classic gullwing

Gullwing Builds 'Em Like They Used To

Some say "they don't build 'em like they used to", but Gullwing GmbH does. The German company is still producing the classic Mercedes 300SL from the 1950s, only updated with some modern twists. Although the car looks entirely faithful to the original, underneath the chassis has been completely redesigned and fitted with a modern Mercedes 5.5-liter V8. With 405 horsepower, that's considerably more than the 215hp inline-six used in the original. But if you're a stickler for authenticity, Gullwing is working on a six-cylinder version as well, with a classic manual transmission in the place of the 7-speed automatic on the V8 model. A roadster version is likewise in the works, but Gullwing doesn't seem overly rushed. Not when the car they're building is over half a century old. They'll produce no more than 30 each year, and each example takes 10 to 18 months to build. They sell for €165,000 ($220k) apiece, which may seem like a lot compared to the $11,000 list price in 1954, but it's a relative bargain compared to the prices at which original examples are trading hands these days.

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Tags: classic gullwing, ClassicGullwing, gullwing, gullwing gmbh, GullwingGmbh, mercedes, mercedes gullwing, mercedes-benz, MercedesGullwing, retro gullwing, RetroGullwing

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