1950s MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL - 163mph

They say that racing improves the breed, but in the case of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL ‘Gullwing'Coupé, it actually inspired its creation.

At the start of the 1950s, competition was seen as the perfect way for Mercedes to re-establish itself as a pinnacle car maker. By 1951, the concept of a lightweight, ultra-streamlined racer had been drawn up by legendary engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut, borrowing the 2996cc, overhead-cam straight-six from the mighty 300 ‘Adenauer saloon. In 1952 the W194 became a reality, and Mercedes campaigned it at the Mille Miglia, Le Mans and the Carrera Panamericana, taking victory at each event and proving that, despite its meagre power, a low-weight, the aerodynamic recipe could literally win the day.

Had it not been for the vision of one Max Hoffman, Mercedes' US importer, however, the W194 might well have rested on its growing number of laurels. Hoffman saw the appeal of production rising the W194 for his affluent, enthusiast clientele and proposed the idea to the Benz board, reinforced with a pre-order for 1000 cars. In what must have been a quite humbling challenge to Teutonic pride, Mercedes came on board and agreed to start production of what was to become the 300SL Coupé.

Can you think of another production car that blitzed its competition sibling's power output? Me neither. But by swapping the W194's triple Solexes for a groundbreaking mechanical fuel-injection system from Bosch, the 300SL was instantly given 40% more power - to the tune of 240bhp - allowing Mercedes to claim a barely conceivable 163 mph maximum (depending on axle ratio) when the model was launched at New York's International Motor Sports Show in 1954.