Mercedes Gullwing
Background
As a background, the leading company in the building of replica 300 SL Gullwings in the late 20th century was California based Gullwings Inc, owned by Anton Oestermeier, during the course of their limited production 50 Gullwing replicas were produced based on the six cylinder Mercedes R107 280 SL engine or the 500SL V8, an original Gullwings Inc. brochure is included in the history file which detail this model type. This replica of a classic Mercedes Gullwing, it's historically very important.
Original Gullwing values reflect their status as benchmark, “blue-chip” collectibles. Upwards of seven-figure values are the norms, and restorations can easily top a half-million dollars or more. As the Gullwing has slipped out of reach for the average enthusiast, the market for replicas and recreations grew accordingly. In the 1980s, a 300SL owner and former Mercedes-Benz employee named Anton “Tony” Ostermeier founded Gullwing International Cars to take the concept of a “replica” 300SL to another plane, designing a ground-up, exacting recreation worthy of sharing the spotlight with the legendary original. In brief, between 1989 and 1993 the former Mercedes technician, Anton Oestermeier operated a California based workshop (Gullwings Inc) that built near-perfect recreations. Anton built 50 Gullwings before the workshop stopped operating. The Ostermeier cars are the only Gullwing replicas available in the world that were built before Mercedes-Benz Company, trademarked the shape of the Gullwing.
Ostermeier cut no corners developing his Mercedes tribute cars using the finest components and materials available. It is based on a welded square-tube chassis crafted in a similar manner to the original. Keeping it “in the family,” Ostermeier utilised contemporary Mercedes-Benz W124 steering, suspension, and running gear. The body was made of an aircraft-derived material called GLARE that bonds fibreglass to a thin outer layer of aluminium, using factory bucks and original cars as patterns. The material ensures precise fit and a nearly flawless outer surface with superior quality and finishes compared to traditional fibreglass. Many of the trim parts, instruments and other details are so accurately produced that owners of original cars began using them on restoration projects, and even experts are hard-pressed to tell the difference between an Ostermeier and the real thing at first glance. Ostermeier built only 150 or so, and these hand-built cars took over 400 hours each to complete. Much like a Lynx D-Type Jaguar or Glenn Pray Auburn, the cars of Tony Ostermeier are highly desirable and considered genuine collectibles in their own right.
Ostermeier offered a variety of engine options from the Mercedes-Benz catalog. Many customers opted for the somewhat subdued but bomb-proof single-cam M103 inline-six, as used throughout the factory range in the ’80s and ’90s. For the more performance-oriented buyer, the 3.0-liter M104 was the pick. This twin-cam, 24-valve inline-six was good for approximately 220 horsepower, which is ample grunt for breathtaking performance while maintaining the inline-six character that is essential to the 300SL experience. Gullwing raided the Mercedes-Benz parts bin for most of the suspension, brakes, steering components, and rear differential, ensuring the cars were reliable and readily serviced with accessible parts.
This rare and exquisitely preserved Gullwing Cars ‘Ostermeier’ 300SL Roadster stands on its own as a highly desirable collector vehicle, perfectly encapsulating everything great about the original 300SL in a driver-friendly, reliable, and eminently enjoyable package.
These 50 cars were so well made they were typically bought by people who already owned an original, but the replicas had far better road manners and were truly useable.
The rarity of these replica cars by Anton Oestermeier has created its own rarity premium and they are now highly collectible. I have personally been trying to buy one for about 10 years, but they almost never come on the market and when they do they sell instantly with values about 25% of their original counterparts.
My Gullwing is in fact the last car made, which adds to it's value and it was also built on a later chassis with an upgraded engine.
What really makes this car special is it was the subject of a German court case about 3 years ago when Mercedes literally removed the car from a car show in Essen with a court order claiming the car was a breach of copyright. The owner (from whom I bought the car) spent over £300k litigating against Mercedes in the German courts and won. The defendant was able to produce documents showing that Mercedes were complicit and in fact had cooperated with the construction of the Ostermeier cars. Therefore, the Ostermeier cars are the only legitimate replicas that can ever exist as all others are illegal and will be destroyed (which has happened).
