1962 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL

The vendor bought this Mercedes-Benz 190SL approximately two years ago to add to his extensive and discerning private collection. This left-hand-drive example’s speedometer has been calibrated in miles-per-hour, hinting at pan-continental jaunts and non-competitive rallies, a deduction given further credence by the installation of twin Webers and an OMP Racing fire extinguisher.

Freshly valeted and meticulously maintained by his in-house mechanic, this Mercedes-Benz 190SL will be offered at a fraction of the cost of buying and commissioning one to the same condition.

The blue coachwork is in fabulous restored condition, with a flawless paint finish and bright, glossy chromework; even close inspection fails to reveal any significant faults bar a couple of minor marks under the bonnet. All the shutlines are tight and even, and the aluminium doors, which are notoriously easy to dent, are free of ripples and click shut with an impressive accuracy.

The blue canvas folding hood is in similarly good condition and has clearly been recently replaced. If we are being pedantic (very pedantic) there are a couple of slight marks on the passenger’s side of the fabric roof, but they are minor and barely noticeable.

The underside and engine bay are just as clean as the bodywork, being free of rust, scrapes and oil stains. The exhaust does show some surface rust, but this is trivial and only to be expected.

In fact, the only work we can find for the new owner to do is on the steel wheels, which show very minor rusting around the rims, although the chromed and painted hubcaps are perfectly finished. Refurbishing the wheels would be an easy job and one that would leave the exterior of the car in concours condition. The tyres, including the spare, look to be brand new.

The interior is resplendent in blue leather and chrome, and is in exactly the same condition as the exterior, which is to say practically faultless. The dashboard is a symphony of ivory Bakelite, impeccable paintwork, and some of the finest and most extensive chromework we’ve ever seen. It also still sports the full complement of original VDO gauges and the rare, and hard-to-find, Blaupunkt radio.

The seats are firm and supportive and have clearly been professionally retrimmed and refurbished at some stage in their life. The upper dashboard is free of cracks and the quality and finish of the door trims is outstanding.

If we are being hyper-critical, we should point out that there is a small area of discolouration on the lower section of the ivory steering wheel boss, a minor mark on the leather of the passenger’s seat, a scuff on the trim on the nearside footwell, and a fault in the paintwork above the clock on the glovebox lid. That this is the extent of the faults can be taken as an indication of just how good this vehicle’s cockpit is.

The twin Solex carburettors have been replaced with twin Webers, a well-known and highly appropriate modification that makes the car much easier to use and maintain. Other than that, the car is completely standard, starts on the button, steers, brakes and handles exactly as it should.

The bulk of this car’s history is in German, a language that, sadly, none of us speak. For this reason, we must advise potential bidders to inspect the car for themselves and to bid on its current condition rather than relying on the extensive paperwork. (However, for those more educated than us, the relevant paperwork has been scanned in and is available for viewing.)

Even though the car is obviously exempt from the need to have an MOT, its meticulous owner has (rightly, in our view) had it inspected anyway ancd of course, it passed with flying colours.

We apologise for the delay of this auction, the listing is awaiting improved photography from the seller to ensure the it is up to our usual quality.

Mercedes-Benz only built 2,246 190SLs in 1962, of which only around half are thought to have survived, making this immaculate example a very rare car indeed.

With prices of the 190SL starting to emulate that of the 300SL, we’ve put a guide price of £105,000 on this investment-grade, museum-quality example. The reserve is, as ever, set at a lower point than this.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Shropshire; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.