It may have been built back in 1957, but the Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing owned by BASF looks like new. The cult car received a complete overhaul in the past months and was refinished with Glasurit brand paints from BASF Coatings. At its first public appearance after restoration, the classic car won the equivalent of a beauty contest for cars: the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance in Rochester, Michigan. The jury gave the Gullwing the "Award of Excellence" for its elegant design, beauty and style. The award-winning Mercedes is now the center of attention at the lobby of BASF Coatings' headquarters in Southfield, Michigan.
Toronto-based Legendary Motorcar restored the Gullwing over the past months on behalf of BASF. On location during the project was the team of the hit US TV series Dream Car Garage, which specializes in the restoration of classic cars. TV viewers tuned into the SPEED Channel to watch the approximately 50-year-old car reclaim its original design and take on new gloss, bit by bit.
The experts also restored the Gullwing's 1957 original color - a task made easy with BASF Coatings' extensive color archive. Waterborne 90 Line Glasurit basecoat was used to refinish the Gullwing. "The Glasurit 90 Line waterborne basecoat system is undoubtedly the best waterborne system on the market today," said Peter Klutt, host of Dream Car Garage. "The fact that it is used in the original production of ultra-luxury cars such as the Maybach, the Rolls Royce, and the Bentley testifies to the quality of the system and the confidence that these manufacturers have in Glasurit paint."
Gullwing history
The official name of the restored Mercedes is "300 SL". The "300" refers to the three-liter engine and the "SL" stands for "Sport Leicht" or "Sport Light." The "Gullwing" nickname is derived from the car's most distinctive feature, its gullwing doors, which when open resemble a bird's outstretched wings.
Mercedes produced its first Gullwing back in 1954, making its debut at the New York Auto Show. In the three years that followed, a total of 1,400 Gullwings left the production line, 80 percent of them going to customers in the United States. In 1956, the last 76 cars were produced, including the Gullwing now owned by BASF. This car was shipped to Texas on May 13,1956, and in the subsequent years saw a number of owners and color changes. The classic Gullwing has been in the possession of BASF Coatings in Southfield, Michigan, for ten years.
About BASF Coatings
BASF Coatings, the Coatings Division of the BASF Group, develops, produces and markets a high-quality range of innovative automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinishes and industrial coatings as well as decorative paints. BASF has significant market positions in the Coatings sector in Europe, North America, South America and the Asia/Pacific region. In 2007 BASF Coatings achieved global sales of almost 2.6 billion euros. The internet address of BASF Coatings is www.basf-coatings.com
Toronto-based Legendary Motorcar restored the Gullwing over the past months on behalf of BASF. On location during the project was the team of the hit US TV series Dream Car Garage, which specializes in the restoration of classic cars. TV viewers tuned into the SPEED Channel to watch the approximately 50-year-old car reclaim its original design and take on new gloss, bit by bit.
The experts also restored the Gullwing's 1957 original color - a task made easy with BASF Coatings' extensive color archive. Waterborne 90 Line Glasurit basecoat was used to refinish the Gullwing. "The Glasurit 90 Line waterborne basecoat system is undoubtedly the best waterborne system on the market today," said Peter Klutt, host of Dream Car Garage. "The fact that it is used in the original production of ultra-luxury cars such as the Maybach, the Rolls Royce, and the Bentley testifies to the quality of the system and the confidence that these manufacturers have in Glasurit paint."
Gullwing history
The official name of the restored Mercedes is "300 SL". The "300" refers to the three-liter engine and the "SL" stands for "Sport Leicht" or "Sport Light." The "Gullwing" nickname is derived from the car's most distinctive feature, its gullwing doors, which when open resemble a bird's outstretched wings.
Mercedes produced its first Gullwing back in 1954, making its debut at the New York Auto Show. In the three years that followed, a total of 1,400 Gullwings left the production line, 80 percent of them going to customers in the United States. In 1956, the last 76 cars were produced, including the Gullwing now owned by BASF. This car was shipped to Texas on May 13,1956, and in the subsequent years saw a number of owners and color changes. The classic Gullwing has been in the possession of BASF Coatings in Southfield, Michigan, for ten years.
About BASF Coatings
BASF Coatings, the Coatings Division of the BASF Group, develops, produces and markets a high-quality range of innovative automotive OEM coatings, automotive refinishes and industrial coatings as well as decorative paints. BASF has significant market positions in the Coatings sector in Europe, North America, South America and the Asia/Pacific region. In 2007 BASF Coatings achieved global sales of almost 2.6 billion euros. The internet address of BASF Coatings is www.basf-coatings.com