Original Gullwing values reflect their status as benchmark, “blue-chip” collectibles. Upwards of seven-figure values are the norms, and restorations can easily top a half-million dollars or more. As the Gullwing has slipped out of reach for the average enthusiast, the market for replicas and recreations grew accordingly. In the 1980s, a 300SL owner and former Mercedes-Benz employee named Anton “Tony” Ostermeier founded Gullwing International Cars to take the concept of a “replica” 300SL to another plane, designing a ground-up, exacting recreation worthy of sharing the spotlight with the legendary original. In brief, between 1989 and 1993 the former Mercedes technician, Anton Oestermeier operated a California based workshop (Gullwings Inc) that built near-perfect recreations. Anton built 50 Gullwings before the workshop stopped operating. The Ostermeier cars are the only Gullwing replicas available in the world that were built before Mercedes-Benz Company, trademarked the shape of the Gullwing.
Ostermeier cut no corners developing his Mercedes tribute cars using the finest components and materials available. It is based on a welded square-tube chassis crafted in a similar manner to the original. Keeping it “in the family,” Ostermeier utilised contemporary Mercedes-Benz W124 steering, suspension, and running gear. The body was made of an aircraft-derived material called GLARE that bonds fibreglass to a thin outer layer of aluminium, using factory bucks and original cars as patterns. The material ensures precise fit and a nearly flawless outer surface with superior quality and finishes compared to traditional fibreglass. Many of the trim parts, instruments and other details are so accurately produced that owners of original cars began using them on restoration projects, and even experts are hard-pressed to tell the difference between an Ostermeier and the real thing at first glance. Ostermeier built only 150 or so, and these hand-built cars took over 400 hours each to complete. Much like a Lynx D-Type Jaguar or Glenn Pray Auburn, the cars of Tony Ostermeier are highly desirable and considered genuine collectibles in their own right.
Ostermeier offered a variety of engine options from the Mercedes-Benz catalog. Many customers opted for the somewhat subdued but bomb-proof single-cam M103 inline-six, as used throughout the factory range in the ’80s and ’90s. For the more performance-oriented buyer, the 3.0-liter M104 was the pick. This twin-cam, 24-valve inline-six was good for approximately 220 horsepower, which is ample grunt for breathtaking performance while maintaining the inline-six character that is essential to the 300SL experience. Gullwing raided the Mercedes-Benz parts bin for most of the suspension, brakes, steering components, and rear differential, ensuring the cars were reliable and readily serviced with accessible parts.
This rare and exquisitely preserved Gullwing Cars ‘Ostermeier’ 300SL Roadster stands on its own as a highly desirable collector vehicle, perfectly encapsulating everything great about the original 300SL in a driver-friendly, reliable, and eminently enjoyable package.
These 50 cars were so well made they were typically bought by people who already owned an original, but the replicas had far better road manners and were truly useable.
The rarity of these replica cars by Anton Oestermeier has created its own rarity premium and they are now highly collectible. I have personally been trying to buy one for about 10 years, but they almost never come on the market and when they do they sell instantly with values about 25% of their original counterparts.
My Gullwing is in fact the last car made, which adds to it's value and it was also built on a later chassis with an upgraded engine.
What really makes this car special is it was the subject of a German court case about 3 years ago when Mercedes literally removed the car from a car show in Essen with a court order claiming the car was a breach of copyright. The owner (from whom I bought the car) spent over £300k litigating against Mercedes in the German courts and won. The defendant was able to produce documents showing that Mercedes were complicit and in fact had cooperated with the construction of the Ostermeier cars. Therefore, the Ostermeier cars are the only legitimate replicas that can ever exist as all others are illegal and will be destroyed (which has happened).
Unique
This car was conceived in the late 1980’s as a private project for the owner, Seigneur of St John in Jersey, Mr John Dick (the owner of Hooper & Company), bought it to accompany his original Gullwing which he considered too fragile and impractical to use for continental touring.
