In February 1954, the Mercedes 300 SL (W198) was unveiled at the New York Auto Show. Developed from the racing 300 SL (W194), it came into being at the request of Max Hoffman, an Austrian-American car dealer, who convinced Daimler-Benz to produce it as a series model. It featured styling changes and numerous technical innovations, such as fuel injection and a lightweight tubular chassis. It is one of the first GT (Grand Touring) cars. The 300 SL (W198) is best known for its "Gullwing" doors, which also open on our model. The real car was available in several body colors, and we chose black for our model.