At the 1957 Geneva Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz introduced a convertible version of the celebrated 300 SL coupe “Gullwing,” the 300 SL Roadster. In an early indication of the increasing focus the manufacturer would place on luxury cars over the ensuing decades, the new Roadster was, above all, a more refined car than its winged predecessor.

There was no denying the 300 SL’s mechanical performance, which had decidedly improved in the Roadster. The updated six-cylinder engine received the competition camshaft used in the NSL racing coupes, providing a boost of 20 horsepower. Handling also benefited from a revised rear suspension with a lower axle pivot point, minimizing the tendency for oversteer. Despite the added weight of chassis reinforcement required by an open model, the Roadster was every bit the performance car that the Gullwing had proven itself to be.

The Roadster’s overwhelmingly luxurious character, however, generally obscured its performance capabilities. With a convertible top, the model was never subject to the uncomfortably hot cabin that plagued the coupe, and the Roadster’s redesigned tube frame afforded lower door sills, facilitating far easier access than the Gullwing’s challenging ingress and egress. The new 300 SL was an improvement on the Gullwing in nearly every capacity, at least from a road-going perspective, and it has since evolved into one of Stuttgart’s most collectible models, a darling of both concours fields and vintage rallies.

Production of the Roadster continued until early 1963, and with 1,858 built, it proved even more popular than its gull-winged predecessor. Yet it still remained exclusive enough among the well-to-do. Like the earlier coupe, it was, in its day, the car in which to see and be seen, favored by celebrities, racing drivers, and anyone who appreciated fine machinery—and who also had the bank account to acquire it.

Today, the 300 SL still carries with it an indelible aura of speed, power, and sophisticated style. It is fast enough for the sports car lover yet comfortable enough for those who demand luxury, and it has remained for nearly 60 years as one of the most desirable automobiles in the world. The pinnacle of the Mercedes-Benz catalog with a price and exclusivity to match, just 324 topless examples of the 300 SL were produced for the model year.

Far from a relic, the 300 SL’s masterful blend of exquisite style and remarkable engineering—and, when it comes to the Roadster in particular, its ease of use—make it an excellent, robust, and highly sought-after companion for long-distance touring at high speeds. For all these reasons and more, it is hard to imagine the appeal of the model fading for the foreseeable future.

The Ron Sturgeon Collection