It goes without saying that Mercedes-Benz’s 300 SL was a hugely important automobile. It started as the brainchild of American Mercedes-Benz importer Max Hoffman, who was convinced that a road-legal version of the successful W194 racer would be profitable in the United States and that his clients would beg for the chance to own an automobile with such brilliant performance and styling.

After lobbying the top-brass at Mercedes-Benz to develop such a car, Hoffman’s wish was granted, and the car that resulted exceeded even his wildest dreams. The 300 SL utilized a chassis that had been developed from lessons learned in racing, and it was the first production automobile to use fuel injection as opposed to carburation, which was a technological advancement that allowed it to become the fastest street legal car of its day. The public fell in love with its styling at the 1954 New York Auto Show, where it premiered, and they were mesmerized by its use of roof-hinged “gullwing” doors. The car became such a design icon that it would even catch the eye of Andy Warhol in 1986, who featured it in a painting entitled Cars, which was commissioned by German art dealer Hans Meyer.

Hoffman, not keen on settling with a closed version of the 300 SL, also desired a convertible variant of the world’s most desirable sports car, and the Roadster was introduced in short order in 1957. Since the 300 SL would lose its top, engineers reinforced and modified the space-frame chassis to fit conventionally hinged doors, which simultaneously allowed for greater ease of entry by lowering the height of the chassis at the door line. At the same time, the design team also made a handful of slight changes to the 300 SL’s body, including a smaller grille opening and dual chrome strips on the side sills, which gave the car a more streamlined and glamorous look.

Of course, Mercedes-Benz would not allow performance to be compromised due to the 300 SL’s lack of a roof, and all Roadsters were offered with the more sporting NSL engine of the Coupe as standard equipment. This made the Roadster capable of top speeds that ranged from 133 to 155 mph, depending on the final drive ratio specified.

This 1959 300 SL Roadster was originally built for the U.S. market, and it was one of just four examples originally finished in Linden Green (DB 218G). While its early history is unknown, the car’s first recorded owner was John DiGiorgio, of Sausalito, California. After DiGiorgio, the car’s next owner was Patrick Smiekel, of Santa Ana, California, who retained the Roadster until 1990, when it was purchased by James Clifford Jr., of Atlanta, Georgia.

Clifford retained the 300 SL Roadster for a short period of time before it was purchased by another gentleman from Atlanta, Wiley P. Ballard Jr. During World War II, Ballard was a flight officer and glider pilot in the Air Corp. Later on, he became an oil and gas producer with a penchant for German automobiles, even owning a Mercedes-Benz 600 Limousine. By the time Ballard purchased his 300 SL, it was finished entirely in red and noted as being a “well-used example.” This did not discourage Ballard from using the car in the slightest, and over the following decade, Mr. and Mrs. Ballard drove the car frequently and greatly enjoyed its performance and polite road manners.

When Mrs. Ballard passed away, Mr. Ballard decided that it was time for the 300 SL to be restored, as a tribute to the many years of fond memories he and his wife shared in the car. It was then entrusted to Mark Allin, of Precision Automotive Restoration Inc. (now Rare Drive) in Newburyport, Massachusetts, for a complete restoration. Allin, who had spent many years as the shop foreman at Paul Russell & Company, was intimately familiar with Mercedes-Benzes, 300 SLs in particular. Every aspect of the car was addressed during its two-year restoration, and the car was brought back to an exceptional standard. It retains the correctly applied factory inspection marks, clamps, hoses, and decals in the engine bay, and it is truly stunning in every respect.

Ballard decided to refinish the car in the factory-correct color of Anthracite Grey, which is a stunning shade that does an excellent job of showing off the Roadster’s delightful contours and shape. The interior was refinished in black leather, and with its correct chrome-plated wheels and Michelin X-stop tires, this 300 SL Roadster is truly in a class of its own. Attesting to the quality of its restoration, the car was shown at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in 2004, where it took home Best in Class honors. Afterwards, the car returned home to Georgia with Ballard, where he enjoyed it for several more years.

Ballard finally sold his prized 300 SL Roadster to Scott Lutgert after he was no longer able to comfortably drive it due to age. Lutgert in turn sold the car to renowned collector Steven Adler, of New Vernon, New Jersey, and shortly thereafter, in 2010, it was purchased for the Andrews Collection.

The 300 SL Roadster is known as the archetypical post-war Mercedes-Benz convertible, and it is an icon of engineering and design, as it was truly ahead of its time. The 300 SL has been cherished by enthusiasts since the day it was introduced, and no important collection is without one.

The Andrews’s 300 SL is in incredible condition and a wonderful example of its kind. It would surely please its next owner on such long-distance rallies as the Colorado Grand, and it would certainly hold its own on any concours lawn.