[DML] Re: The DeLorean's Gullwing doors

["Phil" <delorean@xxxx>]

The 300SL stands for Super Light, Not Sport Light.

-Phil
philf@xxxx


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ann & Ed Thompson" <RappaRivaRat@xxxx>
To: <dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, October 29, 1999 8:53 AM
Subject: [DML] Re: The DeLorean's Gullwing doors


> > As many of you know, the DeLorean wasn't the only car to have gullwing
doors.
> > I have seen a lot of e-mails saying it was, but it wasn't.
>
> Who are these people John? I would like to help set them straight.
>
> > Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing also has gullwing doors, as specified in
the
> > name. There is a 1956, 1957 and I think more
>
> The original Mercedes gullwing coupe (introduced March 1952) was not
designated
> "300SL Gullwing". It was simply the "Mercedes-Benz 300SL Coupe" the "SL"
meaning
> Sport-Light. Of course it did have gullwing doors and was to become
affectionately
> know as "The Gullwing Coupe" by automobile enthusiasts. Later the
Mercedes C111
> with gullwing doors was developed primarily for speed and endurance
trials.
>
> In the early seventies, under the watchful eye of JZD (as General Manager
at
> Chevrolet), the Corvette group designed and built a gullwing Corvette
coupe that was
> supposed to be powered by the 4-rotor Wankle. It never made it into
production but
> was no doubt the single most influential project that led JZD to
incorporating
> gullwing doors into the design of the DMC-12. The Corvette doors were
remarkably
> similar to those on the DMC-12, except the lower half of the door had a
second hinge.
> (BTW, JZD unsuccessfully tried to buy the Wankle from GM for the DMC-12.)
>
> Later the Bricklin SV-1 gullwing coupe was introduced. The Bricklin went
into
> production in 1974, the same year JZD formed the De Lorean Motor Company.
>
> Incidentally, the fact that the DMC-12 design was remarkably similar to
the Lotus
> Esprit was no accident. Lotus had no small part in bringing the DMC-12 to
fruition,
> but the Esprit did not have gullwing doors.
>
> Regards,
> Ed Thompson (#6419 since 1982)
> Midlothian, VA
>
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