1957 Mercedes Benz 190sl: Gorgeous, Rust-free, Correct R121 W/ Optional Hardtop on 2040-cars

Offered for sale is an absolutely gorgeous, rust-free, numbers-matching 1957 Mercedes Benz 190SL finished in striking, factory-correct Fire Engine Red (DB 534) over a parchment leather interior. Mechanically sorted and retaining its correctly tuned Solex carburetors, this car runs as beautifully as its elegant, swooping lines present, needing nothing to be enjoyed aside from an appreciative new owner. And speaking of appreciation, there is perhaps no single classic car (with the exception of the V12 Ferraris) that has seen such an explosive rise in valuation over the last five years, with fine examples such as this joining the ranks of true investment grade cars.

The recipient of a comprehensive and high quality restoration nearly a decade ago by its previous owner, the car was subsequently used solely as a garaged and well-taken-care-of weekend driver and event participant. Accordingly, the car remains in excellent condition, its Fire Engine Red finish deep, lustrous and consistent, marred only by the most insignificant of imperfections, none of which appear in any of the pictures. The car’s body is entirely straight and free of any noticeable evidence of accidents or body-work, with exceptionally even and correct panel fits and gaps throughout. The glass and rubber is all in great shape, as is the chrome, which is free of any dings or blistering. The car’s undercarriage is entirely solid and correct with absolutely no rust whatsoever and the car sits on its original color matched, hub-capped steel wheels, which are wrapped in complimentary white wall tires.

The car’s interior is equally as clean, the parchment leather seats and interior panels showing only the most negligible of wear, the complimentary tan carpets impeccable and the leather wrapped dash free of any wear or sun damage. The car retains its flawless, un-cracked ivory steering wheel, as well as its clock and rare Becker Mexico radio. 190SLs were sold with either a soft top or a desirable removable hard top, but the earlier cars were not sold with both because the hard-top’s design prevented both from being on the car at the same time. This car retains its original hardtop in equally gorgeous condition to the rest of the car, however, based on the next owner’s preference, we also have an original early R121 soft top frame (a photograph is included) and a spare correct canvas soft-top which we can discuss making part of the sale. 190SL enthusiasts know just how rare and valuable these frames have become, prompting aftermarket reproductions to cost as much as $7,500.

The car is mechanically superb, its original numbers-matching engine starting right up without any smoke, idling consistently, maintaining excellent, even compression across all cylinders and pulling strongly under acceleration, thanks in part to its accurately tuned original Solex carburetors. The car’s gearbox is smooth and correct, with effortless up and down shifts across all gears, and the car’s brakes and suspension all function as they should, rounding out a visceral, vintage and grin-inducing ride quality.

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire an appreciating classic that ticks all the right boxes: numbers-matching, rust-free, cosmetically gorgeous in its original livery, mechanically sound and with its original and desirable hard top. Show quality examples have been selling routinely above $200,000, and as high as $269,500 at auction, prompting incredible market demand. We can assure you that this fine example will be sold at a much more reasonable price, representing an excellent value for an investment grade classic that can also be driven and enjoyed. Please bid accordingly.

We want this car to go to great home and would be happy to further discuss it and answer any questions, so please feel free to email us or call us at 805-202-4557. You can also visit us online at GoodmanReed.

Goodman Reed Motorcars 

We’ve always had an appreciation for classic European cars and over the years have created an eclectic personal collection. We only buy cars that we’d personally be interested in owning and generally only sell them to make room for other acquisitions. That time has come for this Mercedes (if the price is right, of course – this isn’t a fire sale). We try to give accurate descriptions of the cars we’re selling, but we’re enthusiasts, not experts, and we encourage and are happy to help facilitate personal or professional inspections. But please do so before bidding, as the alternative harms our ability to make sales to other interested parties who have done their proper due diligence before bidding. 

For U.S. buyers a 10% non-refundable deposit is required within 3 days of the auction’s end, the balance to be paid within 7 days of the auction’s end. Foreign buyers must pay in full within 7 business days of the auction’s end. Buyer is responsible for shipping, however we’d be more that happy to help with recommendations and arrangements. The car is listed locally and we reserve the right to end the auction at any time should it sell prior to auction’s end. Thanks for your interest.