6 days ago
Wheels of the West Rand: A ride in the iconic 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL
Rigardt Maartens is the 11th petrolhead to show off his iconic car in the Krugersdorp News' Wheels of the West Rand series and introduced his 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL.
• Also read: Wheels of the West Rand: Fast wheels keep on turning
Not only is this the oldest car in the series, but also the rarest one, with only around 25 000 units produced between 1955 and 1963, with the majority, as well as Rigardt's, being left-hand drive.
Rigardt explained he did not buy the car, but won it with a trading competition in June 2024. Along with the car, he also won a spot in The Cape 1 000, which is a grand touring rally of 1 000 miles (1 600km) around the Western Cape.
'It was an amazing experience with 65 people taking part in it from all over the world. My car was the oldest and slowest there; however, my wife and I placed 23rd with the challenges we had to complete,' he explained.
He said he is part of a car group which goes on convoys, however, he doesn't get to drive the car as often as he would like due to work keeping him busy.
He added that the car is 100% original, with no modifications whatsoever, and the car has less than 4 000km on the clock.
My wife believes this is the most beautiful car ever made, whereas I prefer faster cars. The fastest I have driven the car is 110km/h, where it even takes a while to hit 80km/h,' he explained.
The News took the car out on the road to experience what it is like to drive one of the most iconic and beautiful cars Mercedes has ever produced.
Like the 280 SL Pagoda the News wrote about last year, this car is truly like looking at a piece of art in a museum. From the nose of the car to the rear and the iconic wheel arches, you can just stare at it and feel ecstatic.
'The interior is just as sleek, with chrome trim and leather everywhere, and the radio is even original. Typical of cars from this era, it has a huge steering wheel since it has no power steering. You would expect the indicator would be in a standard position, however, you would rather turn a smaller wheel on the steering wheel to the side you want to turn. As it is a convertible with a soft top roof, the rear view mirror is on the dashboard and not on the windshield,' journalist Heinrich Greyling said.
He advises that if you are taller than 182cm, this car is not for you.
'The top of the windshield is directly in the middle of your sight, so you have to extend your neck out to see over it, or lower your head, leaving you feeling like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.'
As Rigardt confirmed, the car is very slow, one of the slowest cars featured in the series; however, you do not want to go fast in this car.
You need to cruise and feel the wind in your hair and just enjoy the experience of this masterpiece.
'It was a chilly day during the drive, and even if you cannot feel your hands, you feel obligated to keep the roof down to enjoy the drive,' Heinrich said.
Like most old cars, it takes you back in time to the glory days of the automotive industry, showcasing how cars were made with beauty in mind, and not just practicality, technology, safety and regulations. This museum piece will go down in history as a classic treasure.
If any petrolhead wants to show off their classic, unique, exotic, or rare cars, send an email to heinrichg@
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