Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif

Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
Car of the Millennium | David Klammer / laif
„Porsche Killer“, „Sports Car of the Millennium“, „Elemental Force“ - just some of the names used to describe the Mercedes 300 SL, which celebrates its 60th
birthday in March 2012.
The prototype was built in Sindelfingen and unveiled in March 1952. Between 1954 and 1957 only 1,400 of the wing-doored sports cars („Gullwings“) were
made (1858 open-top roadsters between 1957 and 1963). Many of the cars were snapped up by Hollywood stars: Toni Curtis, Clark Gable, Yul Brynner, to
name but a few, and the car even became a movie star in its own right – „Charlie‘s Angels“ and „Batman Returns“ featured the famous car. Collectors talk
about „true love“ for their Mercedes 300 SL. Chris Kramer owns a 1959 open-top Mercedes SL 300. As he says: „When I can‘t sleep at night, I go into the garage. It makes me happy touching the dashboard, rubbing dubbin into the leather seats and polishing its curves.“ The classic cars were originally bought by
racing drivers, Nicaraguan dictators, playboys and wealthy industrialists. With 220 HP, the 300 SL guzzles 11 to 15 litres, goes from 0 to 100 in just under 10
seconds and reaches maximum speeds of 240 to 260 km/h. Collectors describe the engine as a „monster“ under the bonnet.
Hans Kleissl has devoted his life to the monster: he runs the world‘s only factory that restores the cars and he sells them for a fortune – but it‘s not the money
alone that motivates him. For Kleissl, the 300 SL is an artwork, and he is „obssessed“ with them. When he finds them – rusting away in garages and barns
from Los Angeles to Libya – he pays 250,000 euros for them. When he has finished restoring them, they fetch prices of up to 850,000 euros. Kleissl has worked on 600 of the cars and he knows were virtually every 300 SL is in the world. 10 are lost for ever, presumably in China, says Kleissl. No one knows more
about the legendary car than Kleissl. In his factory, located in a former Bavarian monastery, Kreissl‘s employees invest up to 4,000 hours of work in restoring
each car. The 300 SL made its debut in 1954 at the New York Motor Show. It was the fastest street car ever to be made in Germany and leaves behind it a
fascinating cultural legacy.
David Klammer (photos) and Joerg Heuer (text) visited Kleissl‘s factory to watch rusty wrecks of the Mercedes 300 SL being restored to their original stunning
beauty. They also visited collectors of the legendary car who were only too keen to show off their „true love“.