1963 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster - Alloy Engine, Disc Brakes. Estimate $1,900,000 - $2,200,000. Photo by David Newhardt, Courtesy of Mecum Auctions.

A worthy heir to the renowned 300SL Gullwing coupe, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster immediately established its credentials as a world-class performer in the Grand Touring tradition. Introduced at the 1957 Geneva Salon, the Roadster’s roadholding was much improved despite the necessity to alter the sides of the frame to accommodate conventional side-opening doors, which slightly reduced the chassis’ torsional stiffness. It was also a much more comfortable car, with plusher seating and a larger trunk for GT-style road trips, but it remained outwardly unchanged except for the open cockpit and larger headlights. The 3.0L overhead cam inline-6 remained, using Bosch direct fuel injection, dual-coil ignition, a higher compression ratio and dry-sump engine lubrication to produce 225 to 250 HP and a remarkable 202 lb-ft of torque. During factory testing a 300SL Roadster with a 215 HP engine reached 143 MPH, and a Swiss magazine produced a top speed of 147 MPH with the 225 HP engine, both remarkable numbers in 1957, especially in a civilized car that surrounded its passengers in the most luxurious interior available in any high-performance GT of its time.

Further refinements came in 1961 when the standard drum brakes were replaced with more effective power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes, and beginning in 1962 engines featured lightweight aluminum blocks in place of the earlier cast-iron units. This 1963 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster represents the model at its highest development. The car still retains the matching-numbers aluminum engine, and was restored in 1996 to its original White-on-Red color scheme, with very few miles since then. It has been maintained in excellent condition, an outstanding example of one of the great Mercedes-Benz road cars.

Mecum Monterey 2015