Punk Mechanic Totals World's Most Iconic Mercedes

This is what the happens when you let a 26-year-old punk behind the wheel of a 300SL

18 May 2015

image source: spiegel.de

This is the sad, sad sight of a totalled Mercedes 300SL. The iconic 2-seat coupe - of which only 1400 were built - was being test driven by a German Mercedes mechanic at the time of the crash.

The 26-year-old driver - 'testing' a customer's car and accompanied by a 19-year-old workshop apprentice - lost control of the 300SL on a corner, flipping the sports car and causing 650,000 euros worth of damage.

Police spokesman Peter Widenhorn said: "A maximum speed of 80kph (50mph) is recommended through the corner. This was clearly ignored."

As for the iconic coupe's owner? Amazingly, he remained calm about the incident, saying "that's what insurance is there for..."

Fair play. We're not sure we'd have reacted in quite the same way.

Mercedes 300SL - why it's so special

1. World's fastest car of its time: 161mph2. First car with direct fuel injection3. Built between: 1954-19634. Engine: 3.0-litre in-line 6 (212bhp)5. Cost in 1954: £12,500; Cost now: up to £1,000,000