1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
- Engine
- Straight-six with increased compression, fuel-injected, ~215 bhp output
- Colour
- Medium Blue Metallic (DB 396)
A 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster with matching-numbers engine, gearbox, and body, delivered new to Bremen in November 1957 for the American market. After three decades in the United States the car was repatriated to Europe, then underwent a comprehensive bare-metal restoration at Alte Sterne Manufaktur in Stuttgart between 2010 and 2011, emerging in Medium Blue Metallic with a blue soft top and dark red leather. Disc brakes were fitted at all four corners during the restoration, with the original drums retained. A further full respray to concours standard was completed at Classic Performance Restorations in Arizona after the car returned to the US in 2022.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$1,820,000
- 1957-11-01 →Factory deliveryFirst U.S. recipient via Bremen deliverypartial documentation
Car was shipped to Bremen in late 1957 destined for the American market; original factory finish was white-grey over red leather with black soft top.
- → 1987Unspecified U.S. owner or ownerspartial documentation
Vehicle remained in the United States for approximately three decades before being repatriated to Europe.
- 1987 → 2022Acquisition unknownBelgian owner or ownerspartial documentation
Car was returned to Europe in 1987 and remained in Belgium; during this period a full restoration was commissioned at Alte Sterne Manufaktur in Stuttgart, completed in 2011, with color changed to Medium Blue Metallic.
- 2022 →Private saleCurrent vendorfull documentation
Acquired from Belgium and air-freighted to the U.S.; subsequently had the exterior fully resprayed by Classic Performance Restorations in Gilbert, Arizona to concours standard.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2010RestorationAlte Sterne Manufaktur
Comprehensive bare-metal rebuild carried out in Stuttgart; the car was fully stripped and refinished in Medium Blue Metallic (DB 396) with a blue convertible top and dark red leather interior. Drum brakes replaced with four-wheel disc brakes during the process; original drums retained.
Work began in 2010 and was completed in 2011; photographic records and invoices documenting every stage of the project are included with the car.
- 2011RestorationAlte Sterne Manufaktur
Restoration completed; car delivered in its new specification.
Completion year noted separately as the project spanned 2010–2011.
- 2022BodyworkClassic Performance Restorations
Full respray of the eleven-year-old metallic paintwork carried out to national concours standard.
Workshop located in Gilbert, Arizona; undertaken by the current owner shortly after acquisition.
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