managed second and fourth places at its first outing, the Mille Miglia in 1952 and won the Rally Stella Alpina in 1955 in its last edition. These successes, especially those on the high speed open road races, were rather surprising as the M194 engine was fitted only with carburetors (triple 2-barrel Solex), producing , which was not only less than the competing cars by Ferrari and Jaguar, but also less than the fuel-injected 300 SL road car developed from it and introduced two years later 1954. Low weight and low aerodynamic drag made the W194 fast enough to be competitive in endurance races. Production 300 SL Daimler-Benz's official importer in the USA, New York Mercedes distributor Max Hoffman, suggested to company management in Stuttgart that a street version of the W194 would be a commercial success, especially in America. The result was an icon, the 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing (W198). More than 80% of the vehicle's total production of approximately 1400 units were sold in the US, making the Gullwing the first Mercedes-Benz widely successful outside its home market and thoroughly validating Hoffman's prediction. The 300 SL is credited with changing the company's image in America from a manufacturer of solid but staid luxury automobiles to one capable of rendering high-performance sports cars. The W194 today The W194 is regarded by some as the most important post-World War II Mercedes-Benz made. It is unknown how many of the original 10 W194s manufactured remain. Only one never raced, Chassis #00002, which served as a parts and training car. It has been fully restored by a Mercedes-Benz team and though not for sale received multiple offers of $15 million USD in 2012. See also Mercedes-Benz W196 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W196S) Mercedes-Benz SL-Class References Notes Bibliography W194 Sports prototypes Le Mans winning cars