1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster

Building on the success of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing, Mercedes introduced the 300SL Roadster for the 1957 model year. Debuting at the Geneva Auto Salon, the open-top grand tourer featured a redesigned and reinforced chassis that brought conventional doors, improved luggage capacity, a more luxurious cabin, and a revised rear suspension that enhanced handling and stability. This 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster is chassis number 385 of 618 examples built for the model’s inaugural year, and one of just 1,858 Roadsters produced in a six-year production run.

Power came from a 3.0-liter M198 inline-six, which featured Bosch mechanical fuel injection, dry-sump lubrication, and an aluminum cylinder head. Mated to a four-speed manual transmission, the fuel-injected inline-six sends power to the rear wheels through an advanced independent suspension system featuring a single-pivot rear axle and compensator spring. Mercedes-Benz made the high-performance camshaft standard equipment while adding dual-point, dual-coil ignition and fuel system refinements. Output ranged from 225 to 250 horsepower with 202 lb-ft of torque. Top speed exceeded 140 mph, an exceptional figure for the era.

A no expense spared restoration included removing the body from the frame, refinishing the chassis, restoring the body to its factory-correct white finish, and re-plating the exterior brightwork.

Hagerty suggests a #1 Concours 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster is trending around $2.1m.