1930 Mercedes-Benz 38/250 SS

When this Mercedes-Benz SS bodied by Erdmann & Rossi was named Best of Show in 2001, the Kellers joined the ranks of those few entrants who have earned the top prize multiple times. Designed by Ferdinand Porsche, the SS was one of three supercharged models that garnered racing fame and fervent support for Mercedes-Benz in the late 1920s, but production of the SS ended in 1930, so few examples exhibit the beautiful coachwork we now associate with classics from the mid-to-late-1930s. The Keller car, which was rebodied early in its life, is a rare exception, pairing an SS chassis with a unique Erdmann & Rossi special sport roadster body. The SS was initially created in June 1930 by special commission for the purpose of racing, and it was given initially to famed Mercedes-Benz team racer Rudolf Caracciola, then passed to this teammate Hans Stuck. It was Werner Lups who commissioned Erdmann & Rossi to build a new body for it, and the car was then shown at the Cannes Concours d'Elegance, where it won the 'Prix d'Honneur.' Soon thereafter, Bud MacDougall purchased the car for his private museum in Canada, and there it remained for nearly six decades. Arturo Keller was able to purchase it in 1999.