The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Is a $1 Million Sports Car Icon

I love the way Doug DeMuro can "borrow" a million dollar Mercedes from a preservation society like a normal person borrows books from the library. When I borrow cars from the museum, I end up in court.

Haven't seen Doug this excited in a long time. Please do more CLASSICS!!!!

As an Australian seeing those two open holes in the back of the cabin seems absolutely insane to me. I wonder if there’s any Gullwings down here that has mesh on that. It’d give me so much more piece of mind haha

The reason it has Sterling Moss' name on it is because he used to own it. He sold it through Bonhams auction house in 2015 and you'll note there's a 2015 UK tax disc on the windscreen. Those tags for the Mille Miglia were Moss' when he won the race shortly after signing for Mercedes in 1955. Read up on him, he was a fantastic racing driver and his ownership would elevate the value of this car even more

Doug, it's so awesome to see how far you've been able to come. To think you'd be able to roll around in a 300SL Gullwing even a couple years ago seemed so distant, yet here you are. Congratulations.

My first ride in a 300SL was when I was a kid in the early 60’s. My dad was in the passenger seat, his friend was the driver and I was curled up on the rear luggage shelf behind the seats. The engine sounded good but lacked power down low, but it cornered incredibly well. For safety reasons, we never exceeded 100 MPH.

“Frankly if I crash this car, I rather not survive” yes exactly lol that car is beautiful

3.0 i6 with 240hp is honestly amazing considering there are many 6 cylinders out there nowadays with less than that lol.

You can tell this is a dream come true for Doug. The authentic amazement really shines through especially as he's driving and talking about the vehicle's mannerisms and some history. Glad to see you got to drive an automotive icon that you looked up to for years. Great work Doug!

This is, in my opinion, the most beautiful car ever made. Ive been waiting for this video for years Doug. Thanks buddy.

I am so pleased to see you review this absolute icon of automotive history. And while sparse in many modern features, this is the best example of less is not just more but positively THE MOST! Thank you Doug, this without doubt will my favorite review because of the glee you have just being near it!👍🏼

My parents had a 190 SL convertible, a similar-looking, lower-cost contemporary car. I've never been in a 300 SL but the interior looks very similar to the 190 SL that I knew growing up, it was my mom's crown jewel. I never got to drive it unfortunately because my parents had to get rid of it before I could drive, due to money issues and the cost of maintaining it. But I loved that car and greatly enjoyed riding in it every time we took it out. It doesn't have rear seating but there's a bit of space behind the front seats and I could just sit there for the ride (facing sideways). My parents' everyday car actually wouldn't start on the day my mom had to go to the hospital to give birth to me so they had to take the 190 SL instead. It's interesting and a bit mysterious to me why the 300 SL Roadster has the same turn signal as the 190 SL, but the Gullwing has a different one.

Gull-wing doors by engineering necessity has to be one of the most German things of all time

I love how Doug explains things. The little details are the most interesting

I don't remember the last time I saw Doug this excited over a car. It's neat to see somebody this happy I know I would be extremely happy just being near this car let alone driving it OMG

Good job Doug. That was a lot of material to cover in half an hour. Glad you finally mentioned the handling improvement of the roadster (indirectly that is... due to the lower pivot point of the rear swing axle... always an issue with the 300SL).

Always loved this car!! At 16 years old in Springfield NJ, there was a lady, who was a palm reader and she owned a 1956 Gullwing. It had a for sale sign on it and she was asking $9,000.00!!!!! I wanted it so bad, but at 16 years old in 1975, who had an extra 9 grand!!! If was was able to buy it, I probably would have sold it a couple of years later for $12,000 and thought I did great, lol!!!

This is awesome that Doug got to review one and drive it. Also, huge props to Mercedes for letting them out on the road and supporting them for all these years!

if you're going to break the "only post 80's cars" rule, you do it this epically

Doug should do more oldtimer and classic car reviews! This is absolutely lovely! ❤‍🔥

The design of the body style on the 300 SL Gullwing is stunning. It's also nice to see the era of Mercedes that was far more reliable with more mechanical overengineering than what we see today with electronical components that degrade over time.

