Mercedes Benz 300 S Roadster
Highlights
Data & Facts
This Automobile
According to the available data card, this Mercedes Benz 300 S Roadster was delivered in the summer of 1954 and then made its way to the USA. The original colour scheme was medium green (colour code DB 229) with a green-grey leather interior (colour code 1081). The car still has this attractive and rare colour scheme today.
The 300 S Roadster returned to Germany in the early 1990s and was purchased by its last owner in the Bonn area in 1992. The original purchase agreement is available. The car was the start of a small collection, which was later expanded to include two 300 Adenauer convertibles, a 300 Sc Roadster as well as a 300 SL Roadster and a 300 SL Gullwing.
A few years after purchasing the car, the owner commissioned a comprehensive partial restoration, which included engine repairs and refurbishment of the bodywork and interior. An invoice for DM 64,000 is available for this work.
In 2010, various vehicle components (technology, interior, bodywork and attachments, brakes, electrics, soft-top) underwent a further overhaul at a renowned specialist Mercedes Benz restoration company in Germany, amounting to around EUR 20,000. This work was documented with photos. Some time later, the engine was repaired regarding the crankshaft and connecting rod and the cylinder head gasket was replaced. This work amounted to a further EUR 12,000.
The attractive, original colour scheme in medium green with a green-grey leather interior gives the car a fresh and distinctive look, especially when compared to the many examples in more muted colours. Its condition and, in particular, the careful ownership over the last 30 years make this rare 300 S Roadster a true experience of the 1950s automotive opulence. Its luxurious appearance ensures a sublime driving experience – then as now.
Model History
The Type 300 S (W 188 I) was launched at the Paris Motor Show in October 1951. The model was based on the Mercedes-Benz 300 (W 186), commonly known as the “Adenauer” after the first German Chancellor.
The wheelbase of the two-door W 188 is 150 mm shorter than that of the sedan, while the drive train remains virtually unchanged. The engine output was 150 hp thanks to the use of three carburettors. The 300 S was available in three body variants as a Cabriolet A, Roadster and Coupe and was positioned as a particularly prestigious car with a sporty note for the very highest demands in terms of roadholding and comfort. In the judgment of the international trade press, the new model was praised as a "car of the world's elite" and a "benchmark for what is achievable in automotive engineering today".
The Model 300 S and 300 Sc were considered the pinnacle of luxury car manufacturing, which was also reflected in their high purchase price (around 50% more than the 300 sedan). In terms of exclusivity, workmanship, comfort and value, all variants were (and still are) in the same league as Rolls Royce and Bentley cars of that era.
During the production period of the 300 S, only 760 units (roadsters, coupés and convertibles) left the factory. A total of 141 units were built as sporty roadster with a flat-folding soft top. This makes the W 188 even rarer than the legendary 300 SL ‘Gullwing’, of which 1,400 were manufactured. In 1958, production of the W 188 came to an end, marking the end of an era of bodies mounted on a separate frame with the powertrain. Modern vehicle designs subsequently featured self-supporting bodies (e.g. the Mercedes Ponton models).
This Automobile
According to the available data card, this Mercedes Benz 300 S Roadster was delivered in the summer of 1954 and then made its way to the USA. The original colour scheme was medium green (colour code DB 229) with a green-grey leather interior (colour code 1081). The car still has this attractive and rare colour scheme today.
The 300 S Roadster returned to Germany in the early 1990s and was purchased by its last owner in the Bonn area in 1992. The original purchase agreement is available. The car was the start of a small collection, which was later expanded to include two 300 Adenauer convertibles, a 300 Sc Roadster as well as a 300 SL Roadster and a 300 SL Gullwing.
A few years after purchasing the car, the owner commissioned a comprehensive partial restoration, which included engine repairs and refurbishment of the bodywork and interior. An invoice for DM 64,000 is available for this work.
In 2010, various vehicle components (technology, interior, bodywork and attachments, brakes, electrics, soft-top) underwent a further overhaul at a renowned specialist Mercedes Benz restoration company in Germany, amounting to around EUR 20,000. This work was documented with photos. Some time later, the engine was repaired regarding the crankshaft and connecting rod and the cylinder head gasket was replaced. This work amounted to a further EUR 12,000.
The attractive, original colour scheme in medium green with a green-grey leather interior gives the car a fresh and distinctive look, especially when compared to the many examples in more muted colours. Its condition and, in particular, the careful ownership over the last 30 years make this rare 300 S Roadster a true experience of the 1950s automotive opulence. Its luxurious appearance ensures a sublime driving experience – then as now.
Model History
The Type 300 S (W 188 I) was launched at the Paris Motor Show in October 1951. The model was based on the Mercedes-Benz 300 (W 186), commonly known as the “Adenauer” after the first German Chancellor.
The wheelbase of the two-door W 188 is 150 mm shorter than that of the sedan, while the drive train remains virtually unchanged. The engine output was 150 hp thanks to the use of three carburettors. The 300 S was available in three body variants as a Cabriolet A, Roadster and Coupe and was positioned as a particularly prestigious car with a sporty note for the very highest demands in terms of roadholding and comfort. In the judgment of the international trade press, the new model was praised as a "car of the world's elite" and a "benchmark for what is achievable in automotive engineering today".
The Model 300 S and 300 Sc were considered the pinnacle of luxury car manufacturing, which was also reflected in their high purchase price (around 50% more than the 300 sedan). In terms of exclusivity, workmanship, comfort and value, all variants were (and still are) in the same league as Rolls Royce and Bentley cars of that era.
During the production period of the 300 S, only 760 units (roadsters, coupés and convertibles) left the factory. A total of 141 units were built as sporty roadster with a flat-folding soft top. This makes the W 188 even rarer than the legendary 300 SL ‘Gullwing’, of which 1,400 were manufactured. In 1958, production of the W 188 came to an end, marking the end of an era of bodies mounted on a separate frame with the powertrain. Modern vehicle designs subsequently featured self-supporting bodies (e.g. the Mercedes Ponton models).