1955 Mercedes-Benz 190SL

The Mercedes-Benz 300SL was the first iteration of the SL-Class grand tourer and the fastest production car of its day. Introduced in 1954 as a two-seat coupé with distinctive gull-wing doors, it was later offered as an open roadster. Hugely successful in Europe and across the pond, coupe and roadster production topped out at 3,258 cars. Its successor, the 190SL, combined superlative build quality with understated styling and a not insignificant 104bhp from the 1.9 litre four stroke engine. An instant hit, the three pronged star sparkled among the gloom of post-war austerity. The 1955 launch of the 190SL cemented Mercedes-Benz's reputation as the car manufacturer for those who wanted elegance, build quality and a good turn of speed. Unsurprisingly most of the 26,000 units were sold to the North American market. This particular left-hand drive 190SL, the 514th made, was shipped new from the Mercedes-Benz factory in Stuttgart to Houston, Texas in 1955. One can imagine it cruising elegantly down Route 66, effortlessly holding its own against the bloated excesses of American chrome and fin. It seems that Chassis #514 enjoyed the arid climate of Texas for much of its life when its last American owner, a Mr Epstein of Houston, Texas, sold it in 1994. It was then imported into the UK through Norway and was purchased by its current owner, Brian Gunney, who knew a good 190SL when he saw one. As the owner of Caerphilly based Redcastle Classics he has forty years of classic restoration experience with Mercedes-Benz models and specialises in 190SLs. Embarking on a bare-metal, ground up restoration using his encyclopaedic knowledge and a remarkable attention to detail, Chassis #514 was reborn in 2005. HM Custom duties were settled at this time and it was registered with the DVLA on 1st May 2005 and issued with the licence plate '585 UXD'. The chrome dazzles in the Spring sunshine and the silver paintwork gleams, perfectly complemented by the new dark blue hood. As befits a sympathetic restoration by a marque specialist the original chassis plates remain in place, and the car boasts many distinctive early period features. Of particular note are the rare thumb-release catches on the door frame for the roof mechanism. The dashboard is of a two-part early design with no clock set on the glove box lid and there is no chrome in front of the rear wheel arches or on the eyebrows above the wheels. The interior was re-trimmed in the trademark and uber-rare Mercedes plaid, the cloth perfectly complimenting the blue leather and silver paintwork of the dashboard. The butter soft tonneau cover in blue leather fits snuggly over the stowed roof. The engine starts on the button, idling beautifully and, on a run, the engine appeared to develop seamless power and gear changes were smooth and fluid, the brakes providing plenty of bite with no squealing or drifting. Remarkably for a car that has traversed the globe, the history file contains a copy of the original Stuttgart issued build-sheet, showing that Chassis #514 left the factory on 11th September 1955. During the full engine rebuild the odometer reading was zeroed and it shows, at the time of consignment, a reading of a mere 1,315 miles since 2005 substantiated by the recent MoTs on file. As the personal conveyance of a renowned restorer, the car has been started and idled to temperature regularly and has enjoyed occasional runs. Having had the honour of selling another Redcastle restored 190SL at the NEC Classic Sale in November 2014 for a premium inclusive £172,500 we are confident that this is one of the finest examples of an early 190SL available in today's market, and offers exceptional value in a rising market.