All-Original 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing to Sell for Millions at Auction
A 1-of-106 ‘Graphitgrau’ 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘Gullwing’ is up for sale, and it could net $5.82 million.
Some Mercedes-Benz SL models aren’t worth too much. Take the R107 or R129 SL. Shrewd shoppers can find solid, V8-powered examples of either of those Mercedes-Benz SLs for a reasonable amount. The W198, on the other hand, demands a king’s ransom. Take this 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, for instance. This SL and its peculiar palette could fetch millions at auction.
Hosted online by Artcurial, this W198 SL is one of just 106 models in the unique “Graphitgrau” color scheme (code DB 190). If that wasn’t enough, this model is all original; every major numbered component matches the exact number as it did when it left the factory some 70 years ago. It’s never been disassembled, restored, repainted, or updated. It’s a time capsule with just 34,255 km, or 21,285 miles, on the clock.
It was also one of just 30 of these cars delivered by Mercedes-Benz to French buyers. Better yet, this one found its first home with Claude Foussier, a successful French industrialist, businessman, and, get this, an Olympic clay-pigeon shooting sportsman. You might think, then, that this all-original Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing stands to sell for big bucks at auction. You’d be right. Artcurial estimates that this example, in its current state, will sell for between €2,000,000 and €5,000,000 (roughly $2,329,000 to $5,822,600).
Mercedes Worth Millions
Needless to say, a W198 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing demands top dollar, regardless of condition. According to Classic.com, these ultra-rare classics sell for huge numbers. That is, when they go up for sale. In the last year, the lowest sale on record for a W198 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was $893,627. On the other hand, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, also in a grau paint scheme, sold in April of last year for a whopping $2,400,300.
The average sales price for a W198 Gullwing from the 1956 model year sits at around $1,600,000. Don’t believe it? Just under one year ago, a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL with 61,799 miles on the clock sold for a cool $2,040,000. More recently, another 1956 example with 65,143 miles sold at a Gooding Christie’s Pebble Beach auction for $1,572,500.
Photos: Artcurial
You must be logged in to post a comment.