Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Found Wrecked Under a Banana Tree
Giancarlo Perlas December 20, 2014
The Mercedes-Benz 300SL is one of the jewels in the colorful history of the three-pointed star brand. It was considered as the fastest production car of its day. In addition, the auto has a distinct appeal that makes it stand out in the eyes of hardcore classic car collectors.
Depending on the condition and ownership history of the vehicle, it is usually expected to fetch an average of $1 million. In some instances, the price of the car even went up to nearly $2 million.
So, it comes with a heavy heart to find news about people wrecking the car by either sheer lack of prudence or ignorance of the car’s real value. Recently, another heartbreaking report from BBC TopGear covered a Gullwing version of the Mercedes 300SL found under a banana tree. This time, the car was abandoned and beyond repair, as seen in the photo above.
According to the source, the rare but totally damaged car was found by automotive photographer Piotr Degler. The report claimed he was out in Cuba to capture some of the classic cars roaming the streets of the country when he heard from the locals about a “legendary” 300SL stuck somewhere in the island.
With sheer determination, Degler set out an investigation to find the whereabouts of the rumored Gullwing. Two thousand miles later or after several days, he finally found what he was looking for.
To his dismay, the priceless auto—or what remained of it—was found lying under a banana tree. Although still recognizable, repairing it was no longer possible.
Since Degler was due to depart the country when he found the wreckage of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, he just spent the whole day photographing the poor thing. Despite the condition of the car, the photographer described his experience with it as “indescribable”.
