Chassis No. 198.040.5500726
Engine No. 198.980.5500711
Body No. A198.040.5500706

At the 1952 Mille Miglia, a silver Mercedes-Benz coupe with doors hinged at the roof finished second overall in Brescia, driven by Karl Kling and Hans Klenk. The car was the W194, the competition model Mercedes-Benz developed for the 1952 racing season. Within two years, it would lead to one of the most significant sports cars of the twentieth century.

Chief Engineer Fritz Nallinger, Test Department manager Rudolf Uhlenhaut, and engineer Joseph Müller developed the W194. Their specification called for a car that was light but also extremely rigid. The solution was a revolutionary tubular spaceframe weighing only 155 pounds. Its high side members were essential to the structure's strength and left no room for ordinary doors, so the team hinged the doors at the roof. Thus, the Gullwing shape was born out of engineering necessity.

The design quickly proved its worth. After securing second place in the Mille Miglia, the W194 went on to a brilliant win at the Grand Prix of Berne and a memorable 1-2 result at Le Mans. These achievements caught the attention of Max Hoffman, a prominent New York importer whose wealthy American customers enjoyed fast European sports cars. Seeing the promising prospects for a road car, Hoffman ordered 1,000 cars. The production 300 SL debuted at the International Motor Sports Show in New York in February 1954.

Most of the racing car's advanced engineering was transferred to the road car, with the spaceframe and Gullwing doors carried over. The 2,996-cc inline-six engine received Bosch direct fuel injection, the first time the technology had been used in a production car. The engineers tilted the engine 50 degrees to the left and fitted it with a dry-sump lubrication system which allowed for a lower hood line and increased aerodynamic efficiency. Output was 215 horsepower, and the completed coupe weighed less than 2,900 pounds. With a top speed of over 160 mph, the Gullwing was the fastest German production car of its time. Its blend of competition engineering and road handling secured its position as one of the most important sports cars ever made.

This 300 SL was finished on 16 September 1955 and shipped six days afterward, on 22 September. Its factory specification shows it was ordered in DB 50 White and a vibrant 1079 Red leather interior. The car was sent to Mercedes-Benz Distributors, Inc. for delivery in New York at a time when Max Hoffman, whose order had brought the 300 SL into existence, held the American distribution rights.

After its delivery to New York, the Gullwing eventually made its way west. According to the Gull Wing Group Registry, Elaine Prince Garell of Mill Valley, California, James Hammers of San Jose, and Frances Ross of Saratoga owned the car. The registry also names B. G. Swinford of Roseburg, Oregon, as a custodian. That record places much of the car's documented history in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest.

The car was subsequently given over to noted 300 SL specialist Rudi Koniczek for a comprehensive restoration under prior ownership. Koniczek has devoted decades to the model, and the result is a Gullwing that presents beautifully inside and out. It is finished in Graphite Grey with a red leather interior, and beneath that presentation the car retains its original chassis, engine, and body.

Following the completion of this fantastic restoration in 2016, Canepa of Scotts Valley, California, installed a five-speed manual transmission. The additional gear lets the inline six cruise more comfortably at highway speeds. This makes a real difference on long tours such as the Colorado Grand, which the car has just recently completed in September 2026. In 2024, Robert Webster of RW Fabrications carried out $75,000 worth of service work on the car.

Today the car remains in wonderful condition, and in a highly sought after configuration. Not only has the transmission been upgraded to a five-speed manual, but the car has also been additionally fitted with highly desirable Rudge-style knock-off wheels. It also comes with a matching two-piece set of original-style luggage made by Taris Charysyn and Co. and a four-speed manual transmission.

Comprehensively restored by noted expert Rudi Koniczek, this matching-numbers Gullwing combines the 300 SL's distinguished heritage with a five-speed manual transmission and considerable recent mechanical work. It is eligible for countless acclaimed international events, including the Mille Miglia and the Colorado Grand, as well as the most exclusive concours around the world. It offers the same blend of speed, engineering, and spectacle that defined the 300 SL seven decades ago.