A company that specializes in restoring old cars has revealed a very special restoration of an old car. This is Hilton & Moss’s entirely reconditioned Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster, and yes, it is mind-numbingly gorgeous.
It is also mind-numbingly expensive, too, because said 300SL Roadster is actually up for sale. For a rather large amount, which, considering the car’s legacy, rarity, and looks, feels about right in 2024’s hyper-inflated world of Old Automobiles. Still, you can always stop and stare.
Dubbed the world’s first true ‘supercar,’ the 300 SL was of course born out of the wonderful Merc W194 endurance racer from the ’50s—a car that took wins at Le Mans, the Nürburgring, and Carrera Panamericana.
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Noted dealer Max Hoffman thought a road-going version would be a good thing, and convinced Merc to build one. And build it Merc did, complete with a 3.0-liter straight-six punching out 225hp to the rear wheels. That gave it pace—nul to 60mph (97kph) in 7.5sec—and bragging rights of a 225kph top speed. In the ’50s, this was radical performance.
And in 2024? This particular car began life in the USA, and made its way to the UK via Germany, with its previous owner desiring a full structural, interior, and mechanical restoration.
Hilton & Moss spent 3,500 hours bringing it back to life: stripping it down, repairing the original panels, restoring the interior, keeping the colors period-correct, completely overhauling the six-pot, giving it a good clean and spit polish. You know the drill.
“With restorations of this caliber taking many years to meticulously complete and over 3,500 man-hours, finding a car of this quality can be few and far between,” said Hilton & Moss’s general manager William Garrett.
As such, it’ll set you back £1.25 million (around P89 million). Maybe better to stop and stare.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
