Vehicle Description
To be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sotheby's Santa Monica event, June
24, 2017.
Estimate:
$200,000 - $250,000 US
Believed to be less than 30 examples built in Mannheim
Approximately six known to exist
Delivered to the German postal service for promotional use
Brought to the U.S. by a serviceman stationed in Germany
Includes copy of original build sheet and a letter from
Daimler-Chrysler acknowledging authenticity
Photo documented of restoration
This is an extremely rare prewar Mercedes 230 n Roadster. There is
believed to be less than 30 of these cars originally built at the
factory in Mannheim. However due to both WWII and age there was a
very low survival rate of these cars, and it is reported to be
approximately six examples left in existence. It is thought to be
highly likely that this particular car is the only one in the
United States. Furthermore, due to WWII, the factory at Mannheim
was bombed and most of the records on prewar Mercedes-Benz that
were built there were lost, making anything built at Manheim almost
impossible to document.
Nonetheless, this example is one of very few prewar Mannheim
Mercedes-Benz that can be traced, as it includes a copy of its
original production data sheet, a letter from Daimler-Chrysler
acknowledging its authenticity, and a full photo catalog of its
restoration exhibiting its a completely documented account of the
refurbishment. This includes every piece of its original body,
wooden frame, engine, and all mechanical components disassembled
and put back together. This could be considered the Holy Grail by
prewar Mercedes-Benz experts.
In addition, the 230 n model line is very rare as it was only built
in 1937 and was replaced in late of 1937 with a longer chassis that
would become the standard 230 chassis without the n designation.
They built the 230 n as both two- or four-door sedan and the
convertible a or c models in addition to only a handful of the
Roadsters before the longer chassis models were built as the
four-door sedan and the convertible a, the convertibles b and d,
Pullman sedans, Kraftdroschken ( taxi ) and a six-seater touring
car with convertible top and without side windows were offered. The
new 230 chassis would be produced through 1941 however the roadster
body was discontinued as Mercedes went away with earlier chassis.
With that mentioned, it is clear that these 230 n Roadsters were
only produced for less than a year just in 1937. They are much
easier to recognize as the convertible top disappears below the
body as the Cabriolet/Convertible version has a top that is exposed
sitting on top of the body.
The Roadster model itself is the most desirable form of the
Mercedes 230 n and was quite expensive for its day, selling at
approximately 5,000 Reichsmarks which according to my calculations
would have been approximately $2,000 which was quite a lot in
1937.
The owner reports that this car was located in Michigan garage back
in the 1970s of which the owner was a serviceman whom had purchased
the car when he had been stationed in Germany. It 2007 it was later
restored back to its former glory which as mentioned has a full
photo documented account of its disassembly.
Today, this car is a very rare once in lifetime opportunity to
acquire a fully documented example of a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 230 n
(W143) Sport Roadster.
Addendum:
Please note this vehicle is being sold title in transit
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/.