Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster

Overview
Produced: 1957-1963, 1858 produced.
Types: Roadster,2 doors,2 seats

Mercedes introduced its most famous and dramatic post-war model in 1954, the "Gullwing" 300SL. In 1957 the 300SL coupe was replaced by a softer, open roadster version. The 300SL Roadster still had the incredible mechanical specification of the Gullwing model which included a 3.0 litre dry sump, fuel injected engine capable of reaching a top speed of 140mph.

The 300SL Roadster had similar lines below the waist as the Gullwing, however the round headlamps were replaced by "stacked" one piece units as seen on many of the later Mercedes saloon models. Thanks to better ventilation (!) the 300SL Roadster sold well between 1957-1963 and helped establish a long line of sports/convertible Mercedes models that continues to thrive.

Engines
CapacityConfigModelBore/StrokeCR
2996ccS6 OHCMercedes S6
Auction Sales History
Lot
Num
Description Auctioneer Date Hammer Price Hammer Price
(inc premium)
356 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams 29 Apr 2013 Not sold
325 Mercedes 300SL Roadster Bonhams 3 Dec 2012 £6400.00 £7360.00
109 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster Coys 11 Aug 2012 Not sold
136 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 11 Aug 2012 Not sold
135 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 14 Jul 2012 Not sold
122 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 12 May 2012 Not sold
167 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster RM Auctions 10 Mar 2012 $625000.00 -
147 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster RM Auctions 10 Mar 2012 $990000.00 -
231 Mercedes_Benz 300SL Roadster RM Auctions 19 Jan 2012 $737000.00 -
342 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Coys 7 Dec 2011 - £343400.00
351A Mercedes-Benz 300SL Road Race Replica Bonhams & Butterfields 12 Nov 2011 Not sold
253 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster RM Auctions 26 Oct 2011 £389200.00 -
264 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster RM Auctions 26 Oct 2011 £390000.00 -
211 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster RM Auctions 19 Aug 2011 $687500.00 -
122 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster Coys 11 Aug 2011 Not sold
119 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams 20 May 2011 €325000.00 €373750.00
233 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Coys 2 Apr 2011 Not sold
243 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster Coys 2 Apr 2011 - €44783.00
152 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster RM Auctions 12 Mar 2011 $627000.00 -
262 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster RM Auctions 20 Jan 2011 - $572000.00
185 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster RM Auctions 27 Oct 2010 Not sold
20 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams 20 Aug 2010 CHF520000.00 CHF580130.00
651 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams & Butterfields 13 Aug 2010 $550000.00 $612000.00
319 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster RM Auctions 12 Aug 2010 - $440000.00
374 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster RM Auctions 12 Aug 2010 - $522500.00
244 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster RM Auctions 12 Aug 2010 - $93500.00
379 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster RM Auctions 12 Aug 2010 - $77000.00
240 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Roadster Coys 10 Apr 2010 Not sold
292 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Hardtop Bonhams 23 Jan 2010 Not sold
297 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Bonhams 23 Jan 2010 Not sold
242 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams & Butterfields 14 Aug 2009 - $804500.00
238 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Coys 8 Aug 2009 - €349865.00
634 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 18 Jul 2009 Not sold
231 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 4 Apr 2009 Not sold
175 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams 7 Feb 2009 €330000.00 €370500.00
043 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Gooding & Company 16 Aug 2008 - $594000.00
164 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Gooding & Company 16 Aug 2008 - $704000.00
445 1959 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Coys 5 Jul 2008 - £286725.00
207 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Coys 10 May 2008 €320000.00 -
170 1960 Mercedes 300SL Roadster Bonhams 9 Feb 2008 €300000.00 €337500.00
234 Mercedes-Benz 300 SC Roadster RM Auctions 31 Oct 2007 - £154000.00
210 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster RM Auctions 31 Oct 2007 - £264000.00
214 1958 Mercedes 300SL Roadster Bonhams 31 Aug 2007 £262000.00 £289700.00
143 1959 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 28 Oct 2006 €327800.00 -
243 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 20 May 2006 Not sold
234 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 14 Jan 2006 €193205.00 -
212 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 14 Jan 2006 €253000.00 -
457 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 1 Dec 2005 Not sold
