As an especially rare Mercedes-Benz, this custom ordered W189 chassis 300 D is 1 of only 65 cabriolet examples built and features an incredible provenance of ownership as a car bought new and owned for 37 years by Jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald. This grand German luxury model touts a convergence of desirable collectibility traits few cars can boast about similarly and is presented in its original colors with superb factory documentation confirming original ownership. Ready for future driving enjoyment at a moment’s notice, this very well sorted Statesmen’s touring classic is a unique opportunity to own an unusually rare blend of Mercedes-Benz elegance and American cultural history.
Highlights
- Chassis: 189.033-12-9500349
- Engine: 189.980-12-9500266
- Ordered New and Owned for 37 Years by Jazz Legend Ella Fitzgerald
- 1 of only 65 300 D Cabriolets built
- Original Colors
- 166 G blaugrau paint
- Original 1088 red leather interior
- Wood dash and door trim
- Rare wooden Mercedes 300 spare parts box
- Becker Mexico radio
- Original owners manual
- Original tools and roll
- Jack and lug wrench
- Automatic Antenna
- Inline SOHC 6-cylinder engine
- Bosch mechanical fuel injection
- 3-speed Borg-Warner automatic
- White wall tires
- 90,436 miles
1959 Mercedes-Benz 300 D Cabriolet History
As documented by factory records and delivery invoices, legendary Jazz singer and American icon Ella Fitzgerald (1917 – 1996) ordered this rare and expensive Type 300 luxury convertible from Mercedes-Benz of North America in the fall of 1959 and would go on to own it for the next 37 years. Known as “The First Lady of Song” and “The Queen of Jazz”, Ella Fitzgerald’s affair with music spanned more than 60 years, a career that resulted in the sale of over 40 million albums with a timeless catalogue of songs now kept at The Smithsonian Museum of American History and The Library of Congress. Though Ms. Fitzgerald’s accolades are too numerous to mention here, worthy of particular note are the 14 Grammy Awards she won and the recognition of her impact on American culture through transcendent honors such as The Presidential Medal of Freedom and The National Medal of Arts. Today, Ella Fitzgerald tops an illustrious list of the greatest Jazz singers of all time, in the minds of many, she stands alone.
Marketed by Mercedes-Benz as the “300 D”, the W189 Type 300 was a lavishly expensive four-door luxury touring model built to cater to the era’s decadence desiring buying public. Book-ended in history by the artistic opulence of the 300Sc and the sheer complexity of the 600, the 300 D was Mercedes-Benz’s flagship luxury car of the period, a long wheel base Statesmen’s tourer produced from August of 1957 through March of 1962. This model was on par with the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud and other high end models of the same era with respect to luxury amenities, while, simultaneously, it eclipsed its rivals through superior performance via the technologically advanced fuel injected inline 6-cylinder 3.0 liter engine it employed. Its 3-speed Borg-Warner automatic transmission, in concert with a cutting-edge powerplant featuring Bosch mechanical fuel injection, provided a relaxing ease of use along with steadfast reliability at all speeds with a top speed of over 100mph. While almost 3100 sedans versions of the 300 D model were built, a mere 65 cars were custom ordered as cabriolets with the retractable black fabric soft top and landau bars, making this example one of the rarest Mercedes production cars in existence.
Ella Fitzgerald custom ordered this rare 300D and personally chose all of the original options with shipment of the car occurring on November 9th, 1959 from the Mercedes-Benz factory in Germany to her address at 3971 Hepburn Avenue in Los Angeles, California. The car came at a hefty price of 35,541 DM ($8,500) with a 10% “Celebrity Discount” applied as noted on an English language factory receipt that accompanies the car. The original combination was 166 G blagrau (blue gray) paint over 1088 red leather, a color scheme tastefully retained in the cars presentation today. The convertible top came in 040 black fabric and was opulently adorned with chromed landau bars, warranting comparison with the 540k and Sc cabriolets that came before it. The car was further equipped with a desirable Borg-Warner 3-speed automatic transmission along with additional options such as a Becker Mexico radio and Goodyear white wall tires.
For the vast majority of the 37 years of Ella Fitzgerald’s ownership the car was kept at her famous estate on N. Whittier Drive in Beverly Hills, California. While she was well known to have put her stately Mercedes to good and regular use for almost four decades, “Lady Ella” rarely, if ever, would drive the car herself, enjoying the luxury of having a driver at her beck and call to take her to special events and other engagements that required a touch of class and prestige. Notably, in 1988 as part of an American Express print ad campaign, Ella and her 300 D were immortalized together in photo by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, a copy of which remains with the car today. Ms. Fitzgerald’s 300 D Mercedes remains very true to the day she bought it with much original leather adorning the interior and no signs of having ever been taken apart; a car that has lived what can only be described as a charmed (and garaged!) “Hollywood” life.
Ella Fitzgerald would go on to own this special Mercedes until her passing in 1996, leaving the car in a condition that pays homage to the dignified care the Jazz legend showed it for almost 4 decades. In 1997, Mr Rolf Meyer of Schiffdorf, Germany, a well known collector of important and rare Mercedes-Benz, acquired the car from The Ella Fitzgerald Estate. Meyer went on to own this significant Mercedes until 2003, when another devoted German Mercedes-Benz aficionado acquired it from the Meyer Estate and became it’s next caretaker. Then, three years later, in 2006, Dr. Gottfried Gothe of Bochum, Germany became the next custodian, enjoying Ella’s 300 Mercedes on several German rallies while popularizing the car’s existence in the country at shows.
The Ella Fitzgerald 300 D was acquired in 2016 by the current owner, an internationally based collector with a taste for history and historical relevance in his stable of exceptional cars spanning many marques. Since purchasing the car, the current owner has seen fit to treat it to dutiful preservation care while in the collection and, equally important, it has been given the very best in expert mechanical maintenance attention