All posts by Francis Mitterrand

Auctions

1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is up for auction

Between 1954 and 1963, Mercedes-Benz produced a two-seat sports car, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL. For the first three years it was produced only as a coupe (1,400 units produced) and in 1957 it was replaced by the Roadster version. By 1963, 1,858 examples of the Roadster had left the production line, and one of them, the 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, is up for auction.

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL is powered by a 3.0-liter M198 inline-six engine taken from the fixed-roof variant. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an all-synchromesh four-speed manual transmission. The engine has Bosch mechanical direct fuel injection, dry-sump lubrication, and aluminum cylinder head. Braking and stopping are handled by servo-assisted hydraulic brakes with finned drums all around, and duplex actuation at the front wheels.

This example is finished in Silver Gray (DB 180) and is in good condition. It is equipped with European-specification headlights with single-piece glass covers as well as front and rear bumper guards, a left-fender-mounted mirror, pivot-out door handles, a locking fuel door, wide-profile rocker panel end flanges, four- wheel independent suspension with a low-pivot rear axle, and a black convertible top. It is mounted on 15″ steel wheels wrapped in 185HR15 Vredestein Sprint Classic tires.

Inside, the bucket seats are trimmed in red leather covering the door panels and dash, with matching carpets. In front of the driver are an ivory-color steering wheel and a five-digit odometer showing 743 miles. Additional equipment includes roll-up windows, an ivory-color shift knob, a lockable glove box, a clock, a dash-mounted ashtray and cigar lighter, and a Becker Mexico radio.

The car was refurbished from 2005 to 2007, and the works included a repaint in silver, a re-trim of the interior in red leather, and an overhaul of the 3.0-liter M198 inline-six. It comes with a copy of its factory delivery note, invoices for parts used during the refurbishment, a two-piece fitted luggage set, and a clean Florida title.

The auction ends on March 17 and the highest bid at the time of writing was $949,000 USD.

Source: Bring a Trailer

Gallery:

1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is up for auction
News

Production of EVs will be cheaper in the years to come

The price of new electric cars is on the rise, but new production methods accompanied by new innovations are predicted to bring prices down in the coming years. This would mean that the production of EVs will be cheaper than the production of ICE cars.

This prediction is based on the gigacasting process, in which, with the help of a huge press, large parts of the body are cast in one piece, instead of using dozens of welds and fasteners. Tesla was the first to use this method of producing components, and the fact that thanks to this method the Tesla Model Y was produced in 10 hours, instead of the 30 hours required for the production of the VW ID.3, shows how much of a difference it makes.

However, this method will increase the cost of car maintenance and repair. By 2027, the average cost of repairing an EV’s body and battery after a car accident is predicted to be 30 percent more expensive. This could mean the end of every damaged car, as it will be more profitable for owners to buy a new one than to repair a damaged vehicle.

Also, the price of vehicle insurance will rise, so some insurance companies will avoid providing insurance for some cars.

Source: Reuters

Auctions

2008 Tyrrell P34 is up for auction

In 1975, the American racing team Tyrrell Racing Organization introduced the strangest Formula 1 car ever produced, the Tyrrell P34. It is a six-wheeler that proved successful in its first season and led other teams to start thinking about designing their own six-wheeled platforms. However, in 1978, the project was abandoned and Formula 1 stipulated that cars must have four wheels. One example of this car, the 2008 Tyrrell P34 will be auctioned.

The car is owned by former motor racing driver Jody Scheckter, Formula 1 champion in the 1979 season. He is the only driver from the continent of Africa to have won a Formula One race or the World Drivers’ Championship. In his 8-year career (1972-1980), he achieved 10 victories, 33 podiums, 3 pole positions and 5 fastest laps.

The Tyrrell P34 was designed by Derek Gardner, Tyrrell’s chief designer. He believed that the car could have smaller wheels under the wings, while another pair of wheels would compensate for the reduced contact surface of the smaller ones. His plan was also to reduce air resistance compared to rivals that used larger tires. Also, he thought that additional wheels would enable better braking, which did not prove to be a good solution on the track.

“The braking should have been better and it was on the straights, but as soon as you turned, the little wheels would slip and you would have to let off the pedal, so there was no advantage,” Scheckter previously told Motor Sport.

The cockpit is designed so that through transparent panels the driver can better position the car in turns, see the tires and monitor their consumption.

The Tyrrell P34 is powered by a Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0-liter V8 engine with over 475 hp (354 kW) @10,000 rpm.

The car will be auctioned in Monaco on May 11, 2024 and the estimated value is between €450,000 – €650,000 EUR.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

Gallery:

2008 Tyrrell P34 is up for auction