Mille Miglia Drive With 300SL Is Pure Motoring Heaven
We can’t think of many more opportunities more delightful than a Gullwing on the Mille Miglia, let alone the one raced by John Fitch.
When it comes to bucket list items for Mercedes enthusiasts, driving a 300SL Gullwing is on many of our lists. Location doesn’t matter, just the experience of the Gullwing is what counts. But what if you could experience a Gullwing in the context of the legendary Mille Miglia in Italy? We’ll that’s exactly what collector and enthusiast Harry Metcalfe has done.
Metcalfe kicks things off, explaining why he was at the Mille Miglia. “I was kindly invited by Mercedes Classic to try out their 300 SL.” We understand why he accepted the opportunity. Metcalfe was able to drive alongside Karl Wendlinger, who had a number of F1 starts, and knows his way around a performance car.
This car in particular was in the 1955 Mille Miglia race. While another Mercedes SLR set the record, this one, as driven by John Fitch, was 5th overall, and the fastest production car. In essence, it is Mercedes royalty through and through.
Now of course the modern Mille Miglia doesn’t subject the classic cars to the rigors of a full race weekend. Instead, it allows the beloved vintage machines to take their turn in various stages, at relaxed speeds. Thats good, especially for a car like the 300SL Gullwing, which isn’t without its faults. “We’ve just had a mechanic look at the car, because the vents are red-hot, and we want to make sure we aren’t running with the heat on.” Turns out, it’s just how the 300SL behaves.
Beyond the car’s behavior, there’s a good theory that the Gullwing might be the world’s first “supercar.” Common consensus puts that label on the Lamborghini Miura, especially for being mid-engine. But the 300 SL stands as a purpose built, performance minded car from the ground up. Much like a supercar. And the engine is sat so far back in the engine bay, that it’s nearly mid-enigne anyway. Technically speaking, the engine is behind the front axle.
As for the experience, it’s a lot like a supercar. Metcalfe says, “The engine is super strong, and it builds on revs. And that sound…” But he also notes that it was built as a race car first, and made to be a production car second. At least, based on the lack of ventilation. So maybe he’s on to something, and the Gullwing really is the world’s first supercar. After all, nothing else of the time really compared.
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