- Saoutchik’s 300 GTC is a low-volume, handcrafted homage to the iconic Mercedes 300 SL.
- It is based on a Mercedes-Benz SL, combining retro design elements and an extended silhouette.
- With only 15 units to be made, the 300 GTC is expected to exceed the SL’s top-tier pricing.
Coachbuilding is making a comeback, and Saoutchik, a French firm that went bankrupt in 1955, has risen from the ashes and launched a modern interpretation of the iconic Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. It calls its creation the 300 GTC Roadster, and production will be capped at just 15 units.
The company has confirmed precious few details about the car, but it’s thought to be based on the Mercedes-Benz SL and has a completely bespoke exterior and a revised interior. Whether or not it is a fitting reinterpretation of the 300 SL is up for debate, but there’s no doubt it’ll turn heads once the first examples start to hit the road.
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Visible at the front end of the car are round headlights and a grille which, by modern standards, is quite modest. Saoutchik’s intricate emblem is featured on a large badge in the center of the grille, while the car also rocks two large air intakes with black mesh. Much like the car that inspired it, the front wheel arches are particularly bulbous.
Plenty of classic Mercedes touches are visible on the sides. For example, there are large vents behind the front wheels finished in chrome and a set of massive 22-inch chrome wheels. The coachbuilder has also overhauled the rear half of the car with new arches, a bespoke tailgate, a distinctive silver diffuser, and subtle LED taillights.
A single image showing the car’s interior shows a mishmash of parts from recent Mercedes-Benz models, although the cabin is clearly different than the existing SL, suggesting the 300 GTC Roadster may be based on an older model.
There’s no word on what powers the car, but we suspect prospective customers will be disappointed if they find anything other than AMG’s powerful 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 under the hood.
As only a handful of detailed renderings of the car have been released, it’ll likely be quite some time before we’re able to see Saoutchik’s creation in the flesh. Pricing remains a mystery.
