When introduced in February 1954, it was thought to be a little slow, but by 1958 the engine output had been raised to 105 bhp, commendable for a 2-liter power unit running with little stress. All this gave the car good performance with a top speed of 110 mph and 0 to 60 in 13.3 seconds. Contemporary road testers found third gear a useful overtaking ratio, taking the 190SL to over 75 mph. Performance was described as sparkling with a reassuring level of safety. Fuel consumption of 20 to 26 mpg with a 14.3-gallon tank gave the car a cruising range of around 350 miles, emphasizing its essentially touring character. Strictly a two-seater, the 190 has good luggage capacity with space behind the seats as well as a commodious trunk. The car’s stability is commendable and the ride is good even by modern standards. The car pictured here comes equipped with factory hard top and retains its original interior.

The 190SL body is made of steel, with aluminum alloy doors, hood and trunk lid. Powered by an 1897ci four-cylinder M 121 model motor, with twin dual-downdraft Solex 44PHH carburetors, the 190SL made a reported 105 DIN horsepower at 5,700 rpm. (Advertising for the US version stated 125 horsepower and a top speed of 118 mph versus the European claims for 106 mph.)

The 190SL had many running changes throughout its nine-year lifespan. Perhaps the most noticeable one occurred in 1956, with the addition of chrome trim to the fender moldings and stone guards to the front of the rear wheel openings. There was also a change to the removable hard top. Earlier versions had a small rear window, while cars built after September 1959 adopted a wrap-around style, improving rearward vision.

Options available from the factory for the 190SL included a choice of Becker or Blaupunkt radios, leather upholstery, leather fitted suitcases, a right-hand side mirror, spotlights, and a hard top.

The 190SL was not an inexpensive car. With a cost new in 1958 of $5,020 (East coast) or $5,129 (West coast), the 190 SL was priced at about one-half the cost of a 300SL, or about the same as two 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door hardtop sport coupes. At their lowest price, in the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, you could find a rundown, used-up example for less than $1,000, while decent cars traded in the $2,500 range.

The fact that at one time 190SLs were cheap on the secondary market presents a problem to today’s buyer considering the purchase of one. Many a 190SL was used as a casual beach car, an inexpensive convertible for the summer or possibly purchased as a “bargain” that just needed a few repairs to make it “like new” with a cheap respray and a set of carpets. Disappointed purchasers found out quickly that parts, although widely available, are costly, and that the body, by nature of its complicated construction, is not easy to repair. Sad 190SLs could be found gracing the back row of independent Mercedes shops because their owners were unwilling or unable to pay the repair bill. Their eventual fate was often the slow death of becoming a parts car or a trip to the crusher. This makes decent cars hard to find today.

Fully restored, excellent, no-excuses, “superstar” 190SLs have now topped as much as $90,000.