Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
(1957 - 1963)
Car articles about Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster by year
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 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 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 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.
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.
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!
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SE Cabriolet and Coupé embodied what was feasible in many dimensions and represented the pinnacle of German automotive engineering at the beginning of the 1960s. The magazine 'hobby' took a closer look at the car for heads of state. This article reproduces the original text, published in 1962 and now restored, and is illustrated with the historic factory photographs.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SE was a top European car with a powerful, flexible fuel-injection engine, automatic four-speed gearbox, power steering and four disc brakes with brake assist. It was a pioneering achievement in the field of exterior and interior safety and also a very comfortable, carefully dimensioned and equipped car, which was very easy to handle as a spirited touring car and could also be driven in a sporty manner, according to the Motor Rundschau in its test in 1962.
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.
From 1959 to 1968 (Coupé and Cabriolet until 1971), the Mercedes-Benz W111 model series and its offshoots W110 and W112 were the benchmark in the luxury car class. The saloons, colloquially known as the big and small hatchbacks, impressed - especially in the top versions - with their high level of safety and comfort, impressive looks and self-confident price tags. In this vehicle report, the three model series are brought into order and a Mercedes-Benz 220 S is portrayed in detail, supplemented by many historical illustrations and a sales brochure.
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 300 SL Roadster
Coupe, 215 PS, 2996 cm3
Roadster, 215 PS, 2996 cm3
Roadster, 215 PS, 2996 cm3
Roadster, 175 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 105 PS, 1897 cm3
Convertible, 150 PS, 2281 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 125 PS, 2996 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 160 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 125 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 160 PS, 2996 cm3
Coupe, 175 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 175 PS, 2996 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 160 PS, 2996 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 160 PS, 2996 cm3
Coupe, 160 PS, 2996 cm3
Convertible, 160 PS, 2996 cm3
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Photos of Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (random selection)
Auctioned vehicles of Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (198) 1959 Sold RM/Sotheby's The Andreas Collection Sale (May 2, 2015) |
300 SL Roadster (198) | 1959 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's The Andreas Collection Sale (May 2, 2015) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (198) 1958 Sold Bonhams The Scottsdale Auctions (January 15, 2015) |
300 SL Roadster (198) | 1958 | Sold | Bonhams The Scottsdale Auctions (January 15, 2015) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (198) 1962 Sold Bonhams The Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale (June 30, 2017) |
300 SL Roadster (198) | 1962 | Sold | Bonhams The Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale (June 30, 2017) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (198) 1958 Sold RM/Sotheby's Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance Sale (March 10, 2017) |
300 SL Roadster (198) | 1958 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance Sale (March 10, 2017) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (198) 1961 Sold RM/Sotheby's Amelia Island (March 14, 2015) |
300 SL Roadster (198) | 1961 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Amelia Island (March 14, 2015) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (198) 1958 Sold RM/Sotheby's Lake Como Sale (May 23, 2015) |
300 SL Roadster (198) | 1958 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Lake Como Sale (May 23, 2015) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (198) 1963 Sold Gooding & Co. Amelia Island (March 13, 2015) |
300 SL Roadster (198) | 1963 | Sold | Gooding & Co. Amelia Island (March 13, 2015) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (198) 1958 Sold Dorotheum Fahrzeug Auktionen Salzburg Sale (October 15, 2016) |
300 SL Roadster (198) | 1958 | Sold | Dorotheum Fahrzeug Auktionen Salzburg Sale (October 15, 2016) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (198) 1962 Not Sold RM/Sotheby's The Arizona Sale (January 15, 2015) |
300 SL Roadster (198) | 1962 | Not Sold | RM/Sotheby's The Arizona Sale (January 15, 2015) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (198) 1960 Sold Bonhams The Mercedes Benz Sale (March 28, 2015) |
300 SL Roadster (198) | 1960 | Sold | Bonhams The Mercedes Benz Sale (March 28, 2015) |
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