Mercedes-Benz 300 SL 'Gullwing' (1955)

Unquestionably the most iconic sports car of its era, Mercedes-Benz’s 300 SL Gullwing was a car far ahead of its time. Tracing its origins to the W194 race car which saw success at events including the Mille Miglia and 24 Hours of Le Mans, U.S. distributor Max Hoffman convinced a road-legal version of the W194 could be lucrative.

Built on a spaceframe chassis constructed of welded tubular steel, the construction of the chassis itself necessitated its characteristic roof-hinged doors, which became a staple of the car’s design. At its heart was a 3.0-litre OHC straight-six engine making 240 bhp at 6,100 rpm fitted with fuel injection, making this the first fuel-injected road-legal automobile. Boasting a 161 mph top speed, it was the fastest production automobile of its time.

Thanks to the car’s incredible performance and styling, Hoffman’s intuitions proved to be right and the 300 SL Gullwing was an instant hit. For the ‘in’ crowd, it was the ‘in’ car and 300 SLs found homes not only with celebrities and barons of industry, but also a handful of racing drivers, once again proving the 300 SLs performance credentials. Owners included the Shah of Iran, Sophia Loren, Briggs Cunningham, and John von Neumann and many more.