BAPE designer Nigo orders custom Mercedes 300SL Gullwing from AMG
Click above for a gallery
Of all the fashion/automotive collaborations we've seen, few are as bonkers as those of A Bathing Ape fashion house designer Nigo. The Japanese icon has given the BAPE treatment to some of the most expensive automobiles on the market, including camo'd Rolls-Royce Phantoms and pink Bugatti Veyrons. But now, after laying hands on Volkswagen's Bugatti and BMW's Rolls-Royce, Nigo has forked over his stylish cash to Mercedes-Benz tuning division AMG for a modern riff on a classic 300SL Gullwing.
So far, only this dedication plaque has surfaced, but that tells us all we need to know. The vehicle in question appears to have started its life as a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, but undergone an engine swap this year to place a modern 6.0-liter V8 under the hood. No word on what styling tweaks may have been carried out, but we wouldn't be surprised if the vintage Benz proved hard to find in a tinted jungle.UPDATED with images and gallery.
Gallery: Nigo 300SL
[Source: Bespoke Ventures]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
TigerMil 8:40AM (4/03/2009)
I like vintage restomods as much as the next guy, but this is obscene. A great 1954 SL gullwing is history...restore it better than new is bad enough (see Left Coast Golf Course Shows...eeew) but butchering it to put a modern engine in it is like putting two welded V8 engines in a classic duesenberg.
Better to take a modern SL and rebody it to a 54 gullwing.
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Just B 8:52AM (4/03/2009)
here are pics of the completed car
http://blog.honeyee.com/nigo/
dave 9:50AM (4/03/2009)
Barf. Excuse me while I go puke my guts out whilst sobbing uncontrollably at the loss of such a lovely piece of automotive history.
Temple 12:25PM (4/03/2009)
Luckily the exterior is vinyl plastic covering, and can be peeled off. Here is a picture without the ugly ass camouflage. At least he has enough sense to drive around without it.
http://www.0-60mag.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/090227_nigo_amg300sl_l.jpg
Oddly enough its from a magazine, saying "I don't know whether to laugh or cry" at the car. The engine is probably a bored AMG M113 engine.
Geeky1 1:33PM (4/03/2009)
@ TigerMil
I should preface this by saying that the 300SL is-and has always been-my favorite car of all time. I mean going back to the age of like, 3 or 4. But I completely disagree with you. The car, while rare, is not one-of-5-remaining or some such, and as I understand it parts availability for the most part, for such an old, rare car isn't all that bad, so it's not like they're nigh on impossible to bring back should you find a trashed one in your uncle's barn or some such.
I'd be VERY upset if this became a trend or if there were literally only a handful of cars left, but I think that there are enough of them left that it's acceptable to modify a few (very few) of them, as long as it's done with the taste (and the camo DEFINITELY doesn't qualify there) and to the level of quality that this particular automobile is entitled to. And if any company can put something like this together the way it should be put together, it's AMG. I still wouldn't do it personally, I love the car too much to change a thing about it. But like I said, as long as it's done properly, I can't get too upset about it.
But then there's a whole list of old Mercedes that I'd like to restomod properly (a pipe dream, at this point)-albeit none of them as rare as the 300SL, but none of them are exactly 2 to a street corner, either. A high grille w111 coupe, a late w136 sedan (a 170Ds, probably), an Adenauer 300d and a few others... So I may just be nuts.
mk3 5:10PM (4/03/2009)
I agree about the paint it's disgusting. But I always liked the idea of a new engine. I mean I don't care very much about the originality of the car. I want a new car but with an old unique body like this.
Ian Merizalde 10:02AM (4/03/2009)
This image is heartbreaking and makes me want to cry.
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Jvijil 10:19AM (4/03/2009)
they ruined a perfectly good gullwing...why?!?!?
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AC 10:24AM (4/03/2009)
I think this is the one that you are talking
http://www.uwants.com/viewthread.php?tid=7863645&extra=page%3D1
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Juan 10:26AM (4/03/2009)
The registered trademark symbols take an already tacky chrome plate and makes it look ridiculous.
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Orga 10:30AM (4/03/2009)
As soon as I saw who it was, I knew the butchery was imminent. Still... how do you prepare yourself to see something so heartbreaking?
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Nathan 11:23AM (4/03/2009)
Pretty ugly, but since it's just a vinyl wrap it's easily reversible.
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996700 12:28PM (4/03/2009)
Agreed.Thank god!!!
2004m3driver 1:26PM (4/03/2009)
Its his clever marketing scheme. I wish I was that smart at fooling people into buying things so I can buy cars to desecrate and get everyone's panties in a bunch.
John 1:17PM (4/03/2009)
I'm almost 100% certain this is a replica.
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aj121489 2:21PM (4/03/2009)
I would really hope so
Richard 1:22PM (4/03/2009)
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!
Evidently, Mercedes has no scruples regarding their own history.
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Kaveh 3:10PM (4/03/2009)
The car just looked wrapped not painted. But, be interesting to know what kind of power that engine is running, got to be fun.
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Edmond Dantes 4:55PM (4/03/2009)
Wrapped or not, this is a disgrace.
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RLQ 2:20AM (4/04/2009)
This would be nice if he kept the stock color.
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