His vision was to create a better driving car than Oestermeier initially produced utilising the Mercedes 300 CE / SL 24 valve engine, with AMG upgrades. The plan by the commissioning owner called for the production of a ‘ true recreation’ utilising original 300 SL Gullwing components for the interior and controls with uprated running gear, a five speed Getrag gearbox, all then incorporated within a Gullwings Inc frame and GLARE aluminium body.
The Oestermeier cars are collectable in their own right, but this particular car is one of only three that was fitted with the AMG upgrades making it super collectable.
The car was therefore produced in the US by Gullwings Inc, and then shipped to Europe for the specialist build of the engine, with mechanical refinements top the suspension based on Mercedes W129 running gear, an uprated Getrag five speed gearbox, ABS braking system, emergency brakes, all important air conditioning, and a modern sound system built into period casings. The detail of the car included original instrumentation, steering wheel, controls, hand-made fitted luggage to the original pattern, and many other beneath the skin enhancements. The final colour being decided on, was an original option, being strawberry red metallic, as chosen by Grace Kelly, Princess Grace of Monaco.
All of this is detailed in the detailed history file, including the budgets, payments and work outsourced to specialists in the US and UK, together with correspondence on the enhancements made to the car to the much higher specification of the first owner.
The project was delivered through Hooper & Co (Coachbuilders) who project managed the build, and the car is shown on the certificate of origin as being supplied to them, the initial stages of the project were finalised in the 1990s and the car was subsequently displayed at the Techno-Classico Essen show in the late 90s after being evaluated by Mercedes Benz, and photographed in their studios.
The extensive history file includes a full breakdown of cost in the late 1980’s estimated to be in excess of £175,000, together with US Certificate of Origin from Gullwings Inc., German import documentation, Jersey registration documents, and the specification, together with the original hand written notes and correspondence relating to the construction of the car.
Condition Report Overall
In excellent showroom condition, limited use over the last 27 years, recently recommissioned after a period of storage. Now ready for long distance touring and rallys.
Body / Coachwork / Interior
In excellent condition, with a pleasantly mellowed interior. The cabin also stays remarkably faithful to the period, with accurately reproduced seats, instruments, and ivory steering wheel keeping the late-50’s vibe intact. The leather, carpet, and soft trim are beautifully finished, reflecting the attention to detail Gullwing Cars put into every car they built. Only the accommodations for the radio and air conditioning hint at this car’s modern-era underpinnings.
Engine and Mechanicals
In excellent condition, see introduction, the engine is believed to develop some 285 bhp. The car has been recently serviced in our workshops with new Michelin XWX tyres fitted.
Documents available
History file to include, original correspondence, specifications, Gullwing Inc. Certificate of Origin, photographs, specifications, invoices, customs documentation, registration documents
His vision was to create a better driving car than Oestermeier initially produced utilising the Mercedes 300 CE / SL 24 valve engine, with AMG upgrades. The plan by the commissioning owner called for the production of a ‘ true recreation’ utilising original 300 SL Gullwing components for the interior and controls with uprated running gear, a five speed Getrag gearbox, all then incorporated within a Gullwings Inc frame and GLARE aluminium body.
The Oestermeier cars are collectable in their own right, but this particular car is one of only three that was fitted with the AMG upgrades making it super collectable.
The car was therefore produced in the US by Gullwings Inc, and then shipped to Europe for the specialist build of the engine, with mechanical refinements top the suspension based on Mercedes W129 running gear, an uprated Getrag five speed gearbox, ABS braking system, emergency brakes, all important air conditioning, and a modern sound system built into period casings. The detail of the car included original instrumentation, steering wheel, controls, hand-made fitted luggage to the original pattern, and many other beneath the skin enhancements. The final colour being decided on, was an original option, being strawberry red metallic, as chosen by Grace Kelly, Princess Grace of Monaco.
All of this is detailed in the detailed history file, including the budgets, payments and work outsourced to specialists in the US and UK, together with correspondence on the enhancements made to the car to the much higher specification of the first owner.
