Hard facts, soft skills: technical data, casually recounted anecdotes, and plenty of interesting lifestyle information
On track and on the screen: the successes of the 300 SL in racing and its many appearances in the movies and on television
A must-have for all gullwing fans
In 1954, the MercedesBenz 300 SL was unveiled at the International Motor Sports Show in New York— the start of an unparalleled success story. Victories in the 24hour race at Le Mans and the Carrera Panamericana made it worldfamous. It also possessed groundbreaking technology, including the first seriesproduction fuelinjected engine. Its elegant shape and futuristic gullwing doors made it a coveted prize, symbolizing exclusivity and freedom.
This volume has everything that is important about the legendary sports car: wonderfully aesthetic automotive photography by René Staud and archive pictures rich in patina, snapshots of racing successes and famous owners, and interesting facts from the model’s history to the colors of the paintwork.
René Staud was born in Stuttgart in 1951. A top car photographer for five decades, he is renowned as one of the greatest innovators of automotive photography. His patented Magicflash® not only illuminated his art, but also revolutionized car photography in the studio. Still the most apt review of his work originated from Motor Presse Stuttgart:
“René Staud is a masterful photographer: his artworks are finely balanced compositions of light and color contoured with a flash. His portraits of captivating car bodywork have made a distinctive mark in the world of modern automotive photography.”
René Staud’s path to photography was defined early on: He was twelve years old when he won his first photography competitions. In 1966 he was a self-employed photographer and laid the foundation for René Staud Photography.
In 1975, at 24, he opened his first studio in Stuttgart and began to specialize in car photography. The studio’s bookings flourished, also thanks to its neighboring site to the luxury carmakers Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Above all, the special quality, Staud’s signature style and, post-1986, his dream studio in Leonberg ensure that for Staud Studios, until today, iconic images are “made in Leonberg”.
The auto industry is not alone in treasuring the collaborative work with René Staud. For over 10 years teNeues Verlag has celebrated the photographer’s artwork with beautiful photo volumes such as The Porsche 911 Book, The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Book, The Aston Martin Book, the Black Beauties First Edition and The Classic Cars Book as well as many other titles that became bestsellers.
René Staud is still passionate about photography and the automotive world. He devotes his time to exhibitions, events and photo shows in galleries, thus, revealing fresh enthusiasm for automotive trends – Staud’s photo shoots of collectors’ vehicles and classic cars mean the “fascination of the automobile” lives on.
After studying German and English language and literature and years as an apprentice at the magazine "auto, motor und sport", Jürgen Lewandowski was head of the technology department at the magazine "hobby" before joining the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" in Munich as head of the car and traffic department.
Since then he has worked as an author and correspondent for several publications worldwide. In addition to his work as an observer and chronicler of today's automotive scene, he has been involved with automotive history for decades.
In the course of the past 35 years, Jürgen Lewandowski - whose library now comprises more than 4500 books on the subject of cars - has initiated, written and edited around 100 books on the history of the automobile and the development of new model series.
Jürgen Lewandowski lives and works in Munich.
