HK Engineering once again had the honor of selling and restoring a very unusual 300 SL Roadster with a prominent previous owner.
According to the available Mercedes-Benz data cards, this unique roadster was delivered to the Shah of Persia on June 5, 1957. In the rare color combination of light blue 334, a cream-colored interior 1060 and a beige soft top, the vehicle shines with timeless elegance. A Becker Le Mans radio, a Reims adapter, an automatic aerial and a two-piece luggage set in cream-colored leather were ordered as additional optional extras.
Historical photographs from 1958 show the Shah with his wife Soraya next to this sky-blue 300 SL. Documents from Tehran show that the vehicle was sold to a member of the German embassy in 1984, who imported the roadster to Germany on September 1, 1986 and registered it in Erlangen shortly afterwards.
The SL has been in the same collection since 2000 and recently underwent a comprehensive overhaul at HK-ENGINEERING in August 2023. Not only the paintwork, but also the soft top was renewed and matched to the original colors.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster not only tells the story of an extraordinary vehicle, but also the fascinating life story of its first owner, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Born in Tehran on October 26, 1919, he ascended the peacock throne at the age of 22. His commitment to modernization, reforms and his extraordinary fleet of vehicles, including this 300 SL Roadster, reflect the legacy of a monarch who led his country into the 20th century.
The restoration of this roadster was a journey into the past to preserve the legacy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
