Today, Mercedes-Benz's line-up of vehicles ranges from practical family SUVs, AMG monsters, luxury saloons, sublime sports cars, and even some tech-crazy EVs. But in the olden days, Benz's only interest lied in classy design and perfect craftsmanship, after all, that's why these vintage German automobiles are so sought after today.

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In our list today, we'll be ranking the most breathtaking Benz models ever before the 2000s ever happened, as from there on out, Mercedes shifted its focus to more performance-orientated monsters and sacrificed its immaculate old school design to abide by newer motor regulations. Oh, spoiler alert, not a single one of these gorgeous Germans have a price tag under $80,000, on the contrary, the majority cost north of a million dollars.

10 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300 CE 6.0 AMG Hammer

Via opumo.com

Ironically, as tame and refined as Mercedes was, they too dabbled in the art of putting oversized engines into their cars, and the Hammer was the perfect example of it, but we're not here to talk about the four-door version, no, we're here to discuss the coupe variant, it was so much sexier, scarcer (12 examples to exact), and down-right deadly.

Black 1988 AMG 300CE The Hammer
via Motor Talk

Inside this intimidating black monster was a freakishly huge 6.0-liter V8 that spat out 381 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque which allowed the Hammer to reach 60 mph in 5 seconds flat and reach almost 190 mph, which is still impressive today and was absolutely insane back then.

Related: 10 Classic Mercedes-Benz Models We'd Buy Instead Of A New One

9 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE

via RM Sotheby's

Now, this is what most people would consider being a classic Mercedes-Benz, broad, elongated, a huge front chrome grille, the small three-pointed star attached to the hood, and finished in a sophisticated color, like a warm white or deep black. Inside, it perfectly matches the outside, its panels are finished in the finest woods, draped with the toughest leather and not to mention Mercedes’ perfect amount of shiny metal.

Sky Blue 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE
Via Classic Sterne

While this all might sound a bit boring, Mercedes definitely added some special touches with an optional cabriolet variant, and when it came down to what was under the 280 SE's hood, it made things even more splendid, as this Merc was offered with up to a muscly 4.5-liter V8 that managed to produce nearly 200 hp.

8 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 S

1952 Mercedes-Benz 300 S
Via: Hagerty

Hand-built throughout the 1950s, the 300 S was Mercedes’s epitome of luxury with a stylish design and countless amounts of structural components borrowed from the big daddy 300 SL Gullwing.

Mercedes-Benz 300 S
Via: Classic Driver

The 300 S was the perfect combination of sports car coupe, and luxury limousine by adopting personality traits from the Gullwing like its gorgeous creases, and bulky fenders, but the best attribute about the 300 S was its striking interior that made the whole car come together like no one ever could imagine.

7 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300D Adenauer

mercedes-benz 300d adenauer
Via: Bilweb Auctions

Essentially, the 300 D Adenauer was a 300 S, with 2 extra doors, a stretched-out body, and an updated look; with all of these ingredients combined, one of the most breathtaking limousines ever was created.

mercedes-benz 300d adenauer
Via: Bonhams

And don’t for one second think the cockpit was overglanced, it got somewhat of similar treatment as it too was leveled-up to such an extreme extent you felt like the richest person in the world by a long shot. Flashy was its forte, but speed on the other hand its downfall as the Adenauer could creep to 60 mph from a standstill in about 18 seconds.

6 1935 Mercedes-Benz 540k Special Roadster

Pinterest.com

The 540k was one of Mercedes’ most prominent luxury automobiles, and only the highest class of individuals were given the chance to be transported in them — some were even bulletproof. Once the roof of the 540k Special was folded down, its splendid interior was revealed with its bodacious leather schemes and eccentric wood paneling.

1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster
Via whichcar.com

The 540k Special was powered by a gigantic supercharged 5.0-liter inline-eight engine that wound up 180 brake horsepower and accompanied its unique engine configuration with just the right amount of curves, chrome accents, and an integrated spare wheel just under the rumble seat.

