The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing is a series of sports cars that were introduced in 1954. The 300 SL Gullwing was built on the W198 platform, and is one of the most iconic and recognizable cars ever built. With its distinctive gullwing doors, and beautiful, sleek styling, the 300 SL Gullwing is one of the most desired collector cars, and was voted sports car of the century by Auto Motor und Sport. As well as its striking design, the Gullwing featured Mercedes' M198 engine, which was a 3.0L inline six unit that was available in two versions. The standard unit generated 215hp, while a high compression version that generated 240hp was offered as a no cost option. Both engines were paired to a 4 speed manual transmission that sent drive to the rear wheels. Production of the legendary 300SL Gullwing ended in 1957 with a total of 1,400 examples built. After the Gullwing, Mercedes introduced the 300SL Roadster.