Mercedes 300 SL Widebody Speedster Rocks Modern AMG V6
John Sarkisyan’s latest 300 SL restomod offers the styling of a classic Mercedes SL but with the comfort and convenience of 21st-century technology.
Old Mercedes SL models might not be as well-equipped as their modern counterparts, but they are some of the most gorgeous cars ever made. If you are a fan of SL’s classic styling but do not wish to compromise on your creature comforts, then John Sarkisyan’s latest 300 SL restomod might just be the car of your dreams.
The car was heavily featured in a recent Hoonigan AutoFocus video, and world-renowned automotive photographer Larry Chen described Sarkisyan’s creation as “just outrageous, absolutely insane”. The cars started life as a raw shell, and in just four months, this barebones 300 SL shell was transformed into a showstopper.
Sarkisyan used parts from four different cars to turn his vision into reality. In addition to the 300 SL speedster and gull wing, the car builder also incorporated parts from Mercedes SLK and Porsche speedster. The windshield of this 300 SL restomod is a modified Porsche 356 part, and the design of the headrests was inspired by the cars that Stirling Moss raced back in the 50s.
The car sports a widebody shape thanks to the flared wheel arches and the vents now house side exhausts, which is again a nod to the original Stirling Moss race cars. The build is based on a 2002 SLK 32 AMG, which was also used as a donor car for Sarkisyan’s 300 SL coupe restomod project. The bodywork is made entirely out of glass fiber, and it is a factory-accurate reproduction.
The car rides on HRE Performance rims that are wrapped in Toyo tires. Sarkisyan’s 300SL speedster runs a Brembo GT brake kit on all four corners and rides on an Air Lift Performance air suspension system. A supercharged AMG V6 sits under the hood of this restomod, and this 3.2-liter motor produces 349 horsepower in its stock tune.
By the looks of it, Sarkisyan is also using the stock 5-speed automatic transmission, but the gear knob has been replaced by a gorgeous copper unit. The car features winged doors and almost every panel of this restomod (including the door panels) is covered in beautiful diamond-stitched red leather.