Forgotten Cars of the 1950s: the Domestic Boom and Import First Wave

13. 1955 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing

Mercedes made a strong transition from luxurious but practical cars to what was to be a large portion of its future market: sporty models with dazzling design features. The W198 model entered the USA market in the 1950s and, in 1999, was voted the "sports car of the century." It introduced mechanical direct fuel injection to the production car market in the USA, and with the increased power offered a top speed of 163 mph from a 3-liter straight-six engine.