1959 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Convertible

The 190SL is a stylish sports tourer with solid Teutonic engineering, reliable mechanicals and peerless build quality. Although no fire-breathing sports car - that role was given to the 300SL in Mercedes' line-up - the 190SL was still a lively performer thanks to the 1897cc four-cylinder engine. This unit was Mercedes-Benz first overhead camshaft production engine and delivered its power to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual gearbox. The 190SL was also the first Benz passenger vehicle to employ unitary construction technique and the massive backbone chassis was clothed in streamlined styling derived from Mercedes' racing efforts of the period while the interior was typically 1950s, with a painted dash topped with padded leather, large diameter steering wheel and seats usually trimmed in MB-Tex vinyl or leather. Suspension was via an independent front end, with a single-pivot swing-axle arrangement at the rear providing safe, secure handling. An icon of 1950s styling, the 190SL is an excellent proposition as a classic car with saloon-derived mechanicals eliminating expensive mechanicals headaches and quality of materials and build no longer found in production cars. Although a sales success, most 190SLs ended up in America and comparatively few right-hand drive examples exist, ensuring those that have survived will always be sought after.