For many car enthusiasts, the walls of our childhood bedrooms were adorned with posters of automotive icons. Names like Ferrari F40 and Lamborghini Countach conjured dreams of speed and style. While owning these poster cars remained a distant fantasy for most, Tino Zovko achieved the unbelievable: he owns the very car that graced his childhood wall – a one-of-a-kind Boschert B300 Gullwing, based on the Mercedes-benz C124.
Tino’s journey began at a newsstand at the age of nine. The September 1989 issue of Auto Motor und Sport magazine displayed a car unlike anything he had ever seen. He was immediately captivated by this unique machine. However, the magazine’s price of 5DM was significantly higher than the usual 1.50DM for Auto Bild. To justify the purchase, Tino struck a deal with his father: an A in his upcoming math test would earn him the coveted magazine. Inside, he devoured the details of Hartmut Boschert’s ambitious plan to produce 200 of these extraordinary cars, boasting twin turbos and self-adjusting suspension. Young Tino wondered when he might finally witness one of these marvels in person.
A decade passed, and the Boschert B300, specifically the gullwing version from the magazine cover, remained etched in Tino’s memory, despite never encountering one in real life. With the dawn of the internet, one of his first online searches was for this unusual car. Surprisingly, he discovered that while ten B300 coupes had been produced, none featured the distinctive gullwing doors that had fascinated him as a child. Disappointment lingered, but the dream persisted.
Years later, in 2005, another internet search led him to an eBay advertisement for what seemed to be his dream car. The auction had concluded, but Tino noticed the reserve price hadn’t been met, meaning the B300 remained unsold. Crucially, it was described as one of the original Gullwing versions. Recognizing this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he immediately set off across Germany to meet the seller. As a student with limited funds, he barely had enough money for the fuel to return home in his own, considerably more conventional, Mercedes W124 400E.
Upon meeting the seller, Tino learned the incredible truth: only a single Gullwing version of the B300 had ever been manufactured. His childhood poster car was not just a model; it was the model. Although the car was Bornit Metallic with a striking two-tone purple interior – a far cry from the silver and black he remembered from the poster – opening the hood revealed a silver engine bay. This confirmed it: this was indeed the very car from his bedroom wall.
Despite the color discrepancy, the allure of owning this unique Mercedes-Benz C124 derivative was irresistible. The only hurdle was his immediate financial situation. He possessed a mere 20 euros, precisely enough for the fuel to return home.
The seller, the nephew of Mr. Bertrandt, who had financed the Boschert project, was understanding. The car had been in storage for years, showing signs of neglect – it wouldn’t start, had minor damage, and one of the signature gullwing doors was stuck. Tino managed to negotiate a deal, securing a three-month window to raise the necessary funds. To achieve his dream, Tino embarked on a determined fundraising mission. He dismantled and sold parts from accident-damaged Mercedes vehicles, liquidated his own possessions, including his trusty 400E, and secured a loan from his future brother-in-law, supplemented by a bank loan to cover the remaining balance. Fifteen years after purchasing that fateful Auto Motor und Sport magazine, and on the very last day of the agreed contract, with his father’s help, Tino finally bought his Mercedes-Benz C124 Boschert B300 Gullwing. No math test was required this time. He was in debt, but he was the owner of the car that had adorned his bedroom wall for years. The emotional value was priceless.
To a knowledgeable Mercedes-Benz aficionado, the B300 immediately stands out. While recognizably based on the Mercedes-Benz C124 300CE, its proportions are subtly yet dramatically altered. The foundation is a 1988 C124, but the front end is a graft from the R129 SL, necessitating reshaping of the bonnet and wings to seamlessly merge the R129’s front with the C124‘s bulkhead. The most striking modifications are the 25cm sections removed from both the rear overhang and the roofline, creating a lower, sleeker profile. This transformation was expertly executed by the renowned coachbuilders Zagato, ensuring a high-quality finish befitting such a unique vehicle.
While the original 300SL Gullwing required its iconic doors due to its tubular chassis, the B300’s gullwing doors are purely for aesthetic impact. However, structural integrity was maintained by strengthening the sills to compensate for the removal of the B-pillar. The doors operate via an electronically controlled hydraulic pump, integrated with the system that adjusts the suspension ride height.
The modifications extend beneath the surface, rivaling the visual drama of the bodywork. The standard 3.0L inline-six M103 12-valve engine from the Mercedes-Benz C124 was augmented with twin Garrett turbos. In the late 1980s, turbo lag was a notorious performance car issue. To mitigate this, Boschert ingeniously employed a sequential turbo setup: one turbo optimized for low-end torque, the other for high-end power, creating a more linear and responsive power delivery. This complex system necessitated a dual exhaust to feed both turbines. The result was 283bhp, a substantial increase over the factory 180bhp, though not quite supercar figures even for the era. The subsequent ten non-gullwing B300s utilized the more potent 24-valve engines as a base, achieving 320bhp and a top speed exceeding 165mph once turbocharged.
The exclusivity and bespoke craftsmanship came at a significant cost. Engaging a coachbuilder like Zagato pushed the price of the Mercedes-Benz C124 Boschert B300 to nearly $200,000 in today’s money, more than double the price of a top-of-the-line V12 S-Class at the time. To attempt to reduce costs, the initial planned production run of ten cars was intended to feature conventional doors. Despite showcasing the gullwing prototype at major international auto shows in Frankfurt, Geneva, and Paris, the B300 failed to garner sufficient orders. Ultimately, only ten B300s were produced, making Tino’s Gullwing a true “one of one” masterpiece based on the Mercedes-Benz C124.
Once Tino brought his exceptionally rare B300 home, the immediate priorities were getting the stuck door operational and the engine running smoothly. Without any spare cash, he bartered with a friend, paying for the repairs with a Mercedes-Benz C124 500E engine and a 400E body shell – thankfully, assets he possessed. As his career as an engineer took off after graduation, time to enjoy his dream car was limited. However, he proudly presented it at the Mercedes Exoten Forum meeting, where, unsurprisingly, it won first place for the most exotic Mercedes conversion. Over the years, the car has required routine maintenance, but remarkably, beyond standard service items, the Boschert B300 remains in the same original condition as the day Tino acquired it.
Wherever Tino takes his B300, it attracts considerable attention, particularly when the gullwing doors are in action. The self-opening passenger door evokes the same sense of wonder in onlookers today as it did when the car graced rotating display stands decades ago.
Beyond the admiring glances, Tino cherishes the friendships forged through conversations sparked by his extraordinary car. One of the most significant of these relationships is with Hartmut Boschert himself, the designer and namesake of the company. Seeking to learn everything possible about his prized possession, Tino visited Boschert and was immediately impressed by his dedication to design and engineering. He recalls Boschert’s home being filled with his creations, from metal kitchen curtains to custom furniture, alongside framed technical drawings of cars. Touched by Tino’s genuine passion for his creation, Boschert gifted the lifelong fan all the Boschert B300 drawings and plans he could locate, including homologation documents.
Approaching two decades of ownership, Tino remains steadfastly committed to his dream car. Regardless of its current market value, selling his Mercedes-Benz C124 Boschert B300 Gullwing is simply not an option.
