MERCEDES-BENZ

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DD CLASSICS / ADAM SHAH

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing

With the American sports car scene booming in the early 1950s, US MercedesBenz importer Max Hoffman saw an opportunity for a toned-down GP car for affluent customers. The result was the 300SL Gullwing, powered by a 3.0-litre straight-six with 240bhp – good for a 9.3-second 0-60mph sprint and 146mph top speed, making it the world’s fastest production car at the time.

The 300SL had a tubular frame designed by head engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut, and which weighed 82kg. The body was largely steel, although the bonnet, bootlid, dash, sills and door skins were aluminium. A fully alloy-bodied version, which was 130kg lighter, was made available for racing – just 29 were built.

This particular example has been painstakingly restored by marque experts. Finished in Schwarz over a Crema interior, it boasts fitted luggage and still has its original belly pans.

1962 Mercedes 220SE Cabriolet

Although the W111 220SE Cabriolet and Coupé shared many of their underpinnings with the saloon variant, Paul Bracq’s styling flourishes elevate the two-door models to entirely new heights.

It could be argued that although the 300SL models were the halo cars, it’s these more readily available production models that did more to promote the ThreePointed Star’s brand fundamentals on a more regular basis. After all, you were more likely to see one of these on the road, even if they remained relatively rare.

The 220SE used a 2.2litre six-cylinder engine that produced 120bhp. The example on display was originally delivered to the UK, and was specified with a manual gearbox, which is rarely seen. It was restored by John Haynes around ten years ago.

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1970 Mercedes-Benz 600 LWB

The ultimate MercedesBenz? For the likes of royalty, political leaders, business titans and celebrities, only one car would do – the MercedesBenz 600. The luxury far surpassed even the lofty heights of usual MercedesBenzes, with hydraulics powering the windows, seats, sunroof, bootlid and automatically closing doors.

This all needed a hefty engine, and the maker crafted one solely for the car – the 6.3-litre M100, which produced 247bhp. To keep its upper-echelon clientele comfortable, the 600 rode on adjustable air suspension that maintained exemplary comfort whatever the road surface.

The model seen here is one of 273 right-handdrive cars made. Its boot opens at the touch of a button, while cabin air is generated from a fan in the boot to ensure silence in the cabin.

1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5

The W111 already blazed a trail with innovative front and rear crumple zones and patented retractable seatbelts, but looking at the stunning coachwork, this model is really all about sheer elegance.

Built between 1969 and 1971, the 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet was the very top-of-the-range model, featuring a 200bhp 3.5litre V8 that could whisk its well heeled owners to around 130mph. It featured a lower, wider grille compared with its forebears.

This particular car is an even rarer version of the breed, though. Not only is it one of only 245 righthand-drive 280SE 3.5 Coupés ever produced, it’s possibly the only preproduction right-hand-drive model in the world. The engine and axle numbers all carry the V designation, which stands for 'versuch': German for 'experiment'.

2005 Mercedes-Benz AMG C-Class DTM Mika Häkkinen

When Mika Häkkinen left Formula 1 racing, he couldn’t resist turning his hand to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM), the German Touring Car Championship. He took third at the second event of the season at the Lausitzring, but the best was yet to come.

After just three races he piloted this car to victory at Spa-Francorchamps after taking pole position. He would finish the season in fifth place.

The car itself is truly special, as it's powered by a 4.0-litre 90-degree V8 that produces a restricted 475bhp. It boasts a carbonfibre propshaft, triple-disc carbon clutch and carbon brakes, but it does without traction control or ABS.

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1996 Mercedes-Benz SL70 AMG

While AMG is today fully ensconced within Mercedes-Benz, it was originally a tuner that operated independently of the mothership. Its creations were amped-up, more powerful versions of (mainly) Mercedes-Benzes.

The example on show used an R129 SL600 as its base, but Affalterbach’s engineers increased the M120 V12 to 7.1 litres, which boosted output to 489bhp, with 531lb ft at 3900rpm. It was produced for just two years, and 150 are believed to have been built.

This one was a Germanmarket car, and it had only one owner before the current custodian. It’s fitted with a rarely seen blue stitch to match the blue speedometer designed specifically for the SL70 by AMG.

MASTERKRISHAN

2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT Black Series

The AMG GT may have been touted as the followup to the SLS, but it was designed to take on the Porsche 911 and Aston Martin Vantage. The latest addition to the extreme AMG Black range elevates the car to hardcore track-hero status.

