These days, the Mercedes-AMG One hypercar aims to bring a full F1 experience (1.6L V6 hybrid and more) to the road, albeit with this not offered in America. So, what could the German carmaker do for its next flagship performance model, perhaps a global one? An independent artist has an enticing answer to that questionโwhy not introduce an EQ all-electric homage to the iconic 300SL Gullwing of the 1950s? Enter the Next 300.
The lack of a U.S. presence for the One is a pretty big deal, which is why this envisioned all-electric successor would have to change that. Consider that the 300SL (W198) it pays tribute to was born thanks to Austrian-born, New York-based American importer Max Hoffman’s vision of a racer for the road. And the sports car even made its 1954 debut in New York rather than on the Old Continent.
However, before we move on to discuss this fresh battery-powered proposal, we need to sort out its ancestors. This Mercedes-Benz (AMG wasn’t even born back then) family tree dates back to the W194 300SL endurance racer. This saw the carmaker returning to sports car racing in 1952 (and grabbing the laurels) for the first time after WWII.
The massively successful racer was followed by W196 Formula One car, which grabbed the title in 1954 and 1955. In turn, this led to the introduction of the 300 SLR (W196S) sports car racer in 1955, which became the de facto successor of the W194 that started it all.
Alas, despite this showing the same kind of podium dominance, its tragic 1955 Le Mans crash not only brought an early retirement but also saw Mercedes pulling out of racing, with things staying that way for three decades.
Meanwhile, the said 300 SL (W198) road car was born, but this wasn’t alone on public roads. Instead, it was joined by two road-going iterations of the 300 SLR (W196S). And one of these is the 1955 example that wears the name of its creator, chief engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut. You’ve probably heard of it last month, when the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe sold for $142 million (yes, that’s $142,000,000), becoming the most expensive automobile of all times (MB calls it “the most valuable”).
Elegant 1950s design meets the future in this rendering
Almost seven decades ago, the 300SL Gullwing (W198) featured a tube chassis like its racing muse, while adding gullwing doors (it also came in convertible form, with normal doors, though). However, the digital artist known as w_cong had more room to play, as offered by the all-electric architecture of the model.
So, the Next 300, as the artist named the creation, would keep its batteries in the floor and use compact electric motors for each of its axles. Nevertheless, this evokes the unmistakable silhouette of the 300SL Gullwing from all angles. The bulbous 1950s front end design (would you look at the radical cooling hardware sitting low in the nose) meets a sleek, elongated posterior.
And, once you go past the thick door sills, you find a splendid reinterpretation of the classic interior. Design elements aside, the cabin has an airy feeling to it. This comes thanks to the super-sized glass area up front and the minimalist, skeleton-type dashboard.
Sure, the covered wheels might need a bit of attention to work in the real world. But the Next 300 remains the type of presence that could help Mercedes-AMG and perhaps the Germans’ EQ battery-electric sub-brand make full use of the company’s heritage in an EV world that’s heavily targeted by new names.
