The 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was the open-top version of its well-known brother, the 300 SL Gullwing.
But it wasn’t a bad brother and according to some, the roadster was an easier car to live with due to the much better access. It was the fastest roadster of its era, and one of the best looking cars in the world.

A hard top was either offered as an option or came standard, depending on the market. As an option, the customer could have a set of suitcases that matched the trunk space. On the option list was also the Becker Mexico radio, which was more refined than a top-notch infotainment system from today.

The dashboard was very simple, yet with a lot of information. In the center there was a water temperature gauge, oil temperature, oil pressure, fuel level, and warning lights. It was the information center of its time. The bucket seats were standard, and so was the leather upholstery. It had a speedometer dialed up to 160 mph (250 kph in Europe).

The engine was a masterpiece of its time. The naturally aspirated inline-six featured a dry sump lubrication system and a direct injection (mechanical) system that was first used on Daimler airplane engine in World War II. And it was in 1957, just to remember.