Merc 300SL and 190SL: 70 years of style

0 0 May 11, 2025 Edit this post

by David Burrell

We can thank New York car importer Max Hoffmann for the Merc 300SL and 190SL.

He convinced Mercedes to build them, arguing there was a market in the USA for expensive luxury sports cars.

They were revealed at the New York Auto Show in 1954 for sale in 1955.

Long overshadowed by the 300, the price of 190s has climbed dramatically in recent years, as the value of the 300 rockets ever upward in multiple millions.

The 190SL was originally conceived by Hoffman as a cheaper and much less complicated alternative to the 300SL.

He was aiming for wealthy Americans who did not want to be seen in a new Thunderbird or Corvette.

Hoffman convinced the Board of Mercedes that he could also sell the 190SL as a natural competitor to British sports cars of the day, such as the Austin Healey 100, the Triumph TR3 and the Daimler SP250.

To fast track development and to keep costs down, Mercedes dipped into the existing parts bin.

The chassis came from the 180 sedan, as did the front suspension.

The independent rear suspension was an existing Mercedes unit.

The 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine was derived from the six-cylinder motor found in the 220 and 300 models.

One of the styling themes of the 300 and 190 are the long "eyebrows" over the wheel arches.

They were later used on the HQ-HZ Holden as well as the Pontiac Tempest/LeMans/GTO.

Hoffmann sold the Mercedes from his flagship dealership on Park Ave, New York.

It was designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

Wright later used the idea of the showrooms rising circular display area when he designed the famous Guggenheim Museum in New York.

As part of his architectural fee, Hoffman gave Wright a 300SL.

David Burrell is the editor of retroautos