Mercedes 300SL Gullwing wrecked by mechanic

Fri, 29 Mar 2013

This one isn't going to be for the faint of heart. A mechanic recently destroyed a Mercedes-Benz 300SL during a test drive near Pleidelsheim in Baden-Wütterburg, Germany. The owner brought the car to Mechatronics, a shop specializing in high-end and vintage Mercedes-Benz vehicles, for some work. After the job was done, a 26-year-old technician hopped behind the wheel and brought a 19-year-old apprentice with him for the ride. As you can see, the car did come back in one piece, but that piece didn't quite look like it used to. Police say – surprise! – speed was a factor when the vintage Gullwing left the road and rolled. Neither the driver nor the passenger were seriously injured.

All told, the damage is estimated 650,000 euros, or $830,000 at current conversion rates. Both the car and the garage are sufficiently insured to cover the damages, and Spiegel Online says the owner took the news about his destroyed classic in stride. At this point, it's unclear whether their driver will pay to have this particular car repaired.

By Zach Bowman