Fort Lauderdale 2022
1958 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL
{{lr.item.text}}
$225,000 - $275,000 USD | Not Sold
| Fort Lauderdale, Florida
{{internetCurrentBid}}
{{internetTimeLeft}}
- Recently restored W121-type roadster with classic color combination and desirable hard top
- Restored by 190 SL specialists Doctor Classic in Poland
- Said to have been driven sparingly since completion of restoration in May 2020
- Finished in White-Grey over a red leather interior with dark red convertible top
- Believed to be one of 2,722 units produced for the 1958 model year
- Accompanied by factory Grey-Beige hard top, spare wheel, jack, and top boot
Much like its 300 SL bigger brother, the 190 SL was the brainchild of Mercedes-Benz American importer Max Hoffman. He believed that a smaller, less costly roadster bearing a family resemblance to the more exotic 300 SL would prove to be just as successful. Given the car’s popularity upon debuting at the 1954 New York Auto Show and subsequent success throughout its nine-year production run, Hoffman was right.
At its heart was a 1.9-liter, inline, four-cylinder engine with dual Solex carburetors rated to produce 120 horsepower and good for a reported top speed of over 105 mph. The 190 SL was an effortless cruiser and its trunk could easily accommodate a weekend’s worth of luggage for two. Priced at $3,840 when new, it cost nearly half as much as a 300 SL Roadster.
The example offered here is believed to be one of 2,722 units produced for the 1958 model year. Not much is known about its early history. After entering the inventory of a West Coast dealer in 2018, the current owner purchased and subsequently sent the roadster to 190 SL specialists Doctor Classic in Poland for a complete, body-off restoration, completed in May 2020. The attention to detail is evident in accompanying photographs that document the entire build.
The vehicle is finished in the factory-correct color of White-Grey and the interior features red leather with matching red carpeting and a dark red convertible top. Fitting with common two-tone schemes of the period, a Grey-Beige hardtop provides a pleasing contrast when affixed to the vehicle. Further, a Blaupunkt transistor radio is installed in the dashboard. A spare wheel, jack, top boot, restoration photos, and other documents accompany the sale.
