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This is one 'Gullwing' which may actually take off… Built in Switzerland by - presumably - someone who likes speed, this tuned rocket is a 1,050bhp dragster based on the classic 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing.

The monster Merc - nicknamed 'Dragstar' - is driven by a chap called Stefan Winter, who has probably taken his fair share of 'brave' pills.

While classic car enthusiasts among you might at this point be coughing into your Haynes-embroidered workshop overalls, fear not.

Because this isn't actually a real 300SL 'Gullwing'. Modifying an original 300SL still gets you life in the Tower of London for crimes against automobiles.

Thankfully, the Dragstar is a fibreglass replica of the classic Mercedes, featuring a monster 6.9-litre V8 engine producing a Bugatti Veyron-trouncing 1,050bhp.

The power is fed through the massive rear wheels via a three-speed automatic gearbox, allowing the Gullwing to complete the standing quarter mile in an astonishing 8.1 seconds, crossing the magic white line at 166mph.

We're mighty impressed by this kind of speed, and even more so that someone decided to bring a touch of old-world class to the hard-charging drag-racing scene.

Imagine if he'd left the doors up while accelerating…wouldn't be the first time a Mercedes big bird was spotted in the sky.

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