Power comes from a 4.0litre twin-turbo V8 with 720bhp and 590lb ft of torque, and a flat-plane crankshaft rather than the standard car's cross-plane one. The suspension is bespoke to the Black Series, with a carbonfibre anti-roll bar for the front axle and an iron one for the rear. Carbonfibre is used for most of the body, and a huge rear wing produces 400kg-plus of downforce at 155mph. The car hits 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds and cracks on to 202mph.

1959 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster

With sales of the 300SL Gullwing starting to slide, Mercedes-Benz showed a Roadster version at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show. It was far more than just a roof-chopping exercise – not only were the sills lowered to improve access, but it also had more room for luggage.

More critically, it had the low-pivot axle that Uhlenhaut wanted for the Coupé but got voted down on by Mercedes board members.

This car was sold new to Milan, and stayed with its first owner until 1994. Kienle Automobiltechnik restored it for its second keeper in 1995. During this, a number of upgrades were installed, including a diaphragm-spring clutch, adjustable throttle body and additional fans.

WOODHAM MORTIMER

MERCEDES-BENZ 600 PULLMAN 4 DOOR 1 of only 39 right hand examples ever produced. Rarely available to the market. Highly desirable and collectable. P.O.A.

MERCEDESBENZ 280SL/8 Finished in Red Metallic over Parchment Tex interior. Expenditure of over £200,000 all detailed in history file. Beautifully restored and maintained by John Haynes. £189,995

MERCEDESBENZ SL500 Finished in Azurite Blue Metallic over Mushroom Leather interior. Highly specified including glass panoramic roof. Only 25,266 miles from new, a best of breed R129 example. £39,995

MERCEDESBENZ 280SL/8 Finished in Papyrus White over Black Leather interior. Former Gus Dudgeon and Joan Armatrading owned. Fabulous condition, restored and maintained by John Haynes. £175,000

MERCEDESBENZ SL500 Finished in Ruby Red Metallic over Black leather. Highly specified with ultra-low mileage. Only 9,387 km from new, pristine in condition. £39,995

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2004 Mercedes-Benz CLK DTM

To celebrate winning the 2003 running of the German Touring Car Championship, the DTM, Mercedes-Benz teamed up with AMG to create something truly special.

At the heart of the CLK55 AMG DTM is a supercharged 5.4-litre V8, complete with a single overhead camshaft and three valves per cylinder. This produces 574bhp at 7000rpm along with 590lb ft of torque at 3500rpm, all of which is delivered to the road via a 5G-Tronic automatic transmission. All-out, you would be doing 200mph.

A mere 100 coupés and 80 cabriolets were built for European markets alone.

SCOTT PATTENDEN

1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Pagoda

The Paul Bracq-penned W113 SL was a real crowd-puller when it was unveiled at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show. The Pagoda (so-named for its removable hard-top, which was said to have the visual feel of a Far Eastern temple) was as much about safety as it was about glamour.

Although there were 230 and 250 versions, this particular example sports the later and more refined 2.8-litre straight-six, which elevated the car into a wonderful grand tourer. It was first delivered to a Mary Peel in January 1969 by Woking Motors. It’s now on only its third owner, and is presented in original condition.

1961 Mercedes-Benz 190SL

The 190SL was designed to bring a taste of the 300SL’s glamour to a wider public. Foregoing the latter's costly build techniques, the 190SL used a shortened W121 saloon platform and a 1.9litre four-cylinder derived from the 300SL's six.

You could have a soft-top or a removable hard-top, and early cars could be ordered with a Perspex windscreen, aluminium doors and leather bucket seats for motor sport use

This US-market 190SL was restored in around 2016 before coming to the UK in 2017. Extra refurbishment work was then carried out by the experts at Kent's Wainwright & Son, who brought the car up to the current impressive condition. The odometer indicates 32,140 miles.

2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS

This SLS was designed to take over where the McLaren SLR left off, and its door arrangement pays tribute to that of the glorious 300SL Gullwing.

Powered by a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 motor pumping out 563bhp, it was faster around the track than its McLaren-produced forebear. This example is finished in Daytona Blue Metallic, which was a launch colour. Inside, the upholstery is finished in Porcelain Nappa leather.

The owner bought the car in 2014 as a daily driver, but it now gets used for European trips where it can stretch its legs. It was even driven to the AMG factory for a GT 'box upgrade.