The project was delivered through Hooper & Co (Coachbuilders) who project managed the build, and the car is shown on the certificate of origin as being supplied to them, the initial stages of the project were finalised in the 1990s and the car was subsequently displayed at the Techno-Classico Essen show in the late 90s after being evaluated by Mercedes Benz, and photographed in their studios.
The extensive history file includes a full breakdown of cost in the late 1980’s estimated to be in excess of £175,000, together with US Certificate of Origin from Gullwings Inc., German import documentation, Jersey registration documents, and the specification, together with the original hand written notes and correspondence relating to the construction of the car.
Condition Report Overall
In excellent showroom condition, limited use over the last 27 years, recently recommissioned after a period of storage. Now ready for long distance touring and rallys.
Body / Coachwork / Interior
In excellent condition, with a pleasantly mellowed interior. The cabin also stays remarkably faithful to the period, with accurately reproduced seats, instruments, and ivory steering wheel keeping the late-50’s vibe intact. The leather, carpet, and soft trim are beautifully finished, reflecting the attention to detail Gullwing Cars put into every car they built. Only the accommodations for the radio and air conditioning hint at this car’s modern-era underpinnings.
Engine and Mechanicals
In excellent condition, see introduction, the engine is believed to develop some 285 bhp. The car has been recently serviced in our workshops with new Michelin XWX tyres fitted.
Documents available
History file to include, original correspondence, specifications, Gullwing Inc. Certificate of Origin, photographs, specifications, invoices, customs documentation, registration documents
The Heritage
Mercedes-Benz turned the automotive world on its head when the astonishing 300SL Coupe made its debut at the 1954 New York International Auto Show. A technological tour de force, the 300SL had a tubular spaceframe chassis, independent suspension, and a 3-liter inline-six with dry-sump lubrication fed by Bosch mechanical fuel injection. Wrapping the spaceframe was a taut, curvaceous two-seat coupe body shell derived from the W194 racing sports cars. The high sides of the frame led to the ingenious top-hinged doors, that when open resembled a bird's wings – and thus the "Gullwing" moniker was born. Mercedes-Benz built 1,400 coupes and just over 1,800 roadsters in the car's nine-year production run, and today, no significant collection is complete without an example of this post-war masterpiece.
If you fancy the real thing in this colour combination, you will need to find $1.435k plus fees....
If you fancy the real thing in this colour combination, you will need to find $1.435k plus fees....
Gullwing Inc
The value of original 300SLs reflects its status as a benchmark, "blue-chip" collectible. Upwards of seven-figure values are the norms, and concours restorations can easily top a half-million dollars. As the 300SL slipped out of reach for the average enthusiast, the market for replicas and recreations grew accordingly. In the 1980s, a 300SL owner and former Mercedes-Benz employee named Anton "Tony" Ostermeier founded Gullwing International Cars to take the concept of a "replica" 300SL to another plane, designing a ground-up, exacting recreation worthy of sharing the spotlight with the legendary original.
Ostermeier cut no corners developing his Gullwing tribute, using the finest components and materials available. The bespoke square-tube chassis is crafted in the same manner as the original. Keeping it "in the family," the car is built around contemporary Mercedes-Benz W124 engines. The body is measured against factory bucks and made with an aircraft-derived material that bonds fiberglass to a thin outer layer of aluminum. The process ensures precise accuracy, and a nearly flawless outer surface with better consistency and finish quality than traditional fiberglass. Many of the trim parts, instruments, and other details are so accurate that owners of original cars began using them on restoration projects, and even marque experts are hard-pressed to tell the difference between an Ostermeier and the real thing at first glance. These hand-built cars took over 400 hours each to build, and much like a Lynx D-Type Jaguar or Glenn Pray Auburn, the cars of Tony Ostermeier's Gullwing International are highly desirable and considered genuine collectibles in their own right.
