Mercedes-Benz 190SL Roadster

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Launched in 1955, the Mercedes-Benz 190SL was a beautifully refined cruiser aimed at the mere mortals who could not afford its hyper-expensive race-bred sibling, the mighty 300SL, which it closely resembled.

Sharing the same wheelbase as the 300, it also had similar double wishbone suspension at the front and swing axles at the rear. However, the 190 did not use the 300's purpose-built tubular spaceframe platform, but was instead built on the shortened monocoque platform of the 180 saloon, with aluminium doors, bonnet and boot-lid to save weight.

Power came from an all-new 1.9-litre overhead-cam straight-four producing around 110bhp that combined 100+mph performance with 25-30mpg economy. With a four-speed manual synchromesh gearbox, servo-assisted hydraulic drum brakes and excellent handling, the car was in a league of its own when it came to refinement and build quality, a 1955 test by ‘Road & Track’ stating: “The outstanding achievement of the 190SL its quality in design and workmanship but a close second is the general feeling of solidity which it immediately conveys”.

Even today, a well-sorted example is one of those rare classics that you could hop into and drive to the heel of Italy with no fear of getting stranded on the way. In total 25,881 examples were made before production came to an end in 1963, of which fewer than 1,500 were right-hand drive and less than a third of these were supplied to the UK market, making this car a very rare beast indeed.

As the original buff log book confirms, this white 190SL was supplied new to a Mrs Barbara Yarm of Harborne, Birmingham, in March 1963 although strangely she kept it for only one month before ownership transferred to a Mrs Jo Butler of Wilmslow, Cheshire, who kept it until July 1967. It was then acquired by a Wilfrid Ellison of Little Malvern, Worcestershire, who sold it to Stanley Hadgkiss of Malvern in May 1973 who was to keep it until his death in 1985 at which point the vendor inherited it in lieu of a debt owed to him by Mr Hadgkiss.

Shortly before he died, Hadgkiss had been having the car restored by a local specialist with many bills on file detailing the extent of the work carried out, including a body restoration with new sills etc, plus a rear axle overhaul and much other mechanical work. The vendor completed the restoration (including rechroming the bumpers plus much other finishing work detailed in bills and notes on file) and it was MOTd and back on the road by May 1988. Used sparingly in the summer months only for the next seven years, it was then driven into storage in 1995 where it has remained to this day.

Shortly before the auction the old fuel was drained from the tank, fresh petrol added, a battery hooked up, and the car was coaxed back into life easily, the engine sounding “sweet as a nut”, according to the vendor, with all the electrics also appearing to work as they should. Although the car would no doubt benefit from a much more thorough recommissioning before it can be safely returned to the road, this would appear to be a straightforward task and a good quality repaint and the removal of a couple of dents would transform the car dramatically.

It comes with its original white factory hard top and a new black soft top which has never yet been fitted although the original hood frame is present. Other useful spares include a new speedo cable (the odometer has been stuck on 3,999 miles since at least 1988) and a set of chromed wheel rim embellishers. A rare factory workshop manual in English is also included along with a parts catalogue, various handbooks, the aforementioned history file and buff log book, a green log book from 1973, an old style V5 and a current V5C.

Given the way that values of this model have rocketed in recent times with top examples now fetching well in excess of £100,000 at auction (a fully restored 1956 example making over £198,000 at the RM sale in Arizona in January 2015), this rare RHD, five-owner, UK-supplied 190SL should amply reward the remedial works now required.