Mercedes-Benz 190 SL
(1955 - 1963)
Car articles about Mercedes-Benz 190 SL by year
The Mercedes-Benz 190 SL was the 300 SL for all those who could not afford the expensive super sports car. However, these words are by no means intended to denigrate the 190 SL - quite the opposite. It offered good driving performance and a chic design at a reasonable price. This report reproduces the original wording of an intensive test from 1955 and supplements it with historical images and brochures.
Great victories and a racing tragedy of immeasurable proportions characterized the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S), which was only used in the 1955 racing season. This report looks back on the short career of the racing sports car, showing it in historical and new pictures, but above all also during extensive repair work that became necessary due to an accident in 1996.
Perhaps the most desirable racing car in the world never even drove a single race. The drivers preferred a different body shape; the planned first outing was canceled after a catastrophe. The "Uhlenhaut Coupé" based on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR remained a test vehicle against its will for the rest of its life. This article tells the story of the eight-cylinder racing coupé, which remained unsold for 66 years until it passed into new hands for EUR 135 million.
The Mercedes-Benz 190 SL was the Swabian car manufacturer's entry into a new segment and at the same time an important sales market, the USA. The first prototype was built in just three months after the investment decision and presented in New York. It was to take many more months from then until it was ready for production. The result was a robust boulevard cruiser with sporty ambitions, which has become one of the most popular classics today.
In 1956, Hobby drove the Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing in a double test of almost 3000 km across Germany, Austria and northern Italy. The two authors Sponsel and Dettmer were impressed and enthusiastic, but also recognized the limitations of a narrow sports car geared towards racing.
In "AR"-LANGSTRECKENPRUFUNG NR.87, Automobil-Revue invites its readers to take a ride in a Mercedes 300 SLR racing sports car. Not a short trip, but 3,500 km were covered. And the AR test team were thrilled. Not only the driving performance was impressive, but also the almost everyday qualities of the car, which was actually built for the racetrack. With a sprint time of 7.1 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, a top speed of 284 km/h and braking deceleration of up to 9.8 m/s2, these are qualities that may be standard for sports cars in 2010, but must have seemed sensational in 1956. The significance of such a racing sports car is not limited to its successes or the enthusiasm it arouses in fans of sporting masterpieces. Rather, it shows that there is still untapped technical potential in automobile construction.
When you think of movie cars, the legendary Aston Martin DB5 from James Bond comes to mind for most movie enthusiasts. In comparison, however, the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL is a real blockbuster, as it has appeared in hundreds of films and has repeatedly been at the center of filming, including being driven by Grace Kelly! This report portrays one of the most popular classic cars of all time. And tells the story of the successful sports car.
A serviceable luxury two-seater of the highest quality with the performance and driving safety of a top-class sports car - this is how the testers of the Automobil-Revue saw the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. And they summed it up accordingly: "There is no better way to combine the virtues of a strongly built touring car with those of a fast sports machine. With the exception of two additional emergency seats, it leaves nothing to be desired. From leisurely city drives to long business trips, from sporty excursions to vacation trips, the 300 SL offers something close to perfection, provided you don't mind its somewhat raspy voice. Enthusiasts will love it, technicians will admire it, and the better you know the car, the more you will envy its owners."
In 1959, the range of sports cars on offer was still quite limited. The magazine 'hobby' counted around 30 models and the comparison fitted onto just a few magazine pages. The author Werner Oswald saw the reason for the comparatively small number of models on offer in the transition to self-supporting bodies and the need for rationalization. This report reproduces the original wording of the article at the time and shows the vehicles mentioned in over 170 archive photos as well as in many original sales brochures
The Mercedes-Benz 190 SL was the entry-level sports car for some in the 1950s, although it was not exactly a super sports car in terms of driving characteristics and performance. On the other hand, it scored points when it came to presence and design. This historical test report describes the strengths and weaknesses of the "little star". Many pictures from back then show the 190 SL in all its details.
Between 1953 and 1962, Mercedes Benz produced almost 440,000 Ponton limousines with four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. They were popular and remain so to this day. W 121 was the name of the fast 1.9-liter versions, which had good driving performance thanks to the engine from the 190 SL. This report looks back at the history of the Ponton-Mercedes and portrays an unrestored 190 model. The article is supplemented by many archive photos and the original brochure from the time.
In the early sixties, only a few people were able to afford one of the super sports cars of the time. All the more reason to argue at regulars' tables about which was the faster and better. The magazine 'hobby' compared three of the most popular sports cars of the time in order to bring a little more transparency to these regulars' table discussions. Few magazines at the time approached such a comparison so neutrally and without national prejudices. Worth reading! This report reprints the old report and shows many archive pictures of the individual vehicles in addition to the illustrations printed at the time.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL embodied the super sports car of the late 1950s. As a roadster, it was more refined than the even more famous Gullwing, but it remained a road-going sports car derived directly from a racing car. After all, it had become so comfortable that the world's celebrities all bought one.
In 1961, the magazine 'hobby' "cross-examined" affordable sports cars. Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint, Fiat 1500 Spider, MG A, MG A Twin Cam, Triumph TR 3, Porsche 1600 and 1600 S, as well as Sunbeam Alpine and Mercedes-Benz 190 SL were contrasted and compared. And the winner? Read for yourself! Let's just say that although the most expensive car was almost twice as expensive as the cheapest, the best sports car scored just under 3% better than the worst. This report edits the comparison test of the time and supplements it with many contemporary photos and sales brochures of the vehicles involved. To revel in!
