Provenance is extremely important in the classic car world. Depending on who has owned the car- can make all the difference (see Clark Gable post).

Fangio, Gunther Sachs, Sophia Loren, Niarchos and Nathalie Wood are only some of the famous and wealthy people who have owned the Iconic 300SL Gullwing in the past. In July perhaps the most famous 300SL of all time will go up for sale. Let us explain.

The 300SL above is not just an ordinary Gullwing. It is a very special Gullwing.

In 1955 when Stirling Moss went to practice for the 1955 Mille Miglia (the legendary rallye race in Italy), he used the 300SL above as his practice car alongside Denis Jenkinson. Moss went on to win the 1955 Miglia Miglia in a 300SLR (the race car version of the Gullwing) and would go to become one of the greatest racing car drivers of all time. This Gullwing is furthermore important because it was the car that introduced the Gullwing to the world in Paris in 1954. It was also the London Motor show car for 1955.

If that was not enough, lastly this car was also the car used for the Autocar magazine test analysis in 1955. Bonhams will be offering this very car at their first ever Mercedes Benz sale on July 12, 2014 at the Mercedes Benz Museum site in Stuttgart. Although Stirling Moss never owned the car and only used it as a practice car around the Miglia Mille track, it is still an important part of Mercedes Benz history.

This car helped Stirling Moss win the 1955 Mille Miglia. Plain and simple.

It would therefore not surprise me if this became the most expensive 300SL Gullwing ever to be sold (not including the alloy versions). What does that mean exactly in terms of numbers? Expect $2.5m or more.

(Photo credit – JD Classics)

by Edmond Saran