1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupé
- Colour
- Silver over red
A 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing Coupé, chassis 198.040.4500070, completed at Untertürkheim on 22 November 1954 and among only 167 examples built in the first year of production. One of just 67 coupés delivered in White Grey, it was originally supplied through Max Hoffman's New York distributorship and spent its early decades with several American owners across Arizona and California before being exported to Germany in the late 1980s. Restored by Kienle in the late 1990s and subsequently repainted silver over red, it served as the centrepiece of The Silver Star Collection from 2016. All major components — chassis, body, engine, gearbox, and axles — carry matching numbers.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €1,326,875 (≈ $1.46M)
- 1954-11-22 →Factory deliveryMax Hoffman's Mercedes-Benz Distributors of New Yorkpartial documentation
Car was shipped directly from the Untertürkheim factory to this prominent US importer upon completion in late November 1954.
- 2016 →Acquisition unknownThe Silver Star Collectionpartial documentation
The car served as the centrepiece of this collection; a subsequent revisit to Kienle was made and the car was then displayed at Retromobile.
- Date unknownFirst US owner, identity unknownnone documentation
Prose acknowledges that details of the initial retail buyer are not recorded.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownTio Clebergpartial documentation
Based in Tucson, Arizona; represented an intermediate stop as the car moved westward across the US.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownKay Hueskenpartial documentation
Resident of Arcadia, California; the car reached the west coast during this ownership.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownRobin B de Prypartial documentation
Based in San Gabriel, California; the last known US custodian before the car was exported to Germany.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownGerman owner based in Tammpartial documentation
Car was exported back to Germany in the late 1980s and kept in Tamm, a town just north of Stuttgart.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownThree subsequent German ownersnone documentation
Car passed through three further German hands during roughly the 1990s; a restoration by the Kienle workshop took place in the late 1990s, and the colour was changed to silver over red at some point in this period.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2025InspectionM&W Classic
A formal condition inspection was carried out by M&W Classic, with a written report issued to accompany the car.
- —Modification
Original Rudge knock-off centre-lock wheels were replaced with reproduction equivalents at some point in the car's history.
- —RestorationKienle
A comprehensive restoration was undertaken by the Kienle workshop, during which the colour scheme was changed from the original White Grey with green-beige interior to the current silver exterior with red interior.
Work carried out in the late 1990s while the car was in German ownership.
- —ServiceKienle
The car was returned to Kienle for further attention prior to its exhibition at Retromobile, following its acquisition by The Silver Star Collection.
Exact scope of work not specified.
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