In 1961, Mercedes presented new saloons in the guise of the successful 220. Hobby drove the top-of-the-range 300 SE model with Karl Kling and the entry-level 190D and 190 models with Professor Nallinger. The technology was convincing beyond all measure, but the Hobby writer did not want to judge the shape. This report reproduces the original wording of the historical article and shows the 300 SE in many archive photos.
The Stuttgart brand has always been associated with prestige. So it is hardly surprising that in the early 1960s many people thought that when buying a Mercedes-Benz, you were paying less for a car and more for the star above the radiator grille. Although the 190 C had a serious flaw, the previous assertion was nevertheless wrong, as it stood out from its competitors not only in terms of running smoothness and suspension comfort... The original test report from back then is accompanied by historical images.
"The automatic knows everything, can do everything and does everything the driver wants." This is how the automatic transmission of the Mercedes 190 Automatic could be described in 1962. Daimler-Benz's in-house design was more complex, but also much better than anything else on the market. The magazine 'hobby' wanted to know exactly and tested the 190 Automatic, the results are reproduced in the refreshed original text and illustrated with historical pictures.
"A top car in the European mid-size class, balanced in terms of dimensions, comfort, performance and economy. Spacious, comfortable five-seater and yet agile and fast. Very good road holding, making it sporty to drive at high average speeds on all roads." - Yes, the testers of the Motor-Rundschau 1962 summarized their impressions just as soberly and objectively, which we reproduce in this article in the equally objective original wording.
The magazine 'hobby' wanted to know exactly: Does a diesel have to be lazy in the mountains? To answer this question, the Mercedes-Benz 190 D was put to the test on wintry Alpine passes in 1962. The account of the experiences is as entertaining as it is impressive. And the Mercedes passed the test with flying colors. This article edits the test report of the time and supplements the few pictures with extensive archive material.
Is the Mercedes 230 SL better than its predecessor, the 190 SL? Is it worth switching to a newer model? To get to the bottom of this and many other questions, hobby editor Heinz Kranz climbed into a fresh 230 SL and compared it visually, technically and on the road with its predecessor, the 190 SL. The result is a comprehensive vehicle report comparing the two models and detailing their advantages and disadvantages.
The Mercedes-Benz 280 SL of the W 113 model series and its direct predecessors, the 230 SL and 250 SL, are among the most popular automobile classics of all. Accordingly, much has already been written about them. That is why, in addition to a brief biography, this article focuses on special variants and versions that are less well known, but also offers driving impressions with a 280 SL with automatic transmission. Many of the historical photographs showing pre-series versions and special bodies are probably unique, as are the early press documents, which means that this vehicle report is also aimed at intimate connoisseurs of the "Pagoda".
Almost 40 years and several model series lie between the first open-top 300 SL and the last. Technically and conceptually, the W 198 and R 129 series are far apart. But both offered pleasurable open-top driving and superior performance, i.e. the same thing, albeit nowadays at a price that differs by a factor of 50. This report compares the first and last bearers of the 300 SL name and shows both in historical and contemporary pictures.
Current market prices for Mercedes-Benz 190 SL
Convertible, 105 PS, 1897 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 75 PS, 1897 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 80 PS, 1897 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 50 PS, 1897 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 50 PS, 1897 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 80 PS, 1897 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 54 PS, 1988 cm3
Coupe, 215 PS, 2996 cm3
Roadster, 215 PS, 2996 cm3
Roadster, 215 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 150 PS, 2281 cm3
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Auctioned vehicles of Mercedes-Benz 190 SL
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz 190SL Convertible 1961 Sold Bonhams Les Grandes Marques à Monaco (May 11, 2018) |
190SL Convertible | 1961 | Sold | Bonhams Les Grandes Marques à Monaco (May 11, 2018) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (121) 1962 Sold Bonhams The Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale (June 30, 2017) |
190 SL (121) | 1962 | Sold | Bonhams The Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale (June 30, 2017) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 190 SL LHD 1963 Sold Artcurial Rétromobile 2014 & Solo Alfa by Artcurial Motorcars (February 7, 2014) |
190 SL LHD | 1963 | Sold | Artcurial Rétromobile 2014 & Solo Alfa by Artcurial Motorcars (February 7, 2014) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 190 SL 1962 Sold Bonhams The Spa Classic Sale (May 18, 2014) |
190 SL | 1962 | Sold | Bonhams The Spa Classic Sale (May 18, 2014) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (121) 1956 Sold Aguttes Lyon Sale (June 20, 2015) |
190 SL (121) | 1956 | Sold | Aguttes Lyon Sale (June 20, 2015) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (121) 1960 Sold Classicbid Retro Classics Auction 2016 (March 18, 2016) |
190 SL (121) | 1960 | Sold | Classicbid Retro Classics Auction 2016 (March 18, 2016) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 190 SL 1961 Not Sold RM/Sotheby's Online Only Open Roads December (December 1, 2021) |
190 SL | 1961 | Not Sold | RM/Sotheby's Online Only Open Roads December (December 1, 2021) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 190 SL 1960 Sold Bonhams Scottsdale (January 27, 2022) |
190 SL | 1960 | Sold | Bonhams Scottsdale (January 27, 2022) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 190 SL (121) 1957 Sold Gooding & Co. The Scottsdale Auctions (January 16, 2015) |
190 SL (121) | 1957 | Sold | Gooding & Co. The Scottsdale Auctions (January 16, 2015) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 190 SL - Right-Hand Drive - 17,000 miles from new 1962 Sold Iconic Auctioneers Silverstone Festival Classic Sale (August 25, 2023) |
190 SL - Right-Hand Drive - 17,000 miles from new | 1962 | Sold | Iconic Auctioneers Silverstone Festival Classic Sale (August 25, 2023) |
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