The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing went into production in 1954.
The road-going 300SL was developed from Mercedes-Benz’s successful W194 racing car, which had competed in 1952. American importer Max Hoffman persuaded Mercedes-Benz that wealthy customers would buy a usable version of the racing machine. The production coupé, internally designated W198, debuted at the New York International Auto Show in February 1954, and production began at Sindelfingen in August.
Its most famous feature was the upward-opening “gullwing” door, but the car’s engineering was just as remarkable. A lightweight tubular space frame forced Mercedes-Benz to use unusual doors, while the 3.0-liter straight-six used mechanical direct fuel injection. That technology helped the road car produce substantially more power than the carbureted W194 racer.
The 1954 date applies specifically to the coupé. Mercedes-Benz built 1,400 Gullwings from 1954 to 1957; the open 300SL Roadster followed in 1957 and continued until 1963. The 1952 racing car and the later Roadster are common sources of date confusion.