105 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams 16 Sep 2005 £144000.00 £159900.00
1044 1963 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams & Butterfields 19 Aug 2005 Not sold
51 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Christies 18 Aug 2005 Not sold
371 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 18 Jun 2005 - £147037.00
247 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams 16 May 2005 €165000.00 €186500.00
344 1958 Mercedes 300 SL Roadster Coys 14 May 2005 - €137440.00
244 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 15 Jan 2005 - €204000.00
19 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Artcurial - Briest - Poulain Le Fur 13 Dec 2004 - €203106.00
412 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams 2 Oct 2004 CHF255000.00 CHF284322.00
142 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams 3 Sep 2004 £95000.00 £106000.00
178 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams 3 Sep 2004 £90000.00 £100500.00
1565 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Bonhams & Butterfields 13 Aug 2004 Not sold
41A Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Christies 12 Aug 2004 - $315500.00
090 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster Christies 23 Jul 2004 - €250250.00
415 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Coys 15 May 2004 Not sold
017 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Christies 14 Feb 2004 - €327250.00
1024 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe (1957) Coys 21 Jun 2003 - £124687.00
1035 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1958) Coys 21 Jun 2003 - £102337.00
017 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1959) Artcurial - Briest - Poulain Le Fur 16 Jun 2003 - -
230 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1959) Bonhams 26 May 2003 £175000.00 -
229 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1960) Coys 12 Apr 2003 - €160000.00
156 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1958) Coys 3 Mar 2003 £98000.00 -
071 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1959) H&H Sales Limited 19 Feb 2003 - €172000.00
013 Mercedes-Benz 300SL (1957) Poulain LeFur 10 Feb 2003 - £143538.00
029 Mercedes-Benz 300SL (1957) Poulain LeFur 10 Feb 2003 - £272292.00
019 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1957) Poulain LeFur 10 Feb 2003 - £210714.00
049 Mercedes-Benz 300SL (1957) Christies 8 Feb 2003 - £173250.00
140 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1958) Coys 5 Dec 2002 Not sold
139 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1958) Coys 21 Sep 2002 - £180550.00
080 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1958) Christies 18 Aug 2002 - £299000.00
050 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster with Hardtop (1961) Christies 18 Aug 2002 Not sold
316 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1959) Coys 22 Jul 2002 - £101220.00
95a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1959) Coys/Barrett Jackson 17 May 2002 - £176360.00
80A Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1959) Coys 5 Apr 2002 - £155000.00
127 Mercedes-Benz 300SL (1957) Coys 30 Jul 2001 - £76635.00
451 Mercedes-Benz 300SL (1962) Bonhams & Brooks 23 Apr 2001 - £128000.00
046 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1959) Coys 11 Dec 2000 - £58000.00
1919 Mercedes-Benz 300SL (1957) Bonhams & Brooks 4 Dec 2000 - £75000.00
059 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1959) Coys 15 May 2000 - £65000.00
234 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe (1961) RM Auctions 11 Mar 2000 $189200.00 -
040 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe (1960) Poulain Le Fur/Sotheby's 13 Dec 1999 - FF1219400.00
610 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe (1957) Brooks 28 Oct 1999 - £95000.00
065 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Cabriolet (1958) Poulain LeFur 14 Dec 1998 FF720000.00 -
095 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1957) Coys 26 Nov 1998 Not sold
005 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1957) Christies 17 Oct 1998 - £140000.00
058 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1957) Coys 26 Sep 1998 Not sold
058 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1957) Coys 11 May 1998 £63000.00 -
037 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1960) Poulain LeFur 7 Oct 1997 FF870000.00 -
040 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster (1957) Poulain LeFur 9 Dec 1996 FF900000.00 -
052 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe (1957) Brooks 17 May 1993 Not sold
073 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (1960) Brooks 17 May 1993 FF59550.00 -
Books
ISBN Title Publisher Buy this book
186982640X Road & Track on Mercedes 1952-62 Brooklands Books Buy View
Magazine Articles
Title Pages Options
Article Vanity fair
36 View
Publication Classic Cars March 2010
Vanity fair - Ferrari could have owned the glamorous sports convertible market in 1957 with its 250GT convertibles, but Mercedes had other ideas in the shape of a voluptuous roadster version of the spectacular 300SL Gullwing.  Mercedes-Benz 300SL vs Ferrari 250 LWB California Spider.
