When Mercedes-Benz unveiled the 300 SL Roadster in 1957, it marked a significant evolution from its predecessor, the iconic 300 SL Gullwing. Addressing the Gullwing’s practical limitations, the Roadster offered enhanced usability and comfort, while retaining the performance and prestige that defined the SL lineage. This transformation was pivotal, culminating in the highly sought-after models of the early 1960s, with the 1964 Mercedes 300 SL Roadster standing as a paragon of this refined engineering and design.
The original Gullwing, while groundbreaking, presented challenges in daily driving. Its tubular space frame, a marvel of engineering, necessitated the signature gullwing doors, which, while visually striking, hindered accessibility. Mercedes-Benz engineers ingeniously redesigned this frame for the Roadster, allowing for conventional doors and significantly improving ingress and egress. This redesign also paved the way for practical wind-up windows, a welcome upgrade from the Gullwing’s less convenient side curtains, enhancing cabin comfort in various weather conditions.
Beyond accessibility, the Roadster saw substantial improvements in handling and ride quality. The Gullwing’s high-pivot swing-axle rear suspension, known for its tendency towards oversteer, was replaced with a low-pivot swing-axle configuration in the Roadster. This revised system, featuring a transverse coil spring above the differential and vertical struts linking it to the axles, effectively minimized oversteer and provided more predictable handling. Complementing this, softer coil springs were implemented, resulting in a more comfortable ride without sacrificing the sporty driving dynamics expected of a Mercedes-Benz SL. The engine, a highly refined inline-six, was standard-equipped with the sport camshaft, previously exclusive to the racing-inspired alloy-bodied Gullwings. This enhancement boosted horsepower, ensuring the Roadster delivered exhilarating performance that matched its elegant aesthetics.
The 1964 Mercedes 300 SL Roadster represents the zenith of this model’s development. By 1961, Mercedes-Benz had further refined the 300 SL Roadster by introducing standard four-wheel disc brakes. This advanced braking system significantly improved stopping power, aligning the 300 SL with the leading automotive technology of the era, as seen in marques like Ferrari. In 1962, another key upgrade arrived: the engine block was updated to aluminum alloy. This reduced engine weight, further enhancing the car’s handling and performance. Roadsters equipped from the factory with both disc brakes and the alloy engine block are particularly rare. Only 218 examples received this combination, making these late-production cars, like a 1964 Mercedes, the most evolved and collectible of the 300 SL Roadsters.
The specific 1964 Mercedes 300 SL Roadster we are highlighting, chassis number 003207, exemplifies this pinnacle of 300 SL evolution. According to its factory data card (Fahrzeung-daten) dated February 24, 1964, this car was originally finished in a sophisticated gray-blue (DB 166) with a striking red leather interior and a black hardtop. Destined for the European market, it featured the desirable one-piece headlamp lenses, further protected by rare factory stone-guard mesh covers. In keeping with late-production Roadsters, it was fitted with elegant, color-matched “sport” wheels, finished in chrome with alloy rims.
While its chassis number suggests it being among the last 50 cars in the production sequence, this particular 1964 Mercedes 300 SL Roadster was completed in February of that year, making it one of only three invoiced in 1964 and believed to be the third-to-last 300 SL ever produced. Adding to its allure, records from the Gullwing Group’s Roadster Registry indicate its initial shipment to Iran. Intriguingly, it is strongly believed this 1964 Mercedes was destined for the Shah of Iran himself, a known major shareholder of Mercedes-Benz and an avid collector of 300 SL models. A period photograph even places the Shah next to a Roadster on a European tarmac, a Royal Dutch Airlines Lockheed Constellation visible in the background, hinting at its prestigious early life.
