This would be the world's most expensive car... If you could buy it



A photographic homage to one of the finest cars ever built: the Mercedes 300 SL (starting with the one Stirling Moss drove to Mille Miglia glory)

Starting number 722: The Holy Grail for any car collector and the most valuable car in the world...the 300 SLR Roadster driven by Stirling Moss in the 1955 Mille Miglia. That is, if Mercedes-Benz were to ever sell it

The original 722 and the limited-edition Mercedes McLaren SLR Stirling Moss (left), brought out in 2009. With an original price tag of about £550,000, just 75 were built. A V8 supercharged engine accelerated the Stirling Moss from 0-62mph in less than 3.5 seconds and it has a top speed of 217mph. It was only available to the most loyal SLR customers. The model (right) was first introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1957, when, with a top speed of 155 mph it was one of the fastest cars of its time. It was in production for seven years



The 722 300 SLR Roadster driven by Stirling Moss and his co-driver Dennis Jackson in the 1955 Mille Miglia. The car started at 7.22am, April 30, in Brescia and crossed the finish line also in Brescia, ten hours, seven minutes and 48 seconds later. In that time they had driven more than 1,000 miles, to Rome and back in what was a record time and an average speed that was never surpassed: 97.94mph

The gleaming interior of a 1961 300 SL Roadster

A 1956 300 SL Coupe, with its unique, instantly recognisable 'Gullwing' design - the downside was the interior became notoriously hot on long drives

In 1953 Mercedes-Benz developed the 300 SLR race car for Grand Prix racing - in 1955 it captured the world championship. Meanwhile, the chief engineer built the Uhlenhaut Coupe, left, for his daily use. With a top speed of 180mph, just two were made

This wreck of a 1955 300 SL Coupe was discovered in the U.S. in 2009 - it changed hands for $400,000 before heading off for an elaborate restoration

The Gullwing is back in the shape of the new SLS AMG. With a 6.2 litre 8-cylinder engine, it has a top speed of 197mph

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Book, by Rene Staud and Jurgen Lewandowski, is published by teNeues, priced £85, teneues.com





