Nico Rosberg takes us on a spin in Monaco in his 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing

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Former World Champion in Formula 1, Nico Rosberg has got a thing for classics. He has recently paid an undisclosed huge amount of money to purchase the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. And now he’s out in Monaco to show off.

He really has a reason to show off actually! His car was designated one of the most beautiful ever built. The two-seater with a steel body and an aluminum hood, doors and trunk lid.

Nico Rosberg drives it like he stole it, along the winding roads of the French Riviera cheering for joy when he pushes the throttle of what is probably the world’s first supercar. Used to the shift paddles on the steering wheel of its former Formula 1 cars, Nico manages wheel the 4-speed manual transmission of the coupe. The car with a rear-wheel drive slides and glides along the road built above the turquoise Mediterranean Sea.

http://mercedesblog.com/mercedes-benz-300-sl-gullwing-reborn-brand-new-original-body-parts-for-mille-miglia-legend/

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing came into the world as a toned-down version of the racing car. It is powered by a front mounted 6-cylinder 3.0-liter engine, turning into the first production car with direct fuel injection. It got the SL indicative from Sport Leicht (Sport Light) and it was fitted the distinctive doors to get that “wow” factor. And “wow” it was indeed, as the 212-horsepower 300SL was the world’s fastest car of its times, hitting 260 km/h.

The coupe that Nico Rosberg drives was available on the market between 1954 and 1957. Soon after that, the roadster saw the light of day.

A Monte Carlo-resident, Nico Rosberg purchased the car last year, but keeps it for special occasions on the French Riviera. The German driver who decided to quit Formula 1 right after becoming a World Champion with Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Motorsport, also owns a Mercedes-Benz 230SL, known as the “Pagoda”.