Chassis No.

198.042.10.002462


Engine No.

198.980.10.002954


Body No.

A198.042.10.00184



The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster emerged from a remarkable era of postwar ingenuity and motorsport dominance.

Its story begins with the W194 300 SL competition car, which earned international acclaim through decisive victories at events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the grueling Carrera Panamericana.

These successes directly inspired the 1954 introduction of the legendary 300 SL Gullwing Coupe.

This bold undertaking was championed by influential American importer Max Hoffman, who recognized a strong appetite in the U.S.

for a technologically advanced, high-performance Mercedes-Benz.

The Gullwing's immediate success soon led Hoffman to advocate for an open-top variant, tailored to sun-soaked markets like California.



Engineers extensively redesigned the complex tubular space frame to accommodate conventional side-hinged doors, replacing the Coupe's distinctive roof-hinged "Gu...