Thanks Doug! I've been a fan of the 300 SL for 60 years and learned a couple of new things from you.

Doug, seats and steering wheels that adjust up and down are a relatively recent feature, I think as late as the 70's they were pretty uncommon. So not crazy at all for a 50's car.

I would love to see Doug do a small offshoot channel or whatever for classic cars. It doesn't totally fit with his regular format, but this was a great video and I'd love to see more like it. I've liked his other couple classic car reviews as well.

What a beauty. I definitely plan on buying one of these after the lease is up on my Corolla.

The old silver arrow is an absolute beauty and the story behind it is fascinating. After the WW2 the Mercedes Benz factories are almost destroyed entirely but they made a great comeback for a few years and when they came up with this model they won races like Le Mans 24 hours which was a wonderful achievement. I've read somewhere about it.

Great video and a truly iconic car.
Just to add the 'pop out' door glass can be removed for ventilation but the main reason for the design is for the occupants to able to get out should the car be in a rollover.
The gull wings obviously won't open if overturned so at least you can crawl out through the window aperture.

The key to interesting reviews is to let the product be in the center of all things, not the person. You’ve nailed this one as well Doug! 😊

Seeing Doug drive a legend is empowering. Thank you for sharing your experience with us sir.
I wish you’d romped on it a little more. 😉

Must've been an absolute honor Doug, to get the dream chance to drive a true mammoth in automotive history/prestige. The 300 SL Gullwing is truly a piece of rolling art. I find great admiration in the old Mercedes Benz. I'm an old soul, trapped in a 37 year old frame.
Funny/True Story: My father tried to buy one when he was living in CA back in the late 60's. Sadly, the man declined my father's generous offer. He truly loved these Gullwings. The particular example was Black/Brown interior. His soul was old when it came to vehicles, particularly loving Duesenbergs. Funny enough, his true love was his '69 GTO which he was able to purchase off the showroom floor in Orange CA after he and my mom tied the knot just a week after Neil Armstrong walked on the surface of the moon.
He'd do the unthinkable come the summer of '74 when the Gas Crisis was in swing. He traded it in on a new Pinto. Yep, the hatch that would explode if hit just right from the rear ((that's what she said)) His Matador Red/White 4spd. Goat was always the one car he always regretted ridding himself of, even in his dying days. At least he had passions, one of which he'd drive with a smile each and every time.

The level of trust Doug has these days: "This is the James Webb Telescope, easily one of the greatest achievements of mankind and today, I'm going to review it."

Hey Doug, great video as always! Do you think you can get more shots of the exterior of the cars when you’re driving. Seeing it move would be awesome or dash cam type clips

Doug…watched this video before, but I love the 300SL. Definitely a dream car. I’m happy that you got to experience driving it and spending time with it. Good job, man. Thank you for making these videos.

Most beautiful car ever built. Thanks for reviewing it Doug!

Yes! Nothing's better than Doug and a classic car. I always wait for one of these reviews

The second horn button probably goes back to the original Mille Miglia, which was the original 300SLs first race. 1,000 miles over the open roads of Italy at full race speed. Each entry had a driver and a navigator, and the navigator may have been charged with using the horn to get spectators out of the road. The oddball door handles were probably to reduce drag at Le Mans to improve speed on Mulsanne.

Doug: Frankly if I crash this, I rather not survive lol 😂

I learned a lot of new things about this car that I didn’t know before. Thanks Doug. I’m surprised they let you drive it. Was someone behind you watching you?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Doug so excited about a horn. Ever. Or about a car in general. Lucky guy! (Hard work paying off is luck)

I think Doug's in love! Thanks for sharing your experience with us, my friend. I can remember seeing pictures of these Mercedes in books and magazines as a kid in the late 1960's to early '70's, and even at that time - 15 or more years after it was introduced - the 300 SL coupe was perceived as the most amazing and visual car ever made. By the '70's there were faster cars, more powerful cars and more expensive cars, but none as amazing. It was from the future.

