RK Motors Charlotte is celebrating its largest single-vehicle transaction in 2015 after a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL ‘Gullwing’ managed to sell for $1,9 million at an auction.
RK claims that this is the highest price paid for a 1954 Gullwing since 2012 when Barrett Jackson sold a similar example for $2.2 million.
This particular 300SL was initially sold by lumber industry leader Leopold Bentley from Canada. He imported the German sports car with every available option excluding the Rudge wheels and with the car, helped set up a Canadian importer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles for Vancouver. His 300SL was used as a demonstrator to help attract customers and was eventually sold in 1956.
Over the proceeding decades and under the ownership of this second owner, it has been driven for over 45,000 miles. During the 1990s, it underwent a minor restoration which included a fresh lick of paint and some re-appointments throughout the interior to make it look as new as possible.
At RK Motors’ most recent auction, it was sold with the original belly pans, books, tools and the optional Nardi steering wheels.
According to president of RK Collection Joseph Carroll “The ’54 Gullwing brought this record price because of its pristine condition and flawless mechanics. This typifies the exceptional quality of the vehicles we make available to car collectors both here in the U.S., and throughout the world. This is underscored by the fact that this transaction signifies a three-year high for a’54 Gullwing, establishing a new price-point in the collector car market.”
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