Swedish dental surgeon and collector Gunnar Giermark first purchased these beauties in the 1960s and stored them away, practically untouched. Unfortunately, he died in 2011. It’s unclear whether he wanted to let them accrue value or showcase them one day, but the 1963 300 SL Roadster has an estimated worth of $1.7 to $2.3 million (€1.5 to 2 million), while the 1956 300 SL Gullwing goes for $1.1 to $1.7 million (€1 to 1.5 million).
Giermark bought the Roadster factory fresh on July 7, 1963 and put only a handful of original miles on it. Only 57 of these were ever built in 1963, and this one even comes with the original hardtop, manuals and genuine paperwork. He imported the SL Gullwing in March 1968 from Portugal. The odometer has 38,525 miles on it (62,000 kilometers), but judging by his collector persona, he likely didn’t contribute anything to this total, and probably just locked it away as soon as he purchased it. Since he died without any heirs, the Swedish Inheritance Fund stepped in acquired both cars.
“With just 1380 km from new, this practically untouched Roadster, the rarest model, must be totally unique. To appear in the same sale with its sister car, the Gullwing, that has the same provenance, is an exceptional event,” said Matthieu Lamoure, managing director of Artcurial Motorcars.
Since neither car has been restored in any way, their paint looks immaculate and their chrome still has luster. More importantly, neither of them have any damage. They are completely original and while some may say that they probably need a clear coat touchup for good measure, their natural beauty remains brilliant as far as we can tell.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
