Footnotes

If you wish to bid on this lot, please refer to page 2 for BIDDING INFORMATION.

Created to spearhead Mercedes-Benz's return to competition in the post-war era, the 300 SL debuted in the 1952 Mille Miglia, finishing 2nd and 4th overall. Wins in the Carrera Pan-Americana and at Le Mans followed, and the 300 SL was on its way to becoming part of motor sporting legend. Max Hoffman, the Mercedes-Benz importer for North America, believed there would be a market for a road-going version and managed to convince the factory that such a car would be a success.

The first racers were open-topped but before the '52 season's end the distinctive 'Gullwing' doored Coupé had appeared. Unusually high sills were a feature of the multi-tubular spaceframe chassis, and while access was not a problem of the open car, the adoption of coupé bodywork required innovative thinking - hence the Gullwing doors.

Launched in 1954, the production 300 SL retained the spaceframe chassis of the racer and was powered by a 2,996cc, overhead-camshaft, inline six canted at 45 degrees to achieve a lower, more aerodynamic bonnet line. Using Bosch's innovative direct fuel injection, this state-of-the-art power unit produced 215bhp at 5,800rpm. A four-speed gearbox transmitted power to the hypoid bevel rear axle, while suspension was independent all round by wishbones and coil springs at the front with swing axles and coil springs at the rear.

Tested by the highly respected American magazine Road & Track in 1955, the 300 SL accelerated from 0-60mph in 7.4 seconds, going on to achieve a top speed of 140mph: outstanding figures for its day. It was, arguably, the world's first supercar. Its racing parentage notwithstanding, the 300 SL was and remains a thoroughly practical automobile, as civilised in city driving as it is exhilarating on the highway.

Clearly the 300 SL Coupé would be a hard act to follow yet the Roadster version, introduced just three years later, succeeded in bettering its closed cousin's already exemplary road manners. Built with conventional doors, the 300 SL Roadster was first exhibited at the Geneva Salon in May 1957 and was an immediate hit with the 1950s 'Jet Set' of royalty, actors, and socialites. The production of an open 300 SL involved altering the cockpit area, where the spaceframe was redesigned to permit lower sills for improved access. At the same time the rear suspension was changed to incorporate low-pivot swing axles.

The Roadster's neutral steering characteristics received fulsome praise from Road & Track in its 1958 road test: "With the low-pivot rear suspension and more adhesive tyres, the car handles beautifully under all conditions. This is a tremendous improvement over the gullwing models, which had a tendency to oversteer rather violently if pressed too hard." A 0-60mph time of 7.0 seconds and a top speed of 130mph were recorded, making the 300 SL Roadster one of the fastest convertibles of its time. R&T concluded: "There is no doubt that the 300 SL roadster is a truly great dual-purpose sports car, equally at home in traffic and the open road, or on the track", words that remain equally true today.

The 300 SL Roadster sold well for a car that cost more than a Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder, and would outlive the 300 SL Gullwing Coupé, which ceased production in 1957, by several years. Roadster production ceased in 1963 after 1,858 cars had been built, some 70% being exported to the USA, and today the model is both rare and highly sought after.

Bonhams are proud to offer this stunning car, one of the very few which had been originally delivered to Belgium. According to the Mercedes-Benz Datenkarte, 002811 left the factory on 19th April 1961, one of approximately 256 built that year. The original colour was weiβgrau (colour code DB 158) with an interior in naturbraun (natural brown, colour code DB 1068). 1961 marked an important chapter in the production of the 300 SL Roadster as all cars from chassis number 002780 (including this example) onwards were fitted with Dunlop disc brakes on all four wheels.

In 1976 the car returned to Germany and was registered to a certain Peter Klees of Wuppertal. While in his custody the engine was replaced by the official Mercedes-Benz dealer Auto-Wunsch in Haan with the later and much more desirable alloy engine (engine number prefix 198.982). The alloy engines were the ultimate stage in 300 SL development and only offered for the two last years of production, 1962 and 1963. As was usual practice at the time, the replacement engine was then stamped with the original engine number 198.980.4502868. Importantly, the engine change has been recorded in the accompanying "Einbaupaβ" (installation pass), stamped by Auto-Wunsch. The recorded mileage at the time of the engine change was 53,600 km. Mr Klees enjoyed the car until 1980 when it passed into the ownership of a Mr Reinhard Scholz of Georgsmarienhütte near Osnabrück, who would keep the car for no less than 17 years. Mr Scholz had the gearbox replaced, again by an official Mercedes-Benz dealer, this time Patberg GmbH of Osnabrück. They again issued an installation pass and recorded the mileage when the gearbox was replaced as 81,000 km in December 1980.
Scholz also commissioned a comprehensive restoration of the car which lasted from 1990 to 1992. He entrusted the work to Werner Claas of Varel near Wilhelmshaven in Northern Germany. Claas owned a large Dental Laboratory but was also a passionate and very knowledgeable classic car restorer and a respected 300 SL specialist. Claas kept minute records of the work which included a frame-off restoration, repair of the body where necessary a bare metal respray etc. He recorded a total of 1159 hours for the restoration of the body, divided into 714 hours for the metal work and another 445 hours for painting the car. The car is now finished in silver metallic with a dark red leather interior, a striking and classic colour combination.
He sold the car in 1997 to its next custodian, a Mr Beringer of Kürten near Cologne. There are further invoices for maintenance during his ownership of the car, which lasted until 2014 when the car was sold again to a Mr Klingelnberg in nearby Hückeswagen. Mr Kingelnberg successfully applied for a FIVA Identity card which was issued in 2014 and is still valid until 2024. Only recently the car was serviced by the 300 SL specialist HK Engineering and we are informed by the current owner that the car drives very well indeed.

It is being offered with a comprehensive file containing copies of the Datenkarte as well as the order form; the important installation passes for the alloy engine and the replacement gearbox, photos of the restoration, copies of older German registrations, sundry invoices pertaining to the restoration and maintenance, the FIVA identity card as well as German registration papers.
With Belgian delivery from new, known ownership with long term custodians in Germany, an older frame-off restoration and recent service from the foremost 300 SL specialist, this 300 SL Roadster ticks all the boxes and comes with the highly desirable specification of original disc brakes and the added benefit of the sought-after alloy engine. An opportunity not to be missed by the discerning collector.