Mercedes-Benz 190 SL 1956 - World Of Classic Cars -

Mercedes-Benz 190 SL 1956

Looking to follow up the success of the 300 SL roadster, Max Hoffman, the American Mercedes-Benz importer that convinced his superiors in Germany to build the 300 SL, believed that a similarly styled, less costly alternative would also be successful in the United States and abroad. Top executives at Mercedes-Benz once again found Hoffman’s logic to be sound, and the resulting car, the 190 SL, debuted at the 1954 New York Auto Show and proved to be quite popular, vastly outselling its big brother over the course of its production run.
Perfectly suited for touring rather than all-out speed, the 190 SL boasted a comfortable cabin with lots of room for luggage space despite having a convertible top. Nevertheless, performance was quite respectable for its time, and with 120 brake horsepower, it could achieve 60 mph from a stop in 13.3 seconds and a top speed of over 105 mph, all while returning 26 miles to the gallon!

Mercedes-Benz 190 SL 1956

As of 1980, this 190 SL was owned by Bob Oczkowski of Spotswood, New Jersey. Oczkowski owned the car for at least 15 years, reportedly assembling a collection of parts to begin a restoration. However, the restoration remained unfinished, and the car was subsequently acquired by a Mercedes-Benz enthusiast in Burlington, Ontario, in February of 1996. The 190 SL was formally imported into Canada that same month and was immediately sent to Howe Motor Works to be fully restored. Unfortunately, the owner passed away shortly after the completion of the car’s restoration in 2000, and the Mercedes-Benz remained in climate-controlled storage until recently.