Revival tour: two German classics in New York - The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL and the Leica M3 celebrate their 50th birthday
Two technology and design icons from Germany – the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL of 1954 and the Leica M3 introduced in the same year – are celebrating their 50th birthday. To mark this double anniversary, Mercedes-Benz and Leica have commissioned the Magnum photographer Bruce Gilden from New York to stage an emotionally charged happening in his native city: "The Birthday Photo Excursion".
Half a century after the world premiere of the series-production Mercedes-Benz 300 SL at the "International Motor Sports Show" in New York, the US metropolis has once again confirmed its reputation as the "world’s stage". In April it forms the backdrop for a photographic project in which a historic "Gullwing" and an original Leica M3 of 1954 appear as a star duo. As part of the joint revival tour an expressive photo documentation has been created, showing encounters between the two legendary "Made in Germany" classics and people in the "Big Apple".
In his very personal style, Bruce Gilden has captured the mood of the birthday excursion with images taken by a current Leica M7. The 57-year-old, self-taught photographer, who describes himself as a "street photographer", is well known for his highly expressive pictures taken with minimal equipment. The city scenes and perspectives that characterise Gilden’s photos, and with which he puts his own individualistic and exciting stamp on the motifs, are correspondingly unusual. The most impressive snapshots of the "The Birthday Photo Excursion" will be exhibited in various locations during the course of the anniversary year 2004.
SL – a suffix that has aroused emotions for half a century
The brilliant salesman Max Hoffmann made a major contribution to the success story of the SL, which began in New York 50 years ago. He was confident that if given a road version of the 300 SL racing sports car, he could sell 1000 of them on the North American market – its major triumphs in Europe had not gone unnoticed on the other side of the Atlantic either. Hoffmann was able to convince the Board of Management of Daimler-Benz in Stuttgart, and shortly afterwards the series production version of the then revolutionary 300 SL celebrated its world premiere at the "International Motor Sports Show".
In the fifties the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was regarded as the epitome of the modern sports car. Its special features included the first fuel-injection system in a series production car with a four-stroke engine, an unbelievable output of 215 hp from a three-litre power unit and – an absolute sensation at the time – a maximum speed of more than 250 km/h (depending on the final drive ratio). Another technical masterpiece was the car’s lightweight but extremely strong spaceframe, which extended well upwards into the flanks and therefore allowed no space for conventional door apertures. This design feature almost inevitably led to a further spectacular innovation, the famous "gullwing" doors that made the 300 SL Coupé so unmistakable.
1954: a new era in 35 mm photography with the Leica M3
Unmistakable and innovative are attributes which were also well-earned by the Leica M3 when it made its debut in 1954. Technical highlights included an interchangeable bayonet fitting and a bright-line viewfinder with parallax adjustment; the latter precisely showed the actual photo image within a projected, focal-length-related frame. The improved rangefinder, the wide range of selectable exposure times from one to 1/1000th of a second, the hinged rear flap, rapid rewinder and self-resetting frame counter were further features of a sophisticated design in which many years of intensive development work had been invested.
The M3 formed the technical and design basis for the still valid characteristic features of Leica combined view/rangefinder system cameras. They continue to stand for the highest mechanical and optical precision, are noted for their concentration on the essential aspects of photography and place the emphasis on the photographic skills of the user.
Brief profile of Bruce Gilden
October 16, 1946: Born in Brooklyn, New York (USA)
since 1968: Mainly self-taught photographer with a particular fascination for street life
1971: First solo exhibition
since 1992: Numerous books published
1995: Prix Villa Medici
1996: European Publishers Award
1998: Joined the world-famous photo agency Magnum
1999: Japan Foundation Fellowship
2002: Publication of his early New-York images under the title "Coney Island"