1957 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster

121040-7500658roadGermany

Engine: 1.9L inline-four OHC, twin Solex downdraft carburettors, 105 bhp at 5,700 rpm
Colour: Red

A left-hand-drive 1957 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster, chassis 121040-7500658, manufactured in April 1957 for the American market. Part of the acclaimed 1955–1963 production run of nearly 26,000 examples, it is powered by the 1,897cc overhead-camshaft M121 four-cylinder engine. The car underwent a comprehensive restoration completed in 2018, returning it to its original red paintwork with black fluted leather interior, and has since received specialist tuning by PT Classics.

Ownership

2020-03-29Auction sale
Estimate £80,000 – £100,000
Bonhams catalogue lot →
1957 →Factory delivery
Original US market recipient
partial documentation
Vehicle was built in April 1957 and delivered new to the United States market; left-hand drive configuration confirms US specification.
Date unknown
Current vendor
partial documentation
Commissioned a full strip-down and rebuild completed in 2018, with subsequent specialist tuning carried out by PT Classics; car held with Mercedes-Benz dating letter and UK V5C.

Competition

No competition history extracted from the catalogue.

Maintenance & restoration

2018
Restoration
Full strip-down and rebuild to a high standard, including bare-metal paintwork returned to the original red finish, chrome refinishing, and retrimming of the interior in black fluted leather with oatmeal carpeting.
Vendor describes the finished result as exceptional, with gleaming paintwork and polished chrome.
—Engine rebuild
PT Classics
Engine overhauled as part of or following the restoration, subsequently fine-tuned and set up by marque specialists.
Work described as recent relative to the cataloguing date.

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