Mercedes in 1952 had constructed a prototype of the 300 SL “Gullwing”. The car had experimental spoiler-brake, which was tested for the 24-hour race of Le Mans. The position of the “spoiler” was regulated by the driver, putting it in a horizontal position on a straight and vertical when he wanted to brake when cornering.
The Tests were conducted on the track of Le Mans, where it the car could run in the famous Mulsanne Straight, that was four miles long and it was not interrupted by chicanes, which exist today. The cars had to slow down to 50 km/h to enter the turn at the end of the line.The designer of the car was Rudolf Uhlenhaut. The car had a tubular chassis, wich made the placement of conventional doors impossible on the car and that is why the car was equipped with the famous gullwing doors.