5 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda

drive.com

For the untrained eye, a Pagoda might look like any old topless Benz, but for those with an eye keen for details, you'd see that this particular 280 SL had a slight concave hardtop, which deemed it more unique than the rest, hence the name.

Mercedes-Benz 280SL Pagoda
Via Hemmels

It featured the Benz's brilliant boxy design, gorgeous elongated headlights, and of course a masterfully built 2.8-liter inline-six that pumped out a respectful 168 hp to the rear wheels. If that's not enough reason to adore the Pagoda, behold one of the most stunning interiors ever once you set foot inside.

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4 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR

Mercedes 300 Uhlenhaut Coupe One Off Straight-Eight
Mercedes-Benz

You might have heard of the SLR co-built between McLaren and Mercedes-Benz, but actually, the 2000s SLR wasn't a brand-new model, but rather the modern reincarnation of one of Benz's most remarkable race cars ever, the 300 SLR. Not only was the 300 SLR something to behold on the outside with its perfectly shaped curves and crevasses, but it could reach a top speed of almost 180 mph due to its mind-boggling 310 hp inline-eight.

Mercedes 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe Side View In Dim Light
via Mercedes

Only 2 coupe versions of the 300 SLR were ever built, and are today known as the Uhlenhaut Coupés. But if the 300 SLR hardtop was a tad bland for your taste, you might prefer the literal roofless Stirling Moss.

3 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing

Grey Mercedes-Benz 300SL with Gullwing doors open, front 3/4
Mercedes-Benz

Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful pieces of automotive history, and with such a pristine title, a price tag of more than a million dollars comes at no surprise, but it's well deserved. The Gullwing definitely was very capable on track, as it was powered by a water-cooled 3.0-liter inline-six that mustered up 215 German horses, however, for this list we'll be focussing on how breathtaking gorgeous, and innovative it was.

silver Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing
Mecum

Mercedes-Benz used the 300 SL to flaunt their never-seen-before Gullwing-style doors, racing talents, and unique design language internationally to prove to everyone, they weren't going anywhere.

Related: A Look Back At The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

2 1963 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster

The front of a black 300SL Convertible
mecum.com

Now, some of you might assume since they have near-identical names, the SL Roadster and SL Gullwing would be the same car, but on the contrary, they're more different than you might first think.

Mercedes 300SL Roadster
Via Mecum Auctions

Most obviously, the Gullwing was a sleek and sexy coupe, and the Roadster embodied a more dashing open-air experience, they also remained indifferent by making use of identical engines, but exterior-wise, they were slightly different beings. The most noteworthy style difference between the two has to be their faces as the Gullwing had small round eyes, whereas the Roadster had some rectangular ones to accentuate its handsome face.

1 1930 Mercedes-Benz SSK Count Trossi Roadster

Trossi
source: favcars

The BMW 3.0 CSL is well-deserved as its nickname, “the Batmobile,” but we think there’s another crazy limited sports car from 1930 designed by Ferdinand Porsche himself makes for a close second… and it’s called the SSK. Powering this divine machine was a 7.1-liter supercharged straight-six that pumped out 300 hp, and for a car which only weighed 4000 lbs, that was more than enough to send it flying through corners and sprint down straights, but its highlight wasn't the driving experience, but rather it's extravagant looks, and mysterious backstory.

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Ralph Lauren' 1930 Mercedes SSK, Called Count Trossi, Was The Best Of Show Winner At Two Concours D’elegance Shows One In 1993 And The Other In 2007
Via Pinterest

What once was a normal SSK was morphed into what we now call the Trossi Roadster, and while we know that Carlo Trossi was the designer, no one truly knows who hand-sculpted Trossi Roadster into existence, but whoever they may be, they have created one of the most dramatic cars the world will ever see, and deserve to be praised for their creation.