What do you do when it were the 1980s, you want a modern-day Mercedes 300SL Gullwing and Mercedes-Benz isn't making one? For the early 1980s the answer would be to go to German coachbuilder / tuner Styling-Garage and order a 500SGS Gullwing. The late 80s gave us a new answer: Boschert. Hartmut Boschert, an engineer from Emmendingen in the south of Germany, came up with the idea to make a Gullwing-doored Mercedes not using the Mercedes-Benz SEC (W126), but the then new Mercedes 300CE (W124).

 

The car Boschert built was named Boschert B300 and was introduced at the 1989 IAA in Frankfurt. The car was only loosely based on the Mercedes-Benz 300CE (W124). Boschert fitted the 300CE with the nose of a R129 SL-class Mercedes and completely modified the original car's C-pillar by placing it forward 25cm. This very unusual modificaton gave the car a completely different look but also had a real purpose: the 25cm less overhang at the back of the car would give it better road handling capabilities.

 

After Boschert introduced the B300 in 1989 they also came up with a B300 without the Gullwing doors. The car had the same layout with the typical C-pillar placed more to the front of the car.

 

The original idea was to make a limited production run of 300 cars maximum, but this was number was never reached. Production figures are very low, most cars built are of the non-Gullwing type.

 

The Boschert B300 Gullwing was priced at about 165.000 DM in 1990

 

The initial Boschert B300 Gullwing prototype of 1989 in one shot with a Zender Fact 4 and the inspiration for the Boschert Gullwing, the Mercedes 300SL Gullwing.

 

A side-view of the Boschert B300 prototype. The split window is clearly visible. This was later corrected by Boschert in the production version of the B300.

 

 

Another shot of the Boschert B300 next to an 300SL(R). Interestingly Boschert has fitted the stock Mercedes rims to give the car an "original" Mercedes-Benz touch.

 


 

This is the first, or maybe even only production Boschert B300 with the doors opened. Obviously the Mercedes-Benz star wasn't allowed on the R129 SL-style bonnet, since the Boschert Gullwing is far from a standard Benz.

 

 

With the doors closed, you can see (though not very clearly) that the Boschert B300 production version lacks the split-window of the prototype. This is a great improvement when it comes to the looks of the car.

 

The Boschert B300's rear end.

 

This is the Boschert B300 as displayed at the Automechanika show in Frankfurt,1990.

 


 

This is the "Boschert B300-24 Sport", a B300 that lacks the Gullwing doors. Most of the B300s built were of this type.

 

 

 

 



Text: copyright Bram Corts 2013

 

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