Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (1955 to 1955)

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR was a limited production vehicle that was built in 1955. The famed 300 SLR was created using Mercedes' W196 Formula One race car as a base, with bespoke body work, and a larger engine. Originally intended for sports car racing, the SLR (Sport Leicht-Rennen or in English, Sport Light-Racing) project, and Mercedes' racing program as a whole were cancelled after the notorious 1955 Le Mans disaster, in which an SLR race car crashed, killing 84 people. Although the project was cancelled, two road-going versions had been created by Mercedes' motorsports director, Rudolf Uhlenhaut. These two cars were built in a unique aerodynamic coupe shape featuring gullwing doors. Due to Uhlenhaut's direct involvement in creating these cars, they are commonly referred to as the Uhlenhaut Coupe. The 300SLR was powered by a 3.0L inline eight engine that generated 272hp, with this power driving the rear wheels through a 5 speed manual transaxle. As one of the rarest, and most sought after collector cars in the world, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR holds a unique place in the automotive community.