105 bhp, 1,897 cc SOHC inline four-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension with coil springs, swing-axle rear suspension with coil springs, and four-wheel drum brakes. Wheelbase: 2,400 mm
Production of the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster can be credited to New York importer Max Hoffman, who foresaw that the competition success of the 300 SL Gullwing would translate into something that he could easily sell in America.
The 190 SL was first displayed as a show car at New York in 1954. This high-quality, two-seat roadster was based upon a shortened 220 chassis and came with 105 brake horsepower, a four-cylinder engine, and an optional hardtop. A production version followed and was launched at Geneva in 1955, retailing for $3,998 with a soft-top or $4,295 with an additional removable hardtop. That was little more than half the cost of the 300 SL and, as such, nearly eight times the amount of many 190 SLs that were sold in the next eight years.
Ultimately, 25,881 Mercedes-Benz 190 SLs were produced. That works out to 270 cars every month, with 70 percent being delivered to the U.S., which was close to the goal that Hoffman had promised Daimler-Benz executives.
The 190 SL Roadster offered here is a European-delivery car that was acquired by the consignor from his wife’s uncle, Maurizio Biacca, in 2008. Mr Biacca had reportedly owned the Roadster since 1992. It was restored for the owner by a noted Mercedes-Benz specialist, formerly employed by Techning Ltd., in Padua, who completely rebuilt the drivetrain and electrical system and performed a highly detailed and well-documented restoration of the body. The interior was restored using correct original materials that were supplied by Ferraresi, of Ferrara, and the Solex carburettors were rebuilt by Dazzi, of Parma. Even the dashboard clock was sent to noted clockmaker Gian Carlo Martini for a complete rebuild.
When finished, the exquisite 190 SL was used by the consignor in his wedding! It is finished in its original colour scheme of Silver over red leather upholstery, as confirmed by a copy of its Daimler-Benz Production Order, with a black canvas soft-top and accompanying hardtop, and it remains in exceptional condition, allowing the new owner to enjoy what is essentially a brand-new car.


