This pair of iconic 1950s Mercedes have been owned by the same family for 60 years and will sell for £1.8million
Once the world's fastest car, the Mercedes 300 SL is one of the most recognisable models ever and these two examples have a unique history
A PAIR of classic 1950s unrestored Mercedes sports cars are set to sell for £1.8 million after spending their entire 60-year lives with the same family.
The Mercedes 300 SL is regarded as one of the most recognisable and iconic cars ever built.
It was available as a coupe, known as the Gullwing, and as a convertible, when it went by the official name of Roadster.
An auction house has now unearthed one of each - with both cars owned by the same family since they were new.
The 1955 Gullwing and 1957 Roadster were originally bought by an American publishing executive in the American Midwest.
He specced the Gullwing in British Racing Green and with tan leather. When it left the dealership in New York it was the world's fastest car, capable of a top speed of more than 150mph.
Despite being 62-years-old, it has been driven just 16,000 miles and is in original, unrestored condition. The Roadster is silver-blue metallic over grey leather and has been driven 38,000 miles.
The Gullwing is expected to sell for around £1 million with the Roadster likely to fetch £800,000 - with collectors attracted to the cars' unrestored condition and one-family ownership.
The then state-of-the-art Mercedes was fitted with a three-litre engine which developed 215bhp. This gave it a top speed of 155mph, a staggering speed for a road car in the 1950s.
Garth Hammers, specialist at auction house Gooding & Company, said "Today, some 60 years on, it is almost impossible to find another pair of 300 SLs still in their original family ownership and unrestored.
"I think collectors are going to be very excited to see these two particular cars come to auction at Pebble Beach."
Gooding & Company will be selling both cars at its high-profile Pebble Beach sale in California over the weekend of August 18.