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1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Rallye Roadster

  • Chassis Number: 198.042.7500094
  • Engine Number: 198.980.7500108
  • Body Number: 7500020
This 300 SL Roadster is among the first examples built. It was completed in June of 1957 and fitted with engine number 7500108 and body no. 7500020. Due to its early production date, it was given rare hand-tooled production components that were shared with the Gullwing.

This example was built to order for Princess Ashraf ol-Molouk Pahlavi, the twin sister of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. Mohammad Reza Shah eventually became a major shareholder in Mercedes-Benz and is personally credited with the creation of the Gelandewagen (Cross-Country Vehicle), when he placed a 20,000-truck order with Mercedes-Benz in the 1970s. Princess Ashraf was also fond of the marque and would own several models during the 1950s, including a 300 S Roadster and a 220 S Cabriolet.

Princess Ashraf special-ordered this 300 SL Roadster in special-order color Perlgrau (Pearl Grey, DB 125) with red leather upholstery, black soft top, Becker Le Mans radio, Michelin tires, and European equipment, including lighting and instrumentation. Around 1961, the car was acquired by Thomas Foster Hamilton, the founder of the Hamilton Standard Company, a firm that revolutionized the propulsion technology of propeller-driven aircraft in the years prior to WWII.

It is believed that Mr. Hamilton acquired the 300 SL while living in Paris during the early 1960s and had it prepared for use in European rallies. The work included the installation of a pair of Marchal driving lights, leather hood straps, three-spoke Nardi steering wheel, aircraft-style safety belts, and drivers-side aluminum roll bar, as well as front and rear 'nerf bars,' with a central Marchal spotlight and club badges mounted on the front crosspiece. There is a custom-fabricated, aviation-inspired instrument panel with a Halda Speedpilot, Tapley & Co. gradient and acceleration meter, Abercrombie & Fitch-branded Heuer Autavia rally clock, and a Sufft Auto-Aeroid altimeter.

The car remained with Mr. Hamilton and his family for decades, with ownership passing to T.L. Hamilton in 1969, and then to Thomas F. Hamilton II in 1973. In 1996, Tom Hamilton II sold the Roadster to Scott Dapron of Prescott, Arizona. It remained in Mr. Dapron's collection until his death, whereupon it was sold to the current owner.

This Roadster is currently in unrestored condition with its matching-numbers engine, original leather upholstery, and period rally equipment The bodywork has been refinished in Weissgrau (White Gray), with an appropriate DB 158 paint code tag in the engine bay. Sections of the original Perlgrau paint are present behind the dashboard. The factory hardtop and wheels are finished in light brown. There are period-correct Michelin X tires and proper Sekurit side glass.

The car has its tonneau cover (stamped 020), tool kit, jack, custom fabric tonneau, and Mercedes-Benz owner's manual and parts catalogs,

By Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2020

Provenance *
* Please note, dates are approximate

2020 Gooding & Company : Amelia Island

Pre-Auction Estimates :
USD $1,000,000-USD $1,300,000 
Sale Price :
USD $995,000

1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Auction Sales

Recent Sales of the Mercedes-Benz 300SL

(Data based on Model Year 1957 sales)
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Chassis#: 198.042.7500510
Sold for USD$2,260,000
  2024 Broad Arrow Auctions : Amelia
 
1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ROADSTER
Chassis#: 198.042.7500348
Sold for USD$2,012,500
  2024 Gooding : Amelia Island Concours
 
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster 'Outlaw'
Chassis#: 198.042.7500282
Sold for USD$1,199,880
  2023 RM Sothebys : Munich
 
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Chassis#: 198.042.7500115
Sold for USD$1,215,000
  2023 RM Sothebys : Las Vegas
 
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Chassis#: 189.010.7500563
Sold for USD$1,050,000
  2023 RM Sothebys : Monterey
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL image  1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL image  
1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ROADSTER
Chassis#: 198.042.7500038
Sold for USD$1,600,000
  2022 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL image  1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL image  
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster
Sold for USD$1,375,000
  2022 Mecum Indy
 
