A 300 SL Gullwing, an SLR McLaren Roadster, an SLS AMG Coupe—all iconic Mercedes models guaranteed to inspire cravings among car collectors. Those models and more are part of a single owner’s Silver Star sextet, which is headed to Paris for RM Sotheby’s first international auction of the year in January.
Headlining the marvelous display of German automotive engineering past and modern is a pair of arguably the most famous and desirable classic Benzes you can buy, one of which is from the first year of production. The 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing coupe, the F1-bred legend that was once the fastest roadgoing vehicle in its day, is estimated to pull up to $2 million, being one of just 167 produced in its model year. This chassis was first bound for New York and arrived on U.S. shores finished in white-gray over a green-beige checkered interior. It later returned to Germany and was restored in 2016 with the beloved combination of silver over red. The other 300 SL Gullwing for sale, a roadster dated 1962, is still expected to fetch between $1.4 to $1.8 million. That car retains the red-over-cream combo with which it was originally shipped to England.
The next most valuable offering in the Silver Star collection is a spiritual successor to the straight-six powered 300 SL Gullwing and the straight-eight 300 SLR race car, which shared mesmerizing door hinges. A one-of-520 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster, which could hammer for up to $558,000, was among the fastest convertibles of its day with a 5.4-liter supercharged AMG V8, featuring a modern evolution of Mercedes’ Sport Light Racing philosophy bolstered by the engineering expertise of McLaren (Mercedes previously owned 40 percent of the British marque.) This version presents beautifully in silver over black extra-large seats and head-turning 19-inch turbine wheels.
While Mercedes and McLaren’s collaborative convertible features butterfly hinges, there are two other contemporary icons with gullwing doors featured in the Silver Star collection, both from the same model year and powered by a formidable naturally aspirated V8. A 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupe, expected to fetch up to $341,000, is finished in silver over black, while a 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster, expected to fetch up to $305,000, offers comparable topless performance and a meaner black-over-black color scheme. Both show around 3,700 miles on the odometer.
Finally, a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL “Pagoda,” named for its unique, slightly concave roof resembling the rooflines of Asian Pagoda temples, could bring up to $164,500. Restored between 2014 and 2016 in its factory-correct Grey Blue Metallic over Blue leather and to European specifications (it was first delivered to the United States), the elegant convertible grand tourer features a straight-six, noted for its increase of four to seven main bearings, and a four-speed automatic gearbox for a buttery smooth ride.
Altogether, the Silver Star collection could fetch more than $5 million when it heads to an RM Sotheby’s auction on January 28 in Paris.
