By David C.R. Neyens, Motorcopia
While the brilliant Mercedes-Benz 300SL “Gullwing” requires little, if any, introduction to marque enthusiasts and collectors today, this unusually well-optioned and well-preserved example from 1956 is likely one of the most interesting and bid-worthy survivors remaining in existence today.
Offered by Artcurial as one of the marquee consignments to the French auction house’s upcoming Automotive Legends event taking place at The Peninsula in Paris, this 300SL carries particularly fascinating and noteworthy provenance, having been delivered new to Claude Foussier, the legendary beverage-industry businessman whose professional roles included the directorship of Pernod-Ricard, CEO of the Société Parisienne de Boissons Gazeuses (SPBG), and success as the European importer of Coca-Cola.
In addition to his business prowess, Monsieur Foussier’s devotion to the sport of target shooting took him to the highest levels of competition as a competitor at the Olympic Games at Rome in 1960 and at Tokyo in 1964, plus six European team championships (1956-62) and individual runner-up honors in the European Championships in 1958 at Turin, in 1960 at Barcelona, and in 1961 at Budapest, as well as winning the Coupe des Nations in Madrid. Monsieur Foussier also guided his chosen sport by serving as Founder and President of the French Shooting Federation in 1965, President of the French Sports Academy, head of the French delegation to the Winter Olympics at Grenoble in 1968, and again at Sapporo in 1972. Further honors included induction to the Olympic Order in 1993 and, finally, becoming a Commander of the French Legion of Honor on 13 December 2010.
Predictably, Claude Foussier was an automobile connoisseur, who owned a Ferrari 250 GT SWB when new, upgraded with various cues inspired by the victorious 250 GT ‘Tour de France’ Berliniettas of racing glory. Upgrades to this car were specified by Monsieur Foussier, who traveled to Turin and worked with Sergio Pininfarina to perfect them.
This 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL reflects Foussier’s sporting passion and drive for excellence. When it was completed in Stuttgart on 26 January 1956, this 300 SL was ordered and built to an exceptional and extremely rare specification, with all the performance options available in the Mercedes-Benz catalog at the time. It is also 1 of only 106 examples supplied with ‘Graphitgrau’ paint (code DB 190), combined with a Natural leather interior (Naturfarbe 1068). Factory options included:
‘NSL’ engine with special parts for performance driving SA 10013
Shock absorbers and absorbers for performance driving SA 10009/1
Center-lock Rudge disc wheels SA 935-198
Two-piece fitted leather luggage set 1068 SA
Lengthened steering column SA 944-198 (M. Foussier was quite tall)
Rear axle ratio 3.42:1
Sealed-beam headlamps
SA 100%
Without separate seats
Rear fog lamp BA 55105
Supplied with rust protection and soundproofing materials
Further, this example is one of only 30 Mercedes-Benz 300SL ‘Gullwing’ models delivered new in France. It was ordered by the Mercedes-Benz importer in Paris, the Royal-Elysées garage, directed by the famous Charles Delcroix, on behalf of its first owner, Claude Foussier, who took delivery at the beginning of January 1956 and registered it at his address at 2 boulevard Suchet. It was kept in the garage of the apartment building until 28 March 1961, when he sold it to Roger Loyet, a former racing driver and renowned car dealer in Paris, whose clients included Johnny Hallyday, Alain Delon, and Jean-Paul Belmondo. Amazingly, the second owner is understood to have retained the car for 53 years. Most recently, the “Gullwing” was found at the same physical address as that of its original owner in Paris!
In preparation for the auction, 300SL specialist Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Kukuk performed an extremely detailed assessment of the car, including paint measurements and careful notation of all the car’s internal numbers. His conclusions are amazing. Apart from slightly thicker paint on the right rear section of the body below the bumper and a touch-up below the passenger door, the entire car retains the original factory paint finish. Further, the internal numbers and hidden numbers on the body panels, plus the mechanical components, are completely and 100% in accordance with the original numbers, even those engraved on the keys. Never stripped down or never restored, and retaining much of its original paintwork, this Mercedes-Benz 300SL features rare period options, including its ‘NSL’ high-performance engine.
Offered in stunning, original condition with only a reported 34,000 kilometers (approx. 21,127 miles) of use at the time of writing, this automotive icon even comes with one of the original fitted suitcases, its Mercedes-Benz tool kit, and an extremely rare, specially-made aluminum part to balance the wheels. The patinated Natural leather interior, never touched or cleaned, is reported complete with an unusual exterior thermometer. Capping it off, the original registration plate from 1956 remains, along with the dust of the past seven decades.
According to Artcurial’s description, only 250 or so examples of the 300SL, including the 29 alloy-bodied cars, were supplied new with an engine for performance driving, the famous ‘NSL’ specification developing an extra 20 bhp. Additionally, 170 of these 250 ‘NSL’ powered cars left the factory with the upgraded engine and Rudge knock-off wheels. Approximately 100 had the ‘NSL’ engine, Rudge wheels, and sports springs and shock absorbers, not to mention the other options on this specimen. Therefore, this car is understood by Artcurial and its specialists to have been one of only about 60 built to this specification, which was identical to the 29 alloy cars. Even the aerodynamic belly pan is in place, having been removed only to allow regular oil changes and maintenance.
Thanks to its exceptionally good preservation, this special 300SL presents an incomparable choice to preserve and maintain it, or to give it a total restoration. Either way, it will surely be welcomed to any Concours d’Elegance, show, or worthy event the next owner should ever choose to enter with it. It will be offered on January 27, 2026, at Artcurial’s Automotive Legends auction at No Reserve with a Ꞓ2,000,000 – Ꞓ5,000,000 pre-auction estimate (approx. USD $2.4 – $5.84 MIllion). Watch for this example to set a new world record sale price for the 300SL.
While known best to European auction-goers, smart North American and International bidders should pay close attention to this event and the entire auction docket, which contains many of the rarest and most unusual collector vehicles available anywhere today. See Artcurial’s auction page and while you’re at it, be sure contact their North American specialist, Ed Fallon, for more information and bidder arrangements. We’re sure it will be worth showing up in Paris just before Retromobile opens!
Here is a video showing the amazing condition of this highly optioned and incredibly original 300SL from Artcurial for your enjoyment:
About Motorcopia
Motorcopia is an independent collector-car market intelligence and publishing platform founded by David C.R. Neyens, a veteran writer, researcher, and auction-catalogue specialist with a long-standing presence in the industry since2008.since 2008
Motorcopia delivers proprietary market indices – including the Market Pulse™, Forward Index™, Buy/Sell/Hold Index™, and ValueScope™ – alongside auction coverage, investment insights, and collector-vehicle analysis.
With a focus on serving high-net-worth collectors, advisors, and industry professionals, Motorcopia combines deep cataloguing expertise with data-driven reporting to spotlight actionable trends, opportunities, and results across the global collector-car market.
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