1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing “The Last One”

$2,500,000 – $3,500,000 USD
For bidding instructions, email us at auctionverify@amfar.org.

The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing is widely regarded as the most iconic and recognizable car ever made; the Last Gullwing offers a singular, storied opportunity for a collector to own the very last example of one of Mercedes-Benz’s most coveted models ever produced
The Last Gullwing, as designated by its chassis number and delivery date
A special-order Standwagen of outstanding significance, displayed by Mercedes-Benz in June 1957 at the Poznan International Trade Fair
Presented in its factory-correct color combination of Fire Engine Red (DB 534) over Crème leather (1060) and retains its numbers-matching chassis, engine, body, gearbox, and front kingpins
An extremely coveted prize treasured by a short chain of just four recorded owners since new; offered today after more than 25 years with its latest owner
Awarded 3rd in Class in the inaugural, ultra-competitive 300 SL class at the 2004 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
Accompanied by copies of its factory data cards, historic imagery, matching luggage, and a full set of belly pans

“The 300 SL is prophecy incarnate. It’s a pace-setter, a style-setter, a design conception that is bound to influence the world’s automotive industry for many years to come… Literally, the 300 SL is a car of the future that can be possessed today…it’s just about impossible to duplicate what the 300SL has to offer at any price.”
—Griff Borgeson, Sports Cars Illustrated, April 1956

The person who has come to own “the last” of anything worth collecting—whether through happenstance, patience, determination, privilege, or blind luck—is, by extension, unique simply for owning precisely what no one else does. With niche vintage collectibles, the fight to attain the final example of any prized item can draw out over decades and consume untold sums—provided such an item is even available to private buyers and not poised under spotlights in a public museum or corporate archive, hermetically sealed behind three inches of laser-guarded glass.

Indeed, the final examples of many of the world’s most sought-after collectibles are locked away, never to trade hands again, making the chance to have the last of anything—particularly an iconic sportscar model—a storied, one-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Long heralded as the “sportscar of the century” and widely revered for its intoxicating blend of show-stopping aesthetics, space-age engineering, and incredible performance, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing stands head and shoulders above the iconic sportscar designs that still captivate collectors today. It irrefutably remains the most significant and widely admired automobile produced during Mercedes-Benz’s long and laurel-crowned history.

The Last Gullwing, offered here today, is a singular example with symbolic cachet that forever ties this car—and its future owner—to everything accomplished by this all-conquering model: the victory, the glamour, and the greatness.

To possess the “last” of anything that defined an era is to hold a piece of history itself.

Shipping costs, storage fees, and all applicable taxes are the responsibility of the successful bidder. amfAR will accept cryptocurrency for the hammer price of all auction lots. Further auction terms and conditions can be found here. All bidders must pre-register at RM Sotheby’s.