Ostermeier cut no corners developing his Gullwing tribute, using the finest components and materials available. The bespoke square-tube chassis is crafted in the same manner as the original. Keeping it "in the family," the car is built around contemporary Mercedes-Benz W124 engines. The body is measured against factory bucks and made with an aircraft-derived material that bonds fiberglass to a thin outer layer of aluminum. The process ensures precise accuracy, and a nearly flawless outer surface with better consistency and finish quality than traditional fiberglass. Many of the trim parts, instruments, and other details are so accurate that owners of original cars began using them on restoration projects, and even marque experts are hard-pressed to tell the difference between an Ostermeier and the real thing at first glance. These hand-built cars took over 400 hours each to build, and much like a Lynx D-Type Jaguar or Glenn Pray Auburn, the cars of Tony Ostermeier's Gullwing International are highly desirable and considered genuine collectibles in their own right.
Recent Sales
As you can see they were asking $389,500. Aside from this, their opinion that Tony Ostermeier built the best recreations is pretty much undisputed.
August 2022 - Hyman Ltd
Gullwing & Co April 2024
This Beauty
Presented in the super-rare original option combination of strawberry red metallic (DB543), as chosen by Grace Kelly, Princess Grace of Monaco over beige leather.
This declared 1989 Ostermeier Gullwing, GW 1050 is the very last car of 50 built.
It is very well-documented, with a history file including the original sales invoice, Certificate of Origin, specification sheets, and sales literature.
By all accounts it has enjoyed a life of light use, and is in superb condition. The body is excellent, exhibiting precise panel gaps, and good-quality plating on the trim. The factory-style painted wheels wear authentic chrome hub caps and new, period-style radials.
Raising the signature top-hinged doors reveals the beautiful, hand-stitched leather cockpit. Anyone who has driven a 1950s Gullwing will feel instantly at home in this car. The leather seats are crafted in the same manner as the originals, with sills trimmed in matching leather, and correct square weave carpet lines the floors. Instrumentation and switchgear are original and not reproductions (like other Ostermeier Gullwings).
This car features a period-correct steering wheel that tilts for easy ingress/egress. Air conditioning is a welcome modern accommodation, as is a neatly integrated stereo. A fitted two-piece luggage set nestles behind the seats, and there is a modest sized boot to accommodate all you'd need on a continental tour.
Mechanically, the car consists of nearly all off-the-shelf Mercedes Benz components, starting with the virtually-bulletproof M104.983 shared with the W124 300E. The inline six-cylinder unit retains the factory fuel injection and engine management, and the power goes through a 5-speed manual gearbox and on to a Mercedes rear axle. Parts are readily available, and any experienced Mercedes technician will feel right at home under the hood. The engine is clean and tidy, appearing well-maintained and reflective of the low mileage. Disc brakes are at all four corners, and the Mercedes-derived suspension is specially tuned for balanced handling and ride quality. These are superb cars to drive, and their quality is apparent from the first turn of the key.
With reliable, proven mechanical components, this is a superb automobile for long-distance touring or for merely savouring your favorite driving roads in the spirit of the original 300SL. With only 50 or so examples produced, Ostermeier Gullwings are extremely rare and seldom available on the open market. This excellent example is beautifully maintained and unique in so many ways.
This declared 1989 Ostermeier Gullwing, GW 1050 is the very last car of 50 built.
It is very well-documented, with a history file including the original sales invoice, Certificate of Origin, specification sheets, and sales literature.
By all accounts it has enjoyed a life of light use, and is in superb condition. The body is excellent, exhibiting precise panel gaps, and good-quality plating on the trim. The factory-style painted wheels wear authentic chrome hub caps and new, period-style radials.
Raising the signature top-hinged doors reveals the beautiful, hand-stitched leather cockpit. Anyone who has driven a 1950s Gullwing will feel instantly at home in this car. The leather seats are crafted in the same manner as the originals, with sills trimmed in matching leather, and correct square weave carpet lines the floors. Instrumentation and switchgear are original and not reproductions (like other Ostermeier Gullwings).
