1958 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Convertible

To complement the race-bred 300SL Mercedes-Benz felt there was a market for a relatively affordable sports tourer with all the looks and style of the Gullwing but without the complex mechanical specification. Launched alongside its bigger stable mate at the 1954 New York Motor Show, the 190SL was based on the 180 saloon with beautifully streamlined styling and was superbly engineered. The steel bodywork and floorpan were welded together using (in a first for Daimler-Benz) unitary construction techniques for additional strength, while the bonnet, boot and doors were made of aluminium to reduce weight. The 190SL was sold in either convertible form (with a soft-top) or as a coupe (with a detachable hardtop) making it particularly versatile and this became a signature feature on subsequent SLs. The 190SL was powered by the same 1897cc four-cylinder engine found in the 190 saloons, producing 105bhp at 5700rpm and pushing the car to a top speed of around 105mph. Transmission was an all-synchromesh four-speed manual, steering via a recirculating ball system and brakes were ATE hydraulics with Al-fin style drums. With a high quality interior and the same build quality found in all Mercedes-Benz cars of the time, the 190SL certainly filled a niche and a total of 25,881 were built between 1955 and 1963, the vast majority being sold in America.