1955 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing Coupe On Auction

It’s a known fact among car collectors that German carmakers have produced some of the most desirable vehicles over the years. Now, Bonham’s is proud to offer a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing Coupe in their upcoming auction this month. What makes this one a rare piece is that this particular model only had two owners since its purchase.

Furthermore, it never underwent any restoration procedures, so everything you see and touch is original. With only 58,000 miles registered on its odometer, vintage beauties like these are almost virtually unheard of. Therefore, you must be willing to shell out some serious cash—since the auction house currently listed its estimated bid price at $1,250,000 to $1,500,000 [update: Sold for US$ 1,875,000 (£ 1,455,295) inc. premium]. Yet, due to its one-of-a-condition, there is a high probability that the amount could even exceed expectations.

The original racing version of the 300SL was a performance-driven piece of machinery that was up to the challenge. Its career is dotted with several podium finishes in races such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 1952 Mile Miglia, the Nürburgring, and much more.

It eventually caught the attention of Max Hoffman, an American importer of automobiles, who implored Mercedes-Benz to manufacture a production version of the coupe. Ultimately, his request gave us the road-legal model with the iconic gullwing doors.

Photos courtesy of Bonhams