The 300 SL Gullwing wasn't just a car. It was Mercedes-Benz showing the world what happens when German engineers decide to build art.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

And now, the very last one ever made is heading to auction, which is rather like discovering that Leonardo da Vinci had one final painting tucked away in his attic.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

But they didn't just slap on some indicators on a le mans car and call it a day.

The spaceframe chassis was so intricate that conventional doors wouldn't work unless you wanted to climb in through the window like a cat burglar.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

So, they made the doors open upward, creating those iconic gullwing doors that would later inspire everything from the DeLorean to modern-day Lamborghinis.

Under the bonnet sat a 3.0-liter straight-six that was essentially a racing engine with road manners. It produced 240 horsepower, which might sound modest by today's standards, but in 1954, that was enough to make it the fastest production car in the world.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

It could hit 60 mph in under 10 seconds and reach 163 mph flat out - numbers that would embarrass many modern sports cars.

But what made the Gullwing truly special wasn't just its performance - it was how it delivered that performance.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

This was a car that could be driven to a black-tie dinner, win a grand prix, and then drive home again. It was beautiful, practical (by 1950s supercar standards), and properly quick.

Mercedes only built 1,400 of the coupés, making them rarer than hens' teeth and twice as valuable.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

Which brings us to "The Last One." Chassis number 7500079 rolled off the production line on May 15, 1957, wearing a coat of Fire Engine Red paint over Créme leather - a combination it still wears today.

It was a special order destined for the Poznan International Trade Fair, before making its way to America, probably causing jaws to drop at every fuel stop along the way.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

What's particularly impressive about this final Gullwing is its condition.

It still has its numbers-matching everything - chassis, engine, gearbox, even the front kingpins.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

That's a bit like finding a 66-year-old person who still has all their original parts.

The 3.0-liter straight-six still produces its full 240 horsepower and 217 lb-ft of torque, all sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox that probably feels like it was crafted by a watchmaker.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

RM Sotheby's, who are handling the sale at the amfAR Gala in Las Vegas, reckon it'll fetch between $2.5 and $3.5 million.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

That's the kind of money that would buy you a decent-sized house in most places, or a small cupboard in London. But then again, this isn't just any old Mercedes - this is the last example of what might be the most beautiful car ever made.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

The fact that it's the final Gullwing ever built makes it even more special.

It's like owning the last dinosaur, except this one won't try to eat you and looks better in red.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

It's the full stop at the end of one of the most important sentences in automotive history.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

Will it be the most expensive 300 SL ever sold?

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

Actually, no - another example sold for more this autumn.

But that rather misses the point.

Image Credits: R.M. Sotheby's, available at [**link**]

This isn't just about value; it's about significance.

This car represents the end of an era when cars weren't just designed by computers and focus groups, but by engineers and artists working together to create something truly special.