Mercedes 300sl

Yeah, it's a replica, but it's still one of the coolest machines in Leno's garage.

This 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL had a role in bringing Mercedes to Vancouver, and it just sold for $1.9 million.

This beat-up old Mercedes 300SL Gullwing is part of Jay Leno's own collection. After recovering it from the desert, Jay and his team are giving it a little TLC in an effort to bring it back to life.

The Mille Miglia was once one of Europe's premiere sports car racing events, but eventually it got too dangerous and was canceled. Decades later, the race was converted into a historic rally without as much real motorsport competition, and it's now an event which lets wealthy owners stretch the legs of their classics in the Italian countryside.

"Enjoy your toys. Don't worry about breaking them, don't worry about scratching them. Just have fun with them," says the owner of the salt-covered Mercedes-Benz Gullwing. No, it's not a new SLS AMG, but an original 300SL that Bob Sirna bought a year out of college in the early 1980s. Since 2001, it has been repurposed as a Bonneville Salt Flats racecar.

The changes happening at the Petersen Museum have been making the rounds in major press, but it probably won't be until August 18, during Pebble Beach, when we get the full story on what's happening; that's where and when museum reps plan on announcing the way forward for the SoCal institution. In the meantime, the museum is still reorganizing its collection, and that means

This one isn't going to be for the faint of heart. A mechanic recently destroyed a Mercedes-Benz 300SL during a test drive near Pleidelsheim in Baden-Wütterburg, Germany. The owner brought the car to Mechatronics, a shop specializing in high-end and vintage Mercedes-Benz vehicles, for some work. After the job was done, a 26-year-old technician hopped behind the wheel an

Replica carmakers take notice: Daimler will not tolerate copies of its signature Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. At all. And if you fail to heed this warning and build a full-size replica of a 300 SL gullwing, justice will come down like three tons of bricks upon your unlicensed creation.

Gooding 2011 Scottsdale Auction offerings – Click above for high-res image gallery