Summary

1961 Mercedes-Benz 190SL roadster equipped with both soft and hardtops. Rotisserie restoration to the highest standards.

Details

This 1961 Mercedes 190SL roadster has been treated to a meticulous and accurate rotisserie restoration to the highest standards, suitable for the most demanding collector of Mercedes-Benz sports cars. The 190SL roadster's exterior is finished in its factory-correct Ivory (DB 608) and the interior with original German red leather upholstery with wood-grain interior trim, complemented by an original German black cloth convertible top. Also included in the sale of this 190SL is the optional hard top, with genuine factory leather interior in both tops. It is powered by the original matching numbers Mercedes 120hp, 1,897cc overhead camshaft inline four cylinder engine with twin carburetors, 4-speed manual gearbox, independent front suspensions with coil springs, swing-axle rear suspension with coil springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. The Chassis Data ID Tag, Chassis Tag, Engine Tag, Paint Tag and Body Number Tags are all intact in their original factory-installed locations. The Mercedes-Benz 190SL was the vision of Max Hoffman, Mercedes representative in the United States. Hoffman understood that while the 300SL gullwing coupe might certainly catch American buyers' attentions, it had two drawbacks: it was a coupe, and it was very expensive. Knowing that the American market was ideally suited for convertibles, Hoffman pressured Mercedes-Benz management to build a simpler, less costly open model for the U.S. market, and the result was the Mercedes-Benz 190SL. The 190SL incorporated many advanced engineering features and was powered by a single overhead camshaft 4 cylinder engine. Equipped with 4-wheel drum brakes, conventional doors and a simple swing-axle rear suspension, the 190SL was best suited for stylish cruising rather than performance driving. Max Hoffman's understanding of the American car market was right on target, and more than 26,000 190SL roadsters were produced between 1955 and 1963. The 190SL demonstrated the successful niche that existed for Mercedes-Benz in the U.S. and elsewhere, providing comfortable, luxurious cruisers with excellent road manners and stylish good looks. In fact, over its production cycle, the 190SL began to outsell its big brother, the 300SL, by an eye-opening factor of eight to one. Clearly, Hoffman and Mercedes-Benz had it right with the 190SL.