This 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL is one of 1,400 Gullwing coupes built during three years of production and was completed in January 1956 before being delivered to Hamburg, Germany, as dealership inventory or for demonstration use. One month later, chassis 5500869 was returned to the factory for the addition of radio equipment and a windshield washer before being shipped to Montevideo, Uruguay, where it is said to have been displayed at the International Automobile Show of Montevideo. The car was then delivered to its first private owner, a member of Uruguay’s Terra family, who is said to have retained it until its 1973 sale to a Uruguayan collector and vintage racing driver. A subsequent refurbishment performed over 30 years with the same owner is said to have included an overhaul of the 3.0-liter M198 inline-six to NSL specification, the addition of 15” Rudge wheels, conversion of the rear axle to a 3.64:1 ratio, removal of the bumpers, a color change to silver, and the installation of a mahogany and aluminum steering wheel. After being imported to the US in 2002, the car was purchased in 2005 by marque specialists Rudi & Company, who performed further refurbishment work including an additional repaint in silver, the application of blue decals in the style of a period factory team livery, and a re-trim of the interior in blue vinyl and plaid cloth. It was then purchased in 2008 by its current owner, who has since driven it in events including the Drive of Champions benefiting the Calgary Police Youth Foundation. Additional features include Bosch direct fuel injection, dry-sump lubrication, a four-speed manual transmission, servo-assisted hydraulic drum brakes, and four-wheel independent suspension with a rear swing axle. This W198 is now offered at no reserve by the seller, a BaT Local Partner, on behalf of its owner in Calgary, Alberta, with copies of its factory data cards, invoices from current ownership, a two-piece matching luggage set, and Alberta registration. The winning bid, including the BaT buyer’s fee, will be donated to the Trellis Society and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.
Development of the 300SL was spurred by US importer Max Hoffman’s suggestion that Mercedes produce a sports car appealing to the American market. The model inherited several design elements from the company’s W194 sports racers, including upward-opening doors made necessary by a high-silled lightweight tubular space frame. Introduced at the 1954 International Motor Sports Show in New York, the production version of the 300SL utilized steel bodywork with aluminum panels for the hood, trunk lid, door skins, rocker panels, and floorboards.
Originally finished in light blue metallic, this example was repainted in silver during the refurbishment that was initiated in the 1970s, at which time its bumpers were removed. The car was again repainted in silver during the 2005 refurbishment by Rudi & Company in Victoria, British Columbia, which also included the application of blue vinyl spears over the fenders and a Mercedes-Benz laurel logo on the hood inspired by liveries used on the W194 factory team racers. A cosmetic freshening performed in 2026 by Coachwerks Restoration, previously Rudi & Company, included a repaint of the hood and one of the rocker panels following repairs to the latter. A paint protective film was then applied, and the vinyl decals were refitted over the film. Features include pivot-out door handles, wheel-arch “eyebrows,” and fender louvers with twin horizontal aluminum spears.
Rudge wheels were added during the refurbishment performed beginning in the 1970s and were refinished in silver during work performed by Coachwerks Restoration in Victoria, British Columbia, in 2026. Michelin XWX tires measuring 205/70VR15 are mounted at each corner, while a matching spare housed in the trunk is wrapped in Dunlop rubber. The servo-assisted hydraulic braking system utilizes aluminum-finned drums all around, with duplex actuation at each front wheel. The wheel cylinders were replaced in 2023, while the driver-side rear brake line was replaced in 2024.
The cabin is said to have been re-trimmed in black leather in lieu of its original gray shade during the refurbishment started in the 1970s and was again re-upholstered in its current combination of blue vinyl and blue plaid cloth in 2005. Additional features include blue square-weave carpeting covered by black and tan Coco Mats, latch-and-link lap belts, and a dashboard-mounted rearview mirror and ashtray.
The mahogany-rimmed, aluminum-spoke steering wheel is said to have been supplied by Nardi and installed during the refurbishment performed beginning in the 1970s along with a matching mahogany shift knob. A body-color dash fascia hosts VDO instrumentation including a 270-km/h speedometer, a 7k-rpm tachometer, a windup clock, and gauges monitoring fuel level, oil pressure, coolant temperature, and oil temperature. The five-digit odometer shows 7k kilometers (~4,300 miles), approximately 6,500 of which have been added under current ownership.
Canted at an angle to allow a lower hoodline, the 3.0-liter M198 inline-six utilizes Bosch direct mechanical fuel injection and features dry-sump lubrication, an aluminum cylinder head mated to an angled block surface, a single overhead camshaft, and sodium-filled exhaust valves. This example’s powerplant was reportedly overhauled during the multiyear refurbishment started in the 1970s to NSL specification, which included a competition camshaft and special tuning of the Bosch injection pump. Work performed between 2023 and 2024 by the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center in California included a valve adjustment and replacement of the thermostat, distributor cap and rotor, wiring harness, and battery. The injection pump was resealed and fitted with a replacement lift pump during the work performed by Coachwerks in 2026, which also included replating or refinishing of various under-hood components.
Power is sent to the rear wheels via an all-synchromesh four-speed manual transmission. The rear axle is said to have been fitted with 3.64:1 gearing during the refurbishment performed beginning in the 1970s. Four-wheel independent front suspension incorporates a double-wishbone front arrangement and a dual-joint rear swing axle, with both ends utilizing coil springs and hydraulic shock absorbers.
Engine number 198.980.5500894 is shown stamped on the block and the engine tag above, matching the number listed on the factory data sheets. The block has also been stamped with the “NSL” designation below the 8.18:1 compression ratio. Stamps shown in the gallery include gearbox number 003571 and rear axle number 901.
A two-piece set of fitted luggage is trimmed in blue leather, and a Uruguay license plate is included in the sale.
The car is accompanied by two factory data sheets, the first of which lists shipping on January 13, 1956, to Hamburg and the second of which lists export on February 15, 1956, to Uruguay. The second data sheet, shown above, also lists additional options that were added prior to shipping to Uruguay, including audio equipment and a windshield washer.
The vehicle is being sold on its Alberta registration, which serves as the ownership document in Alberta, Canada. The winning bidder of the auction will pay the current owner, who will in turn pay the charities.
Proceeds from the sale will go to the Trellis Society, a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), which plans to use the funds toward its goal of creating 250 new units of affordable housing in Calgary as well as the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, also a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), which plans to use its share of the funds to support a new Emerging Adult Service to provide young people aged 16-29 with more effective and appropriate mental health treatment.