotted hanging out on the road by a Youtube user who takes us on a walk around the SUV model in the video after the jump. As we recently reported when our spy photographers snagged a lightly disguised prototype in Germany, the new ML is scheduled to launch towards the end of this year. Depending on the market, the luxury SUV will be offered with a familiar range of V6 and V8 gasoline engines, V6 diesels and a hybrid drievtrain, possibly with plug-in capability.

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Mercedes to Debut New Concept Alongside C63 AMG Coupe and One More Unnamed AMG Model at NY Show

The latest news coming out from the upcoming 2011 New York International Auto Show in late April is that Mercedes-Benz is planning three worldwide and three North American production debuts. The three world premieres include a never before seen concept model and two AMG cars, the 2012 C63 AMG Coupe that we�ve already showed you, and another one which has not yet been revealed.

While we can only speculate on the unnamed concept model, it is very likely that the AMG production car is the SLS AMG Roadster as it was recently teased in the German firm�s SuperBowl commercial.

As for the North American motorshow debuts, these are new 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK350, C-Class Coupe, and C-Class (the latter was shown at a special media event on the sidelines of the Detroit Show in January).

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