Article Looks like heaven goes like hell
42 View
Publication Classic Cars January 2008
Looks like heaven goes like hell - In 1945, German factories were rubble, just ten years later, the extraordinary - and occasionally frightening - Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing burst on the scene, and is still other-worldly more than 50 years on.  Meet the widow-maker.
Article 20 great classics do battle
56 View
Publication Classic Cars November 2005
20 great classics do battle - There's never been a showdown like this before.  20 of the most popular classics of all time go head to head at the Classic Cars test track.  How does your favourite fare?
Article Classic Cars July 2001 pg 60
60 View
Publication Classic Cars July 2001
Driving Mercedes' 300SL racing car with John Surtees. The former World Champion shares his expertise in the ex-Mille Miglia car.
Article Classic Cars July 2001 pg 54
54 View
Publication Classic Cars July 2001
Mercedes Gullwing 300 SL. Insight into Mercedes' most glamorous car.
Article Sports leight
78 View
Publication Classic & Sports Car March 2011
Sports leight - Mercedes SLs are famed for effortless pace, beauty and bulletproof reliability.  Alastair Clements and Martin Buckley meet five generations of the world's most desirable roadster,  Mercedes-Benz 300SL, Mercedes-Benz 190SL,Mercedes-Benz Pagoda, Mercedes-Benz R107, Mercedes-Benz R129, Mercedes-Benz R230.
Article 155 mph - Mercedes-Benz 300SL vs Jaguar XKSS vs Ferrari 250TR.
80 View
Publication Octane September 2010
155 mph - Mercedes-Benz 300SL vs Jaguar XKSS vs Ferrari 250TR - They were among the fastest cars you could buy in the 1950s, suitable for competition or fast road use.  But which of these 155mph supercars offers the greatest all-round driving satisfaction half a century later?
Article Angels of the South
110 View
Publication Classic & Sports Car November 2005
Angels of the South - The BMW 507 took a forecourt battering from Merc's rival 300SL roadster when new.  Almost 50 years on, can Munich's most vaunted redress the balance in the battle of the ultimate '50s supercruisers?  Martin Buckley decides.
Article Put through the Mille
72 View
Publication Octane August 2005
Put through the Mille - In theory today’s Mille Miglia is a regularity event, run to strict speed limits.  The reality is rather different, especially when you’re driving a Merc 300SL.
Article A Wing....and a Prayer - Mercedes 300SL
48 View
Publication Octane June 2004
A Wing....and a Prayer - Mercedes 300SL - Still recovering from the devastation of the Second World War, Mercedes gambled on turning their big 300S racer into a sports car.  Industrial pride spawned the 300SL Gullwing and Roadster.
Article MotorSport March 2003 pg 54
54 View
Publication MotorSport March 2003
The Gull of Mexico. It was one of the most brutal races ever, yet Mercedes conquered the Carrera Panamericana with a car of stealth, grace and precision. Fifty years after its momentous triumph, Andrew Frankel Drives it - and is impressed.
Article Classics December 2002 pg 36
36 View
Publication Classics December 2002
Spotter's Guide. Roadsters Revealed. In its 18 years on sale, the W107-series Mercedes-Benz SL went through a series of changes and developments. Andrew Noakes explains how to spot the differences.
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