1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL

The 300 SL is often credited as the first-ever supercar with its racing technology, outlandish looks and otherworldly turn of speed. It’s also often referred to as “The best car I’ve ever driven”.

On its release, a 1954 brochure wrote “The dynamic outline of its sprawling body denotes the powerful energy which this car can instantly unleash at your command”.

In 1955 the Mille Miglia was won by a Mercedes Benz 300 SLR driven by Stirling Moss launching the 300 SL road car into the stratosphere.

With an air of exclusivity, style and panache and an $11,000 USD price tag to match this instant-sports classic was irresistible to the famous and fabulous of the fifties with names like Clark Gable, Sophia Loren, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Pablo Picasso all dipped into the custodian ring.

1957 saw the launch of the more usable 300 SL Roadster which along with its hard top brother, the ‘Gullwing’, was the first ever production car to be fitted with fuel injection.

The 300SL is one of the most recognisable and desirable sports cars of all time. Acknowledged as a truly great car both for its technical excellence and its audacious, wondrous styling, the 300 SL is a founding member of the motoring pantheon.

This remarkable first year of production 300 SL Roadster of 1957, finished in its original colour of Black over Cognac leather trim is one of the miniscule 1,858 total production run and its original light-weight body over the tubular space frame is in nothing short of excellent condition as is its numbers matching engine and transmission.

One of the most comprehensively and masterfully restored 300 SL’s in the world, using NOS and Mercedes-Benz replacement components, works, including the right hand drive conversion were completed by Wolf Grodd of marque specialists- Sleeping Beauties Restorations in the early 1990’s.

The exemplary detail of finish to this car that has carried through to today earnt the restorer another 12 300 SL projects from collectors worldwide, including the Mercedes-Benz Museum of Stuttgart.

This highly original and numbers matching European specification car is still in absolutely superb condition throughout, recently released from a long held private collection and featuring its original optional Green tint windscreen, stunning polished aluminium alloy wheels, button release hinged arm rests featured only on early series cars, original drum brakes at all four wheels and European Specification Bosch headlamps this rare car carries all the hallmarks of an original and collectable sports classic.

Inside, the original VDO instrumentation with flashes of chrome trim is in perfect working order, the correct Haargarn carpets fit with a typical Germanic pragmatism, the perforated leather bucket seats are a sportingly comfortable mid-century modern master pieces and the overall feeling inside as though you’re sitting within a fine time piece- still totally fresh and luxurious 30 years post restoration.

The drive is also sensational. Not all the quality and quantity of the restoration works are apparent at first glance but a short stint behind the wheel reveals gear changes that move with a rifle like accuracy, direct and purposeful steering and immense acceleration that has to felt to be believed.

Still fresh, correct, and highly equipped, this unwaveringly desirable 300 SL Roadster is both stunning in appearance and exhilarating in performance.

The 300 SL has evolved into one of the most collectible sports cars ever built, and perhaps the most historically important sporting model ever produced by Mercedes-Benz.

Eligible for entry into the Mille Miglia and seldom available to own, drive and invest in, it could be said that no collection is truly complete without one – especially one as on the button as this.