The said automobile is distinguished for having a rare type of hull, "landau," with a covered front part and an open rear one, as is the case with a cabriolet. There have been merely 59 such models in the history of the car industry. The previous owner of this car was the president of Africa's Cote d'Ivoire for whom the car had been made according to a special order. At a recent press conference, Khromoff Collection spokesmen displayed the famous Mercedes-Benz 300SL (W198) "Gullwing" of 1954 make, nicknamed in this way because of the unusual upwards-opening doors. This car bought by one of Russian collectors for 600,000 euros is a dream for many other car-lovers. Some years ago an international jury consisting of leading world journalists, designers and collectors described this model as the icon of the century. Of all the 1,400 Mercedes-Benz 300SL manufactured over the entire history, slightly less than 500 have survived.
Another Mercedes-Benz 300 (W186) of 1951 make was purchased by a Russian collector for 350,000 euros. Once the largest and speediest German mass-scale car, it was the favorite of German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. Several Mercedes-Benz 280SL of the late 1960s known as "pagodas" for their concave roofs have recently found their resort in Russia. Each costs more than 200,000 euros.
The collecting of rare automobiles is a good investment, with each year bringing an average surcharge of 15 percent.
