Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster Hardtop, White

From 1958 the 300 SL Roadster could be ordered with a detachable hardtop, an extra-cost option that turned the open car into a fixed-roof coupé for winter or long journeys, with the soft top folded away beneath its cover. It made the Roadster two cars in one, and underneath it was still the 300 SL: the first production engine with petrol direct injection, dry-sump lubrication carried over from racing, and from 1961 disc brakes on all four wheels. White, Mercedes paint DB 050, was the most popular colour on the 300 SL, by CMC's count almost one car in five, and it shows the shape plainly: the twin bulges on the long bonnet, the chrome-barred vents behind the front wheels. 1,858 Roadsters were built between 1957 and 1963.

CMC shows the car both ways: with the hardtop fitted, its roof in body colour, or with the roof lifted off onto its stand and the hood cover closed. Inside are red leather and folding seats, a red dashboard with an ashtray that opens, adjustable sun visors and a cream steering wheel. The white hubcaps, each with its three-pointed star, come off without tools; behind them sit Michelin X tyres. The bonnet and boot open on stays to the six-cylinder engine and the spare wheel. A limited edition of 1,500 pieces; CMC builds it at 1:18, from more than 1,050 parts.