Mercedes Benz 300 SL
Driving the Mille Miglia with a Gullwing? This is possible, but costs at least 150,000 euros
The Mercedes-Benz W 198, sales name 300 SL, was built between 1954 and 1963.
© Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s / PR
Experience the legendary Mille Miglia with the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing – it couldn’t be more exclusive. But the price of at least 1.5 million euros for the car makes it almost impossible. Unless you rent the classic car from the manufacturer.
Originally, the Mille Miglia was a real car race on public roads. Today it’s more of a nice tourist tour. But while the pace has now slowed significantly, the route remains the same: the start is in the north of Italy, in Brescia. Then we go via Genoa towards Tuscany, past Castiglione della Peschaia and Grosseto towards Rome. On the way back, the participants drive through Siena and Prato to Bologna and finally along the shore of Lake Garda back to Brescia. Total duration: five days.
If you want to get behind the wheel yourself, you need a vehicle model that took part in the “original” Mille Miglia between 1927 and 1957. Or – and this is somehow good news, even if for a few – a lot of money. As part of the “Mille Miglia Experience Classic”, Mercedes-Benz wants to enable three people to join the historic motorcade through Italy in one of the most expensive classic cars in the world.
215 hp for 150,000 euros
According to its own information, the manufacturer is making three gullwing models, also known as the 300 SL, available for the upcoming outing. The “complete package” including rental car includes all logistics, technical support and a weekend to try out the car. The price: 150,000 euros before taxes.
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If this seems like an appropriate Christmas present, you have the chance to apply from mid-January to mid-February. If more than three people express interest, the lottery decides. Theoretically, anyone who is between 25 and 80 years old, who has passed a medical exam and who has had a driving license for at least four years is allowed to take part.
With this very special car rental company you get the rare opportunity to drive the fastest sports car of its time – and according to the results of a survey by Motor Klassik, the “sports car of the century”. With 215 hp, the 300 SL is still one of the more sporty vehicles today – although nowadays a VW Polo GTI also offers such performance.
Depending on the model, you can get an original vehicle from the series for around one million euros. The classic Gullwing is around 1.5 million. It gets extremely expensive if you want to buy one of the extremely rare lightweight sports cars. Although the light alloy body was comparatively cheap as an extra when ordering, only 29 customers bought it. Corresponding vehicles cost around five million euros.
The most expensive car in the world
It is also a 300 SL that holds the current record for the most expensive car in the world. The 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, named after its creator and chief engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut, was only built twice from prototype in 1955 and is therefore an irreplaceable rarity. In May 2022, a copy was sold directly by Mercedes-Benz for 135 million euros. The second car remains in the possession of the manufacturer and is part of the in-house museum.
Anyone who owns a classic car with a star and wants to compete in the Mille Miglia can also do so together with Mercedes-Benz. From 15,000 euros, the manufacturer will help with any technical problems during the trip. If you take everything into your own hands, the costs for all certificates, entry fees and accommodation can be estimated at around 10,000 euros, reported “Car Motor and Sport” some time ago.