Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster
In 1953, Maximilian Edwin Hoffman persuaded the Daimler-Benz Board of Management to create a reasonably priced sports car for the American market, though his idea was overruled by the Development chief Dr. Fritz Nallinger, who proposed that the small sports car should be built on the 180 platform. Hoffman conceded that "I lost - the outcome was the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL." Despite his initial scepticism, the Board meeting in Stuttgart was the birth of the now-famous 190 SL - alongside the legendary 300 SL Gullwing.
Hoffman was invited as the entrepreneur who had been importing European cars to the USA since 1946, and held larger ambitions for Mercedes-Benz to penetrate the American market. To achieve this aim, Hoffman was promised the 300 SL for the "International Motor Sports Show" in New York, February 1954, and the 190 SL was introduced alongside it to capture the American public with an elegant design and a modest price.
Be part of history with a collectible Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster 1955 poster, mouse pad, t-shirt, or calendar. Add a unique piece of automotive art to your collection or give someone special the perfect gift. Order now and join the classic car loving community. #190SLRoadster