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing
Chassis#: 198.040.7500064
Sold for USD$1,352,500
  2021 RM Sothebys : Monterey
 
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Chassis#: 198.042.7500603
Sold for USD$1,655,000
  2021 RM Sothebys : Monterey
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL image  1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL image  
1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL ROADSTER
Chassis#: 300SL1980427500532
Sold for USD$1,045,000
  2021 Barrett-Jackson : Las Vegas
 
1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ROADSTER
Chassis#: 198.042.7500178
Sold for USD$1,274,289
  2021 RM Sothebys : Milan 2021
 
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster
Sold for USD$907,500
  2021 Mecum : Indy 2021
 
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Chassis#: 198.042.7500592
Sold for USD$1,066,500
  2021 RM Sothebys : Arizona
 
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster
Sold for USD$1,210,000
  2021 Mecum : Kissimmee
 
1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL GULLWING
Chassis#: 198.040.7500027
Sold for USD$1,254,000
  2020 Gooding : Geared Online
 
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Chassis#: 198 042 7500518
Sold for USD$986,346
  2020 Artcurial Motorcars : Monaco
 
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Chassis#: 198.042.7500094
Sold for USD$995,000
  2020 Gooding & Company : Amelia Island
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL image  1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL image  
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Chassis#: 198.042.7500397
Sold for USD$758,500
  2020 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island Auction
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL image  1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL image  
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Chassis#: 198.042.7500594
Sold for USD$839,042
  2020 RM Sothebys : Paris
 
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster
Chassis#: 198.042.7500555
Sold for USD$973,000
  2020 RM Sothebys : Scottsdale Arizona
 

Mercedes-Benz 300SLs That Failed To Sell At Auction

1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL's that have appeared at auction but did not sell.
VehicleChassisEventHigh BidEst. LowEst. High
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster19804275002332024 Mecum : Kissimmee$1,200,000$1,300,000$1,400,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster18901075005632024 Mecum : Kissimmee$1,200,000$1,450,000$1,500,000
1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SL ROADSTER198.042.75006542023 Gooding & Company : Pebble Beach $1,200,000$1,400,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster198.042.75003852023 Broad Arrow : Monterey Jet Center $1,300,000$1,600,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster198.042.75002862023 Broad Arrow : Monterey Jet Center $1,850,000$2,200,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster75001152023 Mecum : Monterey$1,050,000$1,450,000$1,650,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster 2022 Mecum : Kissimmee   
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster198.042.75002332020 RM Sothebys : Shift/Monterey $1,100,000$1,200,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster 2020 Mecum : Indy   
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster198.042.75005322020 Bonhams : Scottsdale Arizona $950,000$1,100,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster198.042.75006032019 RM Sothebys : Monterey $1,200,000$1,400,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster to SLS aluminium competition specifications19804275002202017 Bonhams : The Chantilly Sale $1,500,000$2,500,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster198.042.75002992017 Bonhams : Quail Lodge $1,000,000$1,200,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster198042-75004322016 Bonhams : Bond Street Auction $1,000,000$1,200,000
1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL ROADSTER198042.75002512016 Bonhams : Quail Lodge $1,150,000$1,350,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster198.042.75003782016 RM Sothebys : Amelia Island$950,000$1,000,000$1,300,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster198.042.75001882015 RM Sotheby's London Auction $650,000$850,000
1957 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL ROADSTER198.042-75002702015 Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction $1,100,000$1,300,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster19804275006042015 Mecum : Monterey$1,450,000$1,500,000$2,000,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL75002392015 Motostalgia Auction Indianapolis Brickyard $1,750,000$2,000,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster75006042014 Mecum Monterey$1,650,000$1,750,000$2,250,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster198.042.75004142012 RM Auctions at Amelia Island, Fla$625,000$700,000$800,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Road Race Replica 2011 Bonhams Classic California $50,000$70,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster198.042.10.75003622010 Gooding and Company Pebble Beach Auctions $575,000$650,000
1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster19804275001142006 Vintage Motor Cars in Arizona$250,000$275,000$325,000

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1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL

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1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Vehicle Profiles