Mein Gott in Himmel!

Unlike most elements which have solid, liquid, and gas states, old Mercedes 300SEL 6.3s usually come in two states of matter: (1) concours d’elegance mirror-shine triple-rotisserie restored, or (2) unending misery that smells suspiciously like hydraulic fluid. Like physicists playing around with a particle accelerator, the good gents at Bring-a-Trailer have found a third state of matter: road racer.

6.3s are big, heavy bruisers – the original Q-ships. The M100 V8, lifted from the awesome-in-its-own-right Mercedes 600 limousine, made 300 HP and could propel this 4000-odd pound dreadnaught to 60 MPH in 6.5 seconds. That’s damn quick for 1968, as in Ferrari territory. With a 2 ton luxo-barge, with none of its comfort features deleted!

Newer Recarros look surprisingly good.

This particular example has been fully fitted out to tackle the Carrera Panamericana and the Peking-to-Paris races, which are no laid-back spins around the block. Fully prepped to swap paint with the hot Studebakers that usually dominate the race, but retaining the stock automatic transmission (just like the period Mercedes road racers, incidentally), this is a particularly cool and unusual racecar.

[Source: eBay (German language) via BAT, Images: BAT]