Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, Black

The 300 SL Roadster made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1957, and it answered most of what owners had said about the Gullwing. It had conventional doors, a usable boot and a soft top, and a new single-pivot swing axle at the back made it steadier when pushed. The fuel-injected three-litre straight six came across from the coupé. Mercedes-Benz built 1,858 Roadsters before production ended in 1963, and for many collectors it is the 300 SL to drive rather than simply to admire.

This one is black on black: gloss black paint, black leather, black steel wheels. The chrome does the rest, on the bumpers and their overriders, the wide grille with its large star, the vents behind the front wheels, the sill strips and the windscreen frame. The hubcaps are off, so the wheel bolts show inside chrome trim rings. Both doors open on the black dashboard with its chrome-ringed gauges and a slim black steering wheel, the ribbed leather seats fold forward, and the soft top is stowed beneath its cover. The bonnet lifts to show the straight six with its long ribbed intake manifold, and the boot opens onto grey carpet.