Tung Nguyen•25 Jan 2014
NEWS
Two classic Mercs sell for $4 million
A pair of 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL's sell for almost $US3.5 million give collectors more insight in the classic versus restored debateHow do you like your cars? Original or immaculate?
Some people will argue that original cars are always the best, most pure examples of automotive history. While others still, believe that old cars can be restored and rebuilt, with modern technology making them even better than before.
Well, it just so happens that two 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs, sharing the same interior and exterior colour combination, both recently went under the hammer.
However, the two gullwing coupes are worlds apart, with one, in original condition, showing all the signs of being almost half a century old, worn and cracked leather interior and all. The other, absolutely faultless in appearance, down to the smallest details, was carefully restored to its current near-new condition.
These two classic beauties were featured in an auction, held by Hemmings, in the United States, with the original condition 300 SL expected to fetch a price between $1.26 and $1.59 million and the restored Merc expected to sell for anywhere between $1.56 and $1.94 million. What better way to see which one is more beloved than by seeing which Merc sells for the most? Capitalism at its finest.
Obviously, the evaluators think the restored 300 SL is a little more valuable, but you should never underestimate the unmistakable nostalgia factor of an untouched classic.
The results of the auction saw the restored 300 SL sell for a cool $1.6 million while the original example sold for... Are you ready for it?
A whopping $2.17 million!
The price was helped by the fact that the Mercedes 300 SL was the fastest production car of its time. A true classic, many 300 SL’s are still sought after today for restoration and its distinctive gullwing doors served as inspiration for the cracker SLS AMG. With only 1400 made in coupe form, and only 108 in black, no wonder the pair sold for so much.
Guess you should always keep your car in its original condition, you never know when it’s going to be worth a few million dollars, but for our money, we’d take that beautifully restored 300 SL.
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Mercedes-Benz
300SL
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Performance Cars
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Written byTung Nguyen
Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalists
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