In a sensational colour combination
In Austria since 1954, with its previous owner for over 50 years
One of 203 convertibles made!

Cary Grant had one, Bing Crosby and Gary Cooper had one. Clark Gable called it his favourite. The Mercedes-Benz 300 S: the car that Mercedes-Benz built to conjure the splendour of bygone days – and to show the world that they could still make the best automobile. It was October 1951. Mercedes-Benz unveiled its new flagship at the Salon de l’Automobile in Paris and stunned the automobile world. Designed by Hermann Ahrens, built by hand on the shortened chassis of the 300 sedan, which had been introduced in Frankfurt previously. Driven by 150 horses from a three-litre, six cylinder engine. Equipped with unmatched elegance and all the opulence in the world. This was more than an unexpected surprise, it was an exclamation point. It was possible!

With the 300 S, Mercedes-Benz wanted to make it so that no one could hold a candle to them. There were larger cars, for sure, perhaps even more powerful ones. But none had this level of class – and none had this price. It cost almost twice as much as the most expensive Cadillac. Whether as a coupé, a cabriolet with a padded hood or a roadster with a fully retractable top, the price was always the same: 34,500 German Marks. At that price, the car remained, in a world: inaccessible. The press described it as the "car of the world's elite".

In those days, when the world was just rising form the soot and ash, most could only dream of a Volkswagen, even, the price of which had one less zero. The 300 S must have seemed like it was from another planet. But, the wind was changing: thanks to the economic miracle, the car found its buyers, more industrialists than film stars.

560 units left the factory, including 203 convertibles, which many consider to be the most beautiful version given its beautiful, chrome hood clips. In 1955, a fuel injection system, dry sump lubrication, more chrome and a single joint pendulum axle were added to the 300 S. The price went up again, this time by about half the price of a Beetle – it already was two Beetles more expensive than its famous stable companion with the gull-wing doors (which Mercedes had in the meantime converted from the race track to the street). Sales went down by about half, and the 300 S ended three years later, in 1958.

The history of this 300 S Cabriolet is inseparably connected with the life story of a man who always stayed in the background and never pushed himself to centre stage. A man whose instinct often led him to the right place, at the right time. In the late 1950s, the young construction entrepreneur from a modest background took the Mercedes as payment for some business. The car would remain his one and only for the rest of his life: a yellow and ivory 300 S cabriolet.

This man died in 2010 after a long illness that had increasingly taken his memory – and with it, the history of this car that had been with him for over half a century. Since only one recent copy of registration papers is available, an exciting search for clues began, which revealed a few unexpected things:

According to the information card, the 300 S Cabriolet was purchased on June 30, 1953, painted in ivory, lined with red leather, and covered with a brown soft top – a highly unusual combination for such a car. Interestingly, "ut." is noted as the branch, which stands for Untertürkheim. This means that the car stayed in the factory for a time. Generally, this note also indicates a car that Mercedes used for events (see next lot). It is not possible to decipher the buyer on the information card, no matter how hard you try. It is also noteworthy that, according to the registration papers, the 300 S was first registered on November 11, almost four and a half months after the final inspection. This is highly unusual for a car that was built exclusively at customer's request and was then used as an exhibition vehicle.

The car was inspected on behalf of BH Baden on May 10, 1954 and issued an individual permit. The applicant and first owner was a certain Alexander Keim, a textile manufacturer from Hirtenberg. The young contractor acquired the car from him and took care of it for decades. A few years before his death, he brought the vehicle into his private foundation and had it restored with great care for originality in Germany in the years 2002 to 2004. The search for the right specialists alone took him months; he looked all over Germany. The Mercedes got a new coat of paint, the original engine was completely overhauled, and the hood was restored. The original leather interior was preserved and cared for. These days, the 300 S has the charm that many freshly restored specimens lack – it is breath-taking in its elegance and unmatched in its glamour!

VIN: 188 010 00180/53, engine: 180 980 00189/53, mileage: 24,915 km (read), displacement: 2.996 cc/R6, gearbox: 4-speed, colour: Ivory/red (leather), power: 150 HP, papers: Austrian individual permit

VIN: 188 010 00180/53, engine: 180 980 00189/53, mileage: 24,9185 km (read), displacement: 2.996 cc/R6, gearbox: 4-speed, colour: Ivory/red (leather), power: 150 HP, papers: Austrian individual permit