1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL

Mercedes-Benz displayed a two-seat roadster concept with a removable hardtop at the 1954 New York Auto Show. When it came to market a year later (in January 1955) it was called the 190SL and was based on the 180 saloon. Production had been delayed due to alterations aimed at strengthening the saloon's shortened platform to compensate for the open body's reduced stiffness. It followed in the footsteps of its older sibling, the 300SL 'Gullwing,' but was a less intense and more affordable version. It used a carbureted 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine, unlike the 300SL's direction-injected 3-liter slant six, and shared a basic engine design, suspension system, and level of craftsmanship and detail that defines Mercedes-Benz.

The mechanical development was led by Fritz Nallinger. It received a detachable subframe, four-speed manual gearbox, four-wheel power-assisted hydraulic drum brakes, and a 1,897cc overhead-camshaft four, the first such engine ever to feature in a Mercedes-Benz. With the help of twin Solex downdraft carburetors, the M121 power unit developed 105 horsepower at 5,7000 RPM, giving the 190SL a zero-to-sixty mph time of 14.5 seconds and a top speed of 171 km/h. The engine was mated to a fully synchronized 4-speed transmission that sent power to the rear swing axles. The front suspension was fully-independent with wishbones. It used the same suspension system as the 300SL resulting in excellent drivability and confident road handling characteristics.

The bodywork was created by Walter Hacker and his design team under Mercedes-Benz design Chief Karl Wilfert. The team members included a young Paul Bracq, who later became the Mercedes-Benz head of design, responsible for the 230/250/280 'Pagoda' SL, top-line 600 series, and other models. Bracq also designed France's TGV high-speed passenger trains and penned other landmark designs for BMW, Citroën, and Peugeot during his prolific career.

The dramatic curves of the 190SL were immediately recognizable as a Mercedes-Benz product, with restrained use of brightwork that was both stylish and elegant. Several styling cues were sourced from the 300SL including the large three-pointed star in the grille and the 'eyebrows' over the wheels.

Sales were strong with 25,881 examples produced before production ended in 1963. Many examples were sent to the United States and although they did not offer the level of performance of sports cars of the era, they more than made up for it in attractive styling, build quality, refinement, and sophistication. Body styles included a folding soft-top or a removable hardtop, or both.

Although the idea of options was fairly new in the automotive industry at the time, Mercedes-Benz introduced what is known as an option list. This added to the 190SL's appeal to the public for now it could be custom custom-tailored to the individual enthusiast to suit their unique taste and cater to a larger audience. The list of available options included ostentatious color schemes, soft and hardtops, accessories, seats, and the rare sports-racing option.

The 190SL had been conceived by Max Hoffman, the U.S. Mercedes-Benz importer, as a less complicated and less costly version of the 300SL 'Gullwing' Coupe. It had conventional front-opening doors and normal-width sills, providing occupants with greater ease of entry and exit. The 'SL' designation, which it shared with the 300SL, roughly translated into English as 'sports light' and denoted the use of lightweight aluminum for the rear deck lid, doors, and hood of the 190SL. It was marketed by Mercedes-Benz as a grand touring car and was the only open SL choice until the Gullwing was replaced by the 300 SL Roadster in 1957.

While the Mercedes-Benz 300SL was renowned for its clever architecture, beauty, and superb performance excelling on the track as well as the road, the 190SL proved to be even more popular, outselling the 300SL by a factor of eight to one. It offered plenty of capabilities and racing-inspired technologies that were utilized in the 300SL, boasting a smaller engine more applicable to the masses and casual use.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2020