1960 Mercedes-Benz W121 190SL with Red Leather

A fully restored, beautifully presented example of the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL. The 300 SL’s understudy, Mercedes-Benz built the W121 series 190 SL as a complementary model to sell alongside the 300 SL, it featuring a more conventional structure, a smaller 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine but all of the glamour of its famous relation. The W121, long overlooked in the history of the SL is resurgent, and rightly so, as few cars look as beautiful as this sveltely styled roadster. Its first owner purchased this right-hand drive example in 1960, it having passed through five owners since, the most recent owner having acquired the car in 2011, with its previous owner having owned the car since 1987.

Perfect isn’t a word we use lightly, but it’s applicable here. The combination of careful, low number ownership with an extensive, money-no-object restoration and care means this car is as good as, if not better, than when it rolled out of Mercedes-Benz’s factory in Germany. The bodywork is flawless, finished beautifully in jet black, it creates the perfect backdrop to chrome that’s so deep and rich in its lustre you could lose yourself in it. It’s the same inside, with the interior finished in deep red leather with black carpets and a black fabric hood. There’s a large white Bakelite steering wheel, behind which sits instruments that echo those of the 300 SL, the four-speed manual’s gearknob matching that steering wheel, the dash housing a period-correct Becker Mexico radio. Those instruments highlight an odometer which reads 60,727 miles, only a handful of which have been undertaken after this car was returned to the condition it presents in today. Underlining the exacting attention to detail is an engine bay that’s super clean, the 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine having been rebuilt during the restoration. Similarly, lifting the boot reveals spare wheel in a luggage area that looks like it’s never had to carry anything it’s so perfectly presented. In short, you’ll struggle to find a nicer example of the W121 190 SL than this car.

There’s a box file with thick wads of paperwork that demonstrate the deep commitment, and pockets, of this car’s previous owners. The original restoration was undertaken by respected, long established specialists Classic Restorations, Scotland, Ltd, where it was fully disassembled, rebuilt, retrimmed, repainted to an excellent standard. In the following years SLSHOP has undertaken extensive work to maintain and enhance its condition, with plenty of receipts as evidence to the work undertaken. There are countless pictures, both printed and on a CD -ROM, demonstrating the extensive attention this car’s had lavished on it, with the end result clear to see.

Once a car in the 300 SL’s shadow, the W121 series 190 SL really has come of age in recent years and is appreciated as a hugely desirable model in its own right. Beautiful lines combine with fine driving characteristics, and we’ve never seen one in such fine condition as this example here. Buy it, drive it and enjoy it, this appreciating classic SL is a rare joy in this kind of condition, it being a collector’s grade example of the type that rarely, if ever, come up for sale.