Mercedes W198 generations

The Mercedes-Benz W198 is the first Mercedes-Benz sports car of the post-war period that was produced in coupe and roadster bodies from 1954 to 1963. It was marketed as the Mercedes 300SL. The model was unveiled at the 1954 New York Auto Show as a road version of the W194 racing car. The idea of creating a "street" sports car belonged to the American luxury car dealer, Max Hoffman, who caught the ... read allinterest of rich people in high-speed driving in everyday life. According to legend, he claimed that if such a car appeared in the USA, he would find 1,000 buyers for it. Initially, the Mercedes-Benz W198 was produced only in a 2-seater coupe body with unique gullwing doors. In 1957, the manufacturer introduced an open roadster. As a road version of the W194 racing car, it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans.