It was in March 1957 when, with its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show, the 300 SL Roadster (W 198 II) succeeded the legendary 300 SL "Gullwing" Coupe. From that moment on, Mercedes extended the thrill of open-top driving into the spheres of high-performance sports cars. Not only did entering the car require fewer physical acrobatics now —thanks to conventional doors—but also the newly developed rear axle—a single-pivot swing axle with a lowered pivot point and compensating transverse leaf spring—proved superior to the coupé's dual-pivot design. It resulted in significantly more balanced handling and enhanced ride comfort.
Just how undiminished the appeal of the open-top version of the 300 SL remains to this day was recently demonstrated by the awarding of the "Trofeo Coppa d'Oro Villa d'Este" to an American-based example featuring a pair of skis mounted on its trunk lid. A nod to the jet-set lifestyle of the 1960s—an era that this particular model, offered by Axel Schuette, embodies with exceptional flair.
Raise the curtain for an ivory-hued beauty—actually the 271st example built during the first production year of 1957 and delivered to the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Düsseldorf. The original owner, a Belgian entrepreneur, commissioned his dream car in the captivating combination of an Ivory exterior (DB 608) paired with a red leather interior (DB 1079). A choice remarkably close to that of Romy Schneider, who, in 1958, also ordered her SL in Ivory but with a light red interior. The German actress was one of many film stars and VIPs of the era who simply couldn't resist the magic of this Merc.
The subsequent stops in the history of the Schuette car included Nuremberg, Munich, Bad Tölz, and—from the mid-1970s until 1981—Heidelberg, where pre-war racing driver and Bugatti enthusiast Helmut Schellenberg (1911–2002) kept it in his garage. After the war Schellenberg had continued to participate in vintage car races with a Bugatti 35 until the mid-1980s, once jokingly admitting to having "cheated" on his Bugattis with the 300 SL. From 1981 to 1989, he loaned his Roadster to the Auto & Technik Museum Sinsheim before it passed into the hands of an owner who already belonged to Schuette's clientele at that time.
Next year Axel Schuette will look back on 40 years of experience in the handling and highly professional restoration of Mercedes 300 SLs. Accordingly, in 2011, the Westphalian specialists passionately embraced the request of this car's owner to subject this matching-numbers 300 SL to a comprehensive body-off restoration, leveraging their collective expertise. To this end, following the removal of the bodywork, the tubular spaceframe chassis and all underlying components were restored—comprehensively and without compromise—to a virtually brand-new condition.
After all restoration had been completed in 2014, this magnificent roadster stood out in its original delivery color and in a condition that could hardly have been of higher quality even at the time of its factory rollout in Sindelfingen nearly 70 years ago. Axel Schuette notes—not without pride: "The panel gaps and the paintwork are extraordinary, as is the overall quality. This is thanks to our 'dream team' of specialists in every field—right down to the most experienced painter and upholsterer."
All work has been thoroughly documented; a Certificate of Authenticity, including a material analysis by TÜV Rheinland, is available, too. Since its "rebirth," the car has covered a mere 2,081 kilometers—and would certainly not mind racking up a few more enjoyable miles this coming summer.
Second Roadster in White with bespoke luggage set
A second 300 SL Roadster currently offered by Axel Schuette gleams in an exterior finish of White (DB 50), paired with blue leather upholstery (333). As another 1957 model, it also represents an early example and initially spent nearly 40 years in the US—the very market that Mercedes' marketing strategists had targeted as the primary sales region. In the mid-1990s, this vehicle returned to Germany and was registered in Berlin to a client of Axel Schuette.
In 2008, the current owner acquired the SL and commissioned the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in Fellbach to perform a comprehensive engine overhaul. Since then, he has covered 27,000 kilometers in this remarkably original model; the bodywork, engine/transmission, chassis, axles, steering, and paintwork all carry matching numbers throughout—as do specific body panels still bearing factory-stamped identification numbers.
The scope of equipment for this roadster includes a bespoke two-piece luggage set. A useful extra for the next custodian to travel in style down to the next Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este.
