This obscure French supercar hides a priceless classic icon underneath
- French coachbuilder Saoutchik designed this supercar
- This is the brand’s first car in over 70 years
- It is a tribute to the Mercedes 300 SL
Published on Sep 24, 2024 at 5:22 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Oct 01, 2024 at 3:22 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
This striking supercar looks halfway between a classic car and a modern one, but there’s a good reason for that.
It’s designed by a company you’ve probably never heard of – Saoutchik – as a modernized iteration of a classic.
The eye-catching body is a modern-day tribute to the Mercedes 300 SL.
But fear not – no Mercedes 300 SLs were harmed in the making of this…we hope.
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The story behind Saoutchik
Saoutchik was a coachbuilder founded in France in 1906.
It was founded near Paris, but the name is Slavic because the founder was Iakov Saoutchik, whose family had emigrated from the then-Russian Empire in 1899.
Saoutchik worked on a variety of different vehicles, from household names such as Bentley and Cadillac, to more obscure brands like Delahaye and Hispano-Suiza, another automaker that recently made a comeback.
As for Saoutchik, the company ceased operations around 70 years ago, in the mid 1950s, and no one paid much attention to it until now, with this new car.
What we know about this supercar so far
Saoutchik shared these images of a new upcoming model called the 300 GTC, a tribute to the iconic Mercedes 300 SL, but hasn’t said much about it yet.
The prototype doesn’t have gullwing doors, a defining feature of the original 300 SL, but it does have a drop-top roof and large, round headlights at the front.
The car looks tremendous, but there are a few things we’re not sure about.
First, Saoutchik hasn’t shared too many details about it.
We’re going to go ahead and assume they won’t actually cut original 300 SLs into pieces to put them back together, because that wouldn’t go down well with collectors – or with Mercedes, for that matter.
Second, we don’t know whether this is going to be a Mercedes-inspired concept, or an electromod of some sort, as in a classic car revamped with electric power.
Hopefully we won’t have to wait another 70 years to find out.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