This car features a period-correct steering wheel that tilts for easy ingress/egress. Air conditioning is a welcome modern accommodation, as is a neatly integrated stereo. A fitted two-piece luggage set nestles behind the seats, and there is a modest sized boot to accommodate all you'd need on a continental tour.
Mechanically, the car consists of nearly all off-the-shelf Mercedes Benz components, starting with the virtually-bulletproof M104.983 shared with the W124 300E. The inline six-cylinder unit retains the factory fuel injection and engine management, and the power goes through a 5-speed manual gearbox and on to a Mercedes rear axle. Parts are readily available, and any experienced Mercedes technician will feel right at home under the hood. The engine is clean and tidy, appearing well-maintained and reflective of the low mileage. Disc brakes are at all four corners, and the Mercedes-derived suspension is specially tuned for balanced handling and ride quality. These are superb cars to drive, and their quality is apparent from the first turn of the key.
With reliable, proven mechanical components, this is a superb automobile for long-distance touring or for merely savouring your favorite driving roads in the spirit of the original 300SL. With only 50 or so examples produced, Ostermeier Gullwings are extremely rare and seldom available on the open market. This excellent example is beautifully maintained and unique in so many ways.
All Rise
Another unique and historically important feature of this car is it took the might Mercedes-Benz and won.
In 2016, lawyers representing Mercedes-Benz literally removed this car from a stand at the Essen car show with a court order claiming the car was a breach of copyright. The owner (from whom I bought the car) spent over £300k litigating against Mercedes in the German courts and won. The defendant was able to produce documents showing that Mercedes were complicit and in fact had cooperated with the construction of the Oestermeier cars. Therefore, the Oestermeier cars are the only legitimate replicas that can ever exist as all others are illegal and will be destroyed (which has happened).
Mercedes-Benz had to refund all legal fees and court costs and pay for repatriation of the car to the owner.
Ultimately, this Gullwing is one of only 50 that can legitimately exist and although other replicas have and will be built they are all vulnerable to possible destruction and litigation.
In 2016, lawyers representing Mercedes-Benz literally removed this car from a stand at the Essen car show with a court order claiming the car was a breach of copyright. The owner (from whom I bought the car) spent over £300k litigating against Mercedes in the German courts and won. The defendant was able to produce documents showing that Mercedes were complicit and in fact had cooperated with the construction of the Oestermeier cars. Therefore, the Oestermeier cars are the only legitimate replicas that can ever exist as all others are illegal and will be destroyed (which has happened).
Mercedes-Benz had to refund all legal fees and court costs and pay for repatriation of the car to the owner.
Ultimately, this Gullwing is one of only 50 that can legitimately exist and although other replicas have and will be built they are all vulnerable to possible destruction and litigation.
Medical Records below
Transmission
275.0.0109.90
275.0.0210.90
123 260 2101 717 401 00 032 325
Appears to be from a 1980's W123 M102.980. (230E)
Engine
103 011 10 01
19M 91
R129 300SL
103.984
Chassis compatibility 129.060
Clutch Slave cylinder 201 290 0311
275.0.0109.90
275.0.0210.90
123 260 2101 717 401 00 032 325
Appears to be from a 1980's W123 M102.980. (230E)
Engine
103 011 10 01
19M 91
R129 300SL
103.984
Chassis compatibility 129.060
Clutch Slave cylinder 201 290 0311
Controls
Click here to see some paperwork
Side Windows
The car has quarter-light windows which work really well, but if you don't want to use the air conditioning, then you can remove the side windows to keep cool. Simply pull the chrome catch and the whole side glass can be removed.
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German Rudge Wheels
You may want to consider converting the wheels over to Rudge wheels, which would have been fitted to the race cars.
A company is Austria makes the wheels: https://www.germanrudgewheels.com/mercedes/
The Rudge wheels shown in some of the photos did not come with the car.
A company is Austria makes the wheels: https://www.germanrudgewheels.com/mercedes/
The Rudge wheels shown in some of the photos did not come with the car.
Recent Valuations
This 300SL roadster was offered at Hymans in February 2022 for $495,000.
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