A 67-year-old Mercedes-Benz 300 SL just went under the hammer for an eye-watering amount of $6,825,000. The Leichtmetallausführung version is particularly sought after by car collectors, because only 29 units was made.
You may know the version by its modern English name, Alloy Gullwing. It is a track-friendly car that weighs 95 kg (210 lbs) less than stock and has its entire stainless-steel bodywork replaced with aluminum parts. The dome is made of Plexiglas, except for the windshield.
According to the auction holder, the 300 SL Alloy Gullwing series also boasts an upgraded engine with a new crank and throttle valves, as well as improved suspension and centerlock wheels. Only 24 units was made in 1955 and 5 more in 1956. The example on sale was number 13.
The car was originally commissioned by a dealership in Morocco and considered the only one of its kind on the African continent. Several years later, someone imported it into the United States where it changed hands a few times and landed in the collection of Hyatt Cheek, the manager of a Mercedes-Benz owners’ club. It stayed in his hands for around three decades and was ultimately purchased by its current seller in 2014.
The vehicle is in superb overall condition: most aluminum cars made had their bodies badly damaged in races, but not this particular example. It was restored several times, though.