This was the greatest car ever within its time period....When I was a kid I got to sit in a gullwing at the Auburn auction and it was expected to go for $450k and that seemed like all the money in the world, that car is probably worth 4 or 5 times that now

Hey Doug,
Have you ever considered doing a POV view while driving? I think it would be cool to add one during the driving section, maybe after the comments/thoughts on how the car drives

Fun fact: This is the oldest car Doug has ever reviewed.

Excellent review Doug. Lots of interior stuff I did not know about. And I agree - the first true supercar.

I remember I always hated how this looked as a kid and thought it as a MB version of the Beetle. It wasn’t until recently that I changed my opinion of this car and now i find it GORGEOUS, and it make sense that this car would also be reliable for a old classic

What a dream car! I love those plaid seats. I'd consider myself lucky just to sit in one, let alone drive the machine itself. Amazing!

I love your views on these classic cars as they are so accurate it proves how much experience you have for all the classic cars you have driven you are one of the few I take seriously as a mechanic and also have driven a number of high-end cars in my time working for the RAC (the royal automobile club for over fifteen years I used to cover the London to brighten rally with some really old classic cars like Packard's model Ts which was so easy to work on compared to some of the steam cars like whites but I loved the days doing it getting them going again most new every nut and bolt of there car and I learned so much from them now I am retired through an accident at work but would be doing it today if I was fit enough The RAC was one of the best jobs I had ever worked for they look after me still.

Cool review... I think it's important to note that a big part of stopping the coupe production was a result the 300SLR LeMans crash in 1955 killing many spectator, which also resulted in Mercedes withdraw from motorsport racing and production of further sportscar right up till the mid-eights...

in terms of styling, the SLS AMG did a great job of paying homage to the 300SL while using more modern lines, shapes and features.

A simply beautiful car from an underappreciated era.

This incredibly classy singer from a big band act called "The Admirals" would play a big east coast circuit including a restaurant/nightclub In northern VA I worked at. She would always pull up in a gorgeous, mostly original condition (mid to late 80's at the time) 300SL. First time she pulled out into the back of the place I was already drooling over the car because I knew exactly what it was, then the door swings up and out steps the singer, legs first, a scene straight out of a 50's detective "Film Noir". After gathering my courage (I was maybe 20 at the time) I started asking questions about the car, and it became apparent that she was a real "Car Girl", and a genuinely nice person. I became good friends with her and her bandmates over the years, and I always made sure I was on shift to see her pull up and step out of that car:) She knew by tacit agreement that nothing was going to happen to her car on our watch...

Fun fact: my Yaris runs on the same size 185/60/R15 tires 😂. And considering the cars of that era such a tire was looking enormous!

I love the turn signal indicator wheel on roadster and those plaid seats! Also the cream/blue theme/chrome theme of the interior. Why dont they make such interiors in modern cars?

You know you're in something special when people in brand new AMG's are taking videos of you on the road.

I don’t think we will ever see again such class and style that existed with sports cars from the 50s and 60s. From this beauty to Vettes, Jags, Aston Martins and Lambos. What a time to be alive for a sports car enthusiast!

I love that Doug has access to any car on this planet and yet the face at the beginning the the testdrive tells you, this car is the one 😀

This is legitimately one of my dream cars. I've always appreciated the design and styling of this particular Mercedes. Even as a child. It's just beautiful.

The pinnacle of quality, class and style ! 🇩🇪

I parked my Ferrari California next to a silver AMG GT, and felt the envy that one must have felt parked next to a gullwing Mercedes - truly a work of art!

I’d rather own the coupe than the roadster despite the lack of conveniences. Those gull-wing doors are epic.

Definitely one of the most beautiful cars ever.

Every single detail is exquisite. Compare this car with any of its era, it doesn't matter which. This is by modern standars stil VERY well though and put together. The paint colour is stunning, it almost has a pink shimmer to it

Great information on this very recognisable cars. Never was aware the number of differences between the coupe and the roadster.

That 200+ HP is what makes me really want to drive this.
That's more power than anything I've driven, in such a tiny car.

Great video Doug! You should review more old cars 😊

I love anything on 4 wheels from new to old. Im mostly into american cars from the 60s and 70s but, I have to say that ever since I was a kid Ive been 100% certain that the 300SL is the greatest car ever made in every regard.

this particular 300sl, with the mille miglia medallions and stirling moss' signature, might be the coolest car doug has ever reviewed

What an iconic masterpiece. Still rocking in 2022... love Mercedes Benz 300sl

The Gullwing is and will continue to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made.

way back when I was about 13, a friend's dad had one of these. He was crazy about superchargers, and had a very good mechanic, (who worked at his engineering company) install one. I remember him saying they replaced the hollow gearbox mainshaft with a stronger solid one. He took me for a ride in it and it was the most amazing experience I had ever had! Being a left hand drive car, and in England we drive on the left, he would edge out to see if the road was clear before overtaking. He would ask me if the road was clear! Oh, gosh, I was trembling so much, but we didn't hit anything. Got up to about 130 which was the fastest I had ever been. Of course, everyone at school listened to my account of this with amazement, their Dad's had Morris eights or a bicycle. Amazing car, I can still remember every detail.

Just an incredible car. Art on wheels.

Can you even match this up against modern cars at all? This is such a timeless beauty. I could sit and look at this car all afternoon in a lawnchair. Just never get tired of seeing these

He finally got his hands on one. The absolute legend.

This is unequivocally one of the most attractive, sexiest cars to ever exist. I remember being very young, single digit age, and seeing pictures of this car and just knowing it's special on a visceral level. To this day it's still gorgeous.
Not trying to sound cheesy but this car's beauty is absolutely timeless. It's pushing 70 years old and it will still turn heads. And I mean it'll turn heads in a "wow, that's a beautiful, sleek car" kind of way instead of something like in a Ford Model T's "wow, that's a REALLY old car" kinda way.
Great review and I absolutely love how giddy you can get when reviewing some of these cars. You've been behind the wheel of cars that almost no one will ever get to experience, cars that cost in the 8 digits and you still get more excited to review a car so legendary. This is not a hyper car, it's not even a super car but it is the quintessential mark of automotive beauty perfection. The look appeals to almost every human being that ever lays eyes on it; that's not an easy thing to do and it's been doing it for almost 7 decades and, I imagine, will continue to do so probably until the end of time. I'm not even kidding, in another 200 years this car will not have faded into oblivion; enough people are infatuated with it that it will always be there. If humanity is still here 1,000 years from now this car will be represented somehow, even if it's only in a calendar or something.
I've been jealous of you in a lot of your videos but in a "that would be pretty cool" kinda way. This is more of a deep seated jealousy mixed with legitimate joy because of the level of respect you have for this legendary, iconic beauty. The fact that you got to inspect and drive the 300SL Gullwing in all its glory almost has no words that will capture the absolute magnitude of an experience like that.
Two things I would immediately get were I ever to become disgustingly rich would be this car and an original P-51 Mustang. Price would be no object; I would pay whatever I had to pay in order to own such incredibly historic and storied vehicles. Both are truly immortal representations of their species.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

What's insane is this had direct gasoline injection about 60 years before it reached wide adoption. It really was way ahead of its time in virtually every way.

Doug,
Only the Twin-Cam Carrara motor of the Porsche 357 produced the 130 HP +/-. The normal 356 motor started with about 60 hp and eventually reached the 95 hp level. All of this era of German sports cars are pretty cool how they developed. The Mercedes were big cars with lots of power, the Porsches were small and light weight. My favorite 356 is a Pre-A 1955 Speedster, RS80820, owned by a friend, but now owned by the Porsche family and in the Porsche museum in Stuttgart. Cool video. The 300 SL is a beautiful car. Thanks.

Great review Doug. You should do more antique cars.

Very good show Doug, it was my first modelcar, when i was 6 jears old, my dad fiks and made a lot of them…the real car…
Nice to see your love for this amazing work of art….

I think it deserved a solid 10 on value. They are dead reliable, highly supported by MB and there are a host of technicians who know how to maintain them. In ten years I think these will be in the 4-8 million dollar range, becoming true unobtainium

When you see one on the road , yes , but when Doug's behind the wheel , you know your day has been made !!!!

It is very reasonable to mention that The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing is an automotive icon. All can be seen from the performance and toughness of this car

Totally jealous Doug ... It has been my dream car since I was a kid and I hope to drive one someday

Despite being otherwise very technologically advanced for its era, the one thing I always found funny about the 300SL is how it has a reverse-flow cylinder head.

i would love to have seen a concurrent gullwing build to the roadster: lower sills, adjustable seats, trunk, glove box, radio, back-up lights, etc. maybe hinge the doorglass at the top so you can flip it up? just overall a no excuse every day coupe. oh, yeah, and give it the straight 8 out of the SLR, like the Uhlenhaut coupe :)

Honestly Doug reviewing old cars like that is pure joy I wish we would see more

Would have liked to see it and hear it on the track. Nothing crazy, but in action.
Beautiful styling

Doug must love his job. I'd like more vintage car videos

You know you're a car person when you're genuinely excited about opening the door on whatever car and that having two horns is wild.

I can't believe how calm and relaxed you are driving that amazing piece of history on wheels. I'd be a nervous wreck! I wouldn't drive one even if I had the opportunity due to the fact that sh** does indeed happen. I'd go for a ride in a heart beat but drive it.....I'd love to but no thank you kindly.

I can't imagine how much Doug pays for liability insurance. Also would love to see Doug's blooper reels - or maybe I would cry, especially with priceless rare cars like this one.

Fun fact: if you’re driving around with the front windows removed, it’s advised that you “keep it under 100”. Otherwise, the rubber-set rear windows can potentially blow out.

I love how they put a little Swivel thing over the key hole in the trunk to prevent moisture and water from getting inside The keyhole but when it came to the interior they put two giant holes in the roof where water can Flow right on in

Hands down, the greatest car of all time. ❤️

i feel like the rear roof ports used to equalize pressure should had been added to the front as a way to blow air on you and equalize pressure.or a adapter that connects to that with a hose that then connects to a mercedez helmet that allows your helmet to get air into it from the roof scoop since this was a car ment to be raced.be cool to had utilized this as you get really hot inside the helmet

The very definition of an automotive fantasy!! Thanks for the video...one can almost smell that trunk full of gas spills and hot brake dust :)

In 1956 or 1957 I had the opportunity to buy a 300SL coupe for (sit down) $3000 which was well within my budget! I didn't because I was concerned about the cost of maintenance, because, as you can hear in the vid, the trainee used straight cut cut gears and because I had an Austin Healy 100 BN 1 (4 banger with a replace BN 2 trainee). The AH was more fun to drive.

Who else would love to see Doug review more pre-1980’s cars like this?

It's crazy to think that the Germans were able to make something like this in less than 10 years after the WWII, in which their manpower, economy and infrastructure were devastated. Huge respect. 🙌🏼

A BIG thank You DOUG, that has to be the best video you have posted on your brilliant channel.
More of the same if you can, from an avid viewer in the UK

such a pleasure going on a tour of perhaps my favorite car of all time, no less now than when i was a little kid... thanks so much for breaking your only-modern-cars rule for this one