There was no doubt that Mercedes-Benz had a hit on their hands with their spectacular 300 SL Gullwing. The car’s looks, performance, and brilliant engineering captivated the automotive world, and it proved to be a runaway success for Mercedes-Benz. As production was soon coming to an end for the iconic 300 SL Coupe, the marque grew more eager to add a convertible version to its lineup.

A prototype of this new model was first spotted by German magazine Auto, Motor und Sport at Stuttgart in the summer of 1956, and the production model would later debut at the 1957 Geneva Motor Show. By the end of that year, the final 70 of the 1,400 Coupes and the first 618 of the 300 SL Roadsters were assembled.

Along with a convertible top, the 300 SL brought a host of advancements to the already state-of-the-art platform. The central section of the 300 SL’s space-frame chassis was lowered and smaller sills and enlarged doors were added to improve entrance and egress. Its strength was maintained, nonetheless, with the addition of diagonal struts bracing the lowered side sections to the rear tubular members. The suspension was also revised to allow for a more comfortable ride and improved handling. At the rear, the spare tire was repositioned below the trunk floor, necessitating a smaller fuel tank but also maintaining reasonable luggage space. Even though these revisions added some 250 pounds, the majority of which were associated with the convertible top and its mechanisms, the car remained an excellent performer, with a factory-claimed 137 mph top speed.

Just like the 300 SL Coupe, the Roadster proved to be the vehicle of choice for those with brilliant taste in aesthetics and cutting-edge engineering. As such, many wound up in the garages of celebrities, racing drivers, and other financially successful individuals. With a list price of $11,000, ownership of a 300 SL was a dream to most when the car was new, and to those with the funds to spare, the car was worth every penny. To those looking to make a statement with the purchase of a new car, there was simply no better option.

MR. ROJO’S PUERTO RICAN ROADSTER

The factory data card of the 300 SL Roadster offered here, chassis number 198.042.10.002992, records that it was originally delivered in Ivory (608) and came with a Black (040) removable hardtop and Red (204) leather upholstery. Importantly, its chassis number falls into the range of late Roadsters that were equipped by the factory with disc brakes, which the car retains to this day. In addition, the car is an original European-delivery example, and therefore, it has worn its desirable full-lensed headlamps and original factory fog lights since new.

Ownership is recorded in the Gull Wing Group’s Roadster Registry as far back as the early 1970s, when the car was owned by V. Schafharst, of Amsterdam, Netherlands. While in Mr. Schafharst’s ownership, the Roadster was maintained by Agam-Kronenburg B.V., the Mercedes-Benz dealer in his hometown.

In 1974, Agustin Rojo Jr., a successful businessman from San Juan, Puerto Rico, traveled to Europe in search of his dream car, a 300 SL Roadster. He acquired this car from Agam-Kronenberg B.V., by which time it had already been repainted its present color. He proceeded to spend two months driving the car throughout Europe, with no hotel reservations or fixed schedule. His daughters joined him for the last part of this “once-in-a-lifetime” journey, which, it is reported, cured its owner’s “midlife crisis.”

The following year, with the Roadster now safely in Puerto Rico, it was registered with the Gull Wing Group, which recorded 99,175 kilometers on its odometer. The registration form documents that by this point the car was already fitted with its present engine, number 198.980.10.003062, which, interestingly, is only three numbers off of the engine originally fitted.

For the last 40 years, this prized Roadster has remained in the ownership of the Rojo family. It was repainted some time ago in its present soft grey, which is a wonderful contrast to the lovingly worn-in original leather upholstery. The 110,405 kilometers presently recorded shows that Mr. Rojo has covered only 11,000 kilometers since he registered the car with the Gull Wing Group, which previously stated it at 99,175 kilometers. That mileage was covered on the sun-drenched roads of Puerto Rico, where it participated with the family in rallies and other events, as well as in picking up pastries for the Rojo children on Sundays. Mr. Rojo’s son recalls learning to wash cars by cleaning the 300 SL, and incredibly, this was also the car in which he learned to drive!

The car is accompanied by a collection of valuable documentation, which includes both of its original owner’s manuals (in English and German), a mint-condition original disc brake manual, a water-damaged original 300 SL Roadster catalogue, and records from its service in Puerto Rico over the passing decades, as well as several Gull Wing Group newsletters, paperwork involving Mr. Rojo’s involvement in the group, and family photographs taken with the car over the years. Also included is documentation of its purchase in the Netherlands and importation to Puerto Rico, including the original invoice to Mr. Rojo, his handwritten notes on currency exchanges to pay for the car, and the traveler’s letter of credit, issued for the purchase by the Royal Bank of Canada.

The “Puerto Rican Roadster” is one of the most exciting 300 SL Roadsters to be offered in recent memory. Numerous restored examples have been fitted with disc brakes, European headlights, and a hardtop, but this one has had all three features since new, and it combines them all with stunning originality. This car is worn-in but not worn out, and it is ready for continued refreshing and a return to the roads or to be used as the best possible basis for a restoration. The opportunities, like a good driving road, go on forever. Ella es hermosa!