1959 Mercedes-Benz 190SL
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Introduced to the world at the New York Motor Show in 1954 alongside the 300SL Gullwing, the 190SL was the glamorous but more affordable way to enjoy Mercedes-Benz engineering and convertible driving. Priced at around $4000, the 190SL cost slightly more than half a 300SL, and consequently, nearly 26,000 examples were produced between 1955 and 1963, compared to only 1,800 300SL Roadsters. As a result, today, the 190SL remains a considerably more affordable and easier to live than the 300SL, in part thanks to superior parts availability and more straightforward mechanicals, but it shares the same head-turning beautiful looks.
This particular car was sold new in San Francisco and has remained a lifelong California car until recently imported. It was sold by Studebaker Packard, the original Mercedes-Benz sales agents, and still retains its original showroom window sticker. This tells us that it was sold in DB050 White with 1079 factory red leather trim and that the options were a Becker Europa radio and bumper overriders. All this it retains to this day along with the original factory toolkit, book pack with handbooks, and the very rare (and working) glovebox clock. It originally cost $5846.70.
Amazingly, this car has had the same owner for the past 31 years and has a service history going back 40 years with just two owners. The records show regular maintenance as well as much restorative work, including repaint, new exterior trim and a new interior in recent years. The car also received a significant service at a cost of more than $4600 in January 2015, and has more recently been serviced upon arriving in this country.
Today, it is a very attractive car with an exceptional unrestored undercarriage that is extremely solid and has never had any damage or repairs of any kind. The paintwork was done to a very good standard and still is in excellent shape, and looks stunning with a recent high-level detail. As this car wears all of its original panels, the body is straight with excellent panel fit, just as it left the factory.
The interior was restored to a very high standard and at a considerable expense, with new leather to the seats, dashboard and door cards, and the correct square weave carpets and today it is in as-new condition and looks stunning!
The chrome bumpers with their factory over-riders have recently been rechromed since the photographs below were taken, and are now in excellent shape, whilst the interior chrome is original and in good shape and thus presents well. The black top was renewed recently and is of high quality and is in excellent shape.
The engine bay it is a reflection of the originality and unrestored nature of this car and otherwise presents clean and unmodified, and importantly this car is fitted with its original Solex Carburettors. The undercarriage of the car is outstanding, being completely original, unrestored, and structurally perfect. It is highly unusual to find a 190SL that is this original and solid underneath!
This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a beautiful matching-numbers 190SL that is unusually complete and original. A lifetime California car, this example has had just two owners in the last 40 years and is still finished in its original, and rather gorgeous, colour combination. The underside is in superbly original condition and this car is complete with a large file of service history, original wallet with hand book, service book, original windscreen sticker, a letter from Mercedes-Benz UK confirming matching numbers and tool roll complete with tools.
It is now available fully serviced, Mot'd, UK registered and ready to be enjoyed!
