Production chronology1954–1963
Sourced production or model lifecycle range used by the main catalog timeline.
limited_edition_research ↗10 years
← Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz / Model record
Mercedes-Benz300 SL
Production1954–1963
Recorded originGermany
ClassSupercar
Also known asMercedes-Benz Gullwing
Power240 hp
Built3,258 units
every.autos editorialconfidence: high
The road car that gave the world gullwing doors — and the first fuel-injected production engine.
The 300 SL began as a racing car, the W194, and was turned into a road car at the urging of Mercedes' US importer, who was sure Americans would buy it. He was right. The road car kept the racer's most famous feature: a lightweight tubular spaceframe so deep-sided that ordinary doors were impossible, so the coupe got upward-hinging gullwing doors instead.
Under the bonnet was another first. Its 3.0-litre straight-six used mechanical direct fuel injection — the first time a production car had it — lifting output to 240 hp and making the 300 SL one of the fastest road cars in the world when it appeared. It weighed 1,295 kg. The gullwing coupe was built from 1954, joined and then replaced by a roadster through to 1963.
In all, 3,258 were built. Few cars have contributed two such lasting things at once — an icon of design and a genuine engineering first.
Written and fact-checked for every.autos · every claim checked against the sources below · 2026-07
Background
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is a two-seat sports car that was produced by Mercedes-Benz from 1954 to 1957 as a gullwinged coupé and from 1957 to 1963 as a roadster. The road going 1954 fuel injected 300 SL (W198) traces its origins to the company's original 1952 300 SL carburetted racing car, the Mercedes-Benz W194. As one of the first automobiles, it was equipped with a mechanical direct gasoline fuel-injection system that increased the power output of its three-liter overhead camshaft slanted straight-six engine over that of it predecessor that was successful in racing.
Text adapted from “Mercedes-Benz 300 SL” on Wikipedia ↗ · CC BY-SA 4.0 ↗ · retrieved 2026-07
Chronology ledger
Dates with their meaning intact
US EPA model years1990–1993
Model years represented in FuelEconomy.gov; a US-market observation, not a worldwide production range.
EPA FuelEconomy.gov ↗Observed bounds
Netherlands RDW first-admission observations1988
First-admission years observed in Dutch vehicle registrations; this is market evidence, not a worldwide production range.
Netherlands RDW ↗1 year
Research notes
Gullwing-doored coupe (1954-1957, 1,400 built) then roadster (1957-1963, 1,858 built); one of the first production cars with fuel injection. Widely considered the most famous Mercedes-Benz ever built and a consistent multi-million-dollar auction car. Distinct from the already-catalogued '300 SLR' racing car.