WHY THIS CLASSIC MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ROADSTER COULD SELL FOR MILLIONS

A near-perfect example of the legendary 300 SL Gullwing’s successor can be yours for an eye-watering price.

(Darin Schnabel ©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL coupe, with its eye-catching gullwing doors, gets lots of well-deserved love. But its topless roadster successor is also a holy-grail rarity that commands similarly eye-watering prices.

That’s especially true when one is presented in exceptional condition, such as this fully restored 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster that’s on sale at RM Sotheby’s.

(Darin Schnabel ©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)

After the luxury German automaker concluded a run of 1,400 Mercedes-Benz 300SL hard-tops based on the W198 I-gen platform in 1957, 1,858 W198 II-gen soft-tops with better chassis and an oversteer-reducing trailing-arm suspension were produced through 1963.

Each was equipped with a four-speed manual transmission and 2.9-liter straight-six, which was canted at a 45 degree angle to allow for more aerodynamic styling. The vehicle could hit 60 mph in seven seconds flat—a full four-tenths of a second quicker than originally expected—while top speed was estimated to be 140 mph.

(Darin Schnabel ©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)

Those figures shouldn’t be a problem for this particular example, which was recently restored by a world-class 300 SL specialist who brought everything from the engine to the original silver-over-red leather colorway back to the life. RM Sotheby’s has more on the job:

(Darin Schnabel ©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)

While this 300 SL Roadster may not have starry provenance of this 300 SL Gullwing that inspired an Andy Warhol artwork, its history is nonetheless interesting.

(Darin Schnabel ©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)

Though built to U.S. specifications, this car is believed to have been originally delivered to one Lieutenant Browder in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Economic growth was slow after WWII in the southwestern German city, which had been bombed heavily by Allied forces. In 1952, a U.S. garrison was established to help revive Kaiserslautern. Records indicate Lieutenant Browder was stationed there when he ordered the vehicle.

(Darin Schnabel ©2023 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)

More details on this 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster are available through RM Sotheby’s, which is currently offering the car under private sale for $1.9 million—provided nobody bids higher, of course.