Driving the Mille Miglia in a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Is Like Freebasing Italy

won it by driving at an average speed of nearly 100 mph in a Mercedes SLR, essentially a 300SL with the powertrain of a period Formula 1 car.

rental. So I did. Four gears, 240 horsepower, eight-figure value, no brakes, lots of traffic, summer heat, all against an Apennine background.The route passed through tiny villages filled with locals who turned out to see, hear, and smell history."Give them some revs," encouraged Lohr. This traveling show included fleets ofand Jaguar XK120s dicing with Ferraris and Alfa Romeos, plus surprises like three Chryslers: a '28, a '29, and a '53.

Often, the vintage cars enjoyed a police escort, but upon seeing the round headlights and numbered meatballs on the hood, Italian drivers moved over to let age and beauty through. When they didn't, we'd simply rip past. We pounded through roundabouts, cornering hard enough to feel the rear swing axle begin to dance. The 300SL seemed to relish it, and confidence grew with every minute. That is, until it came time to mash the brake pedal.

I've had sore feet from braking hard, but it usually happens after a couple of days of lapping during. To stop—no, stopping is too ambitious—to slow the SL requires serious leg strength. A Gullwing driver never skips leg day. The four drum brakes are straight out of 1955, but the rest of the driving experience is nearly modern.As darkness arrived, I switched on the headlights, which painted our path a dim yellow-white.

Thoroughly exhausted from the experience and covered in a fine layer of salt, we arrived at the day's final stop at about midnight. I'd driven the entire day, and the 67-year-old supercar never complained or even hiccuped, and it ran flawlessly. I'd have to give up my seat to someone else to enjoy Day Two. It wasn't enough. What I got amounts to a taste of what it's like to freebase Italy. I'll never stop wanting more.

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