Vehicle Description
Vehicle to be offered for Auction sale August 17th - 19th, 2017 at
Russo and Steele's 17th Annual Monterey, California Auction. Please
contact us for more information. Introduced as a prototype at the
1954 New York International Motor Sport Show, the Mercedes-Benz
190SL was the inspired brainchild of famed US importer Max Hoffman
as a similarly styled yet less complex and expensive companion to
the 300SL. The SL Sports Leichtbau or Sports Lightweight label
denoted a sporting character and the use of lightweight aluminum
for the hood, doors, and rear deck lid. Rigid monocoque body
construction, wind-down windows, and an available aluminum hard top
were other 190SL virtues. Fritz Nallinger led the mechanical
development of the 190 SL. Using proven components from the Ponton
line, the 190SL was powered by a SOHC 1.9-liter four-cylinder
engine with twin Solex carburetors producing a solid 105-horsepower
output. Other components included a four-speed manual gearbox and
four-wheel, power-assisted Alfin drum brakes. Full-independent
suspension included front wishbones and coil springs with swing
axles and a compensator spring at the rear. Performance was quite
good, with acceleration from rest to 60 mph in 13 seconds and top
speeds approaching 110 mph. Walter Hacker and his design team
executed the handsome bodywork for the 190 SL under Mercedes-Benz
design Chief Karl Wilfert. Designated W121, the production 190 SL
debuted at the 1955 Geneva Motor Show and customer deliveries soon
followed, marking an unqualified hit from introduction. Concours
awards quickly followed in Holland, Switzerland, and at France's
Grand Prix d'Elegance. While intended as a stylish Grand Tourer
without racing pretensions, the 190 SL was nonetheless effective,
winning races in such exotic locales as Macao and Casablanca.
Outselling its 300SL big brother by a factor of eight to one, the
success of the 190 SL influenced Mercedes' single-platform sports
car policy that continues today. Long the favorite of the era's
A-List celebrity icons including Grace Kelly, Gina Lollobrigida,
Ingrid Bergman, and Yul Brynner, the 190 SL's more recent famous
devotees have included former Beatle Ringo Starr and Grammy-winning
singer songwriter Sheryl Crow. With its unmatched open-air
experience and design cues shared with the 300 SL, the 190 SL
conjures romantic visions with every drive, whether cruising the
Riviera or winding along the Pacific Coast Highway. Continuing to
benefit from an older complete restoration to factory
specifications and handsomely presented throughout, this 1958
Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster is particularly engaging with its
distinctive exterior paint finish complemented by a striking
Beige-trimmed cockpit. It was imported to the USA from Luxembourg
during the mid-1970s and acquired by a long-term owner in 1987,
under whom the restoration was completed in the 1990s by Pebble
Beach regular Lon Kruger of Sun Valley Classics. Complete with
registration, title, service, and restoration records, this 190SL
marks an ideal choice as a fast-rising and highly collectible
classic roadster delivering iconic style, ease of maintenance and
operation, and undeniable European panache.
