When you think about Brabus, what comes to mind? You must be reminded of hot-rodded Mercedes-Benz cars that have an excessive amount of horsepower and carbon fiber, am I right? With the exception of a couple speedboats and a butch motorcycle, that is essentially what we have seen from the German tuning company throughout the years. But the newest idea from Brabus is completely at odds with what you would typically anticipate from the company. The renowned sports automobile was meticulously restored by the German manufacturer to match the original specifications of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing.” But it’s not just that! The 300 SL that Brabus refurbished is not your typical collector’s vehicle—though none of them are truly typical. The meticulous restoration technique is only surpassed in interest by the tale of how the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was brought back to its former splendor.

For a really intriguing initiative back in 1986, Daimler-Benz commissioned pop art master Andy Warhol. The German automaker commissioned Warhol to illustrate the history of the vehicle with a series of unique artworks dubbed “Cars.” The renowned American artist was tasked with creating eighty images, each with a choice of twenty different cars.

But Warhol died in 1987, therefore the project was never finished. Only 36 paintings and 13 large-scale sketches, including one of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing,” could be finished by the pop-art legend. In 2020, Brabus purchased a 300 SL and later discovered that it was registered under the license plate “EI – DR 1” and had the same chassis number (198.040-5500629) as the vehicle that Warhol had painted for the Cars photo series.

From 1954 to 1957, Mercedes produced about 1,400 units of the 300 SL coupe. Built in 1955, the vehicle bearing the EI-DR 1 plate was privately held for 39 years prior to being acquired by Brabus. The BRABUS 6-Star restoration team set to restoring the car right away, wanting to “bring every last screw of this historic motorsports legend back to life.” According to Brabus, its team of professionals has finally finished the restoration process, bringing the historical automobile and work of modern art back to its original state nearly seven decades after it rolled off the assembly line.

Brabus claims that 4500 hours of effort were needed for the restoration process, with a focus on authenticity and meticulous attention to detail. The restoration was completed in exact accordance with the specifications that Daimler-Benz originally provided for the sports automobile when it was brand-new. This also applies to the 3.0-liter straight-six engine of the sports vehicle, which was painstakingly rebuilt to its original specifications down to the last bolt and nut.

It generates 215 horsepower, which is precisely the same amount of power as in 1955. The sports car’s body was restored to its original color of “silver grey 180 metallic” after the rust and faded paint were removed.

The BRABUS Saddlery’s interior design experts also restored the cabin to its original specifications. In addition to having all of the chrome accent pieces in the icon’s cockpit restored to resemble the original 300 SL, it was reupholstered using the same leather and fabric materials. From today through June 26th, the Andy Warhol Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, which Brabus rebuilt, is on exhibit in the Mercedes-Benz Museum’s atrium next to the Car Series.