An Unrestored 1955 Merecedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Is up for Auction

Often heralded as the first modern supercar, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing has no doubt secured a prestigious position among vintage mid-century classics, and now Gooding & Company is offering one for auction.

Originally released in 1955, this particular Gullwing is extremely rare due to its completely unrestored condition. Built as a special order US-export model, the classic car boasts a race-ready Fire Engine Red paint job coupled with a gray leather interior. It also carries highly-coveted Rudge wheels, making this particular iteration even rarer. Since ‘55, the car only recorded five owners, all within California, with one single-family ownership lasting more than four decades before selling it to the current owner.

With his family also previously owning this Gullwing, Garth Hammers — a specialist at Gooding & Company — shared his experience with the Mercedes. “Riding along to gatherings and rallies as a child is really what solidified the Gullwing as my all-time favorite car,” says Hammers. “My family owned this Gullwing when I was 13 years old and it was the only one we ever had with Rudge knock-off wheels. I was still too young to drive it at the time, but this car made a huge impression on me.”

To learn more and place a bid on this rare Gullwing, you can head over to Gooding & Company.

Elsewhere in the automotive world, BBS Wheels has filed for bankruptcy amid the coronavirus pandemic.