Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster for sale

Instead of the tubular spaceframe of the 300 SL, the 190 SL uses a unitary sheet-steel structure on a shortened floorpan taken from the W121 saloon. Double wishbones, coil springs and a stabilising bar at the front, a swing axle on coil springs at the rear, power-assisted 230 mm drum brakes and recirculating ball steering complete it, for a dry weight of 1,160 kg. The two-door roadster came with a soft top or a removable hardtop, which adds 20 kg, and a small transverse third seat was optional. It is 4,290 mm long, 1,740 mm wide and 1,320 mm high on a 2,400 mm wheelbase, with a 65-litre fuel tank. In 1959 the rear window of the hardtop was enlarged.

First shown as a prototype at the 1954 New York Auto Show, the 190 SL was produced from May 1955 to February 1963 in 25,881 examples. It shared its styling, its detailing and its fully independent suspension with the 300 SL, and both cars were replaced in 1963 by the 230 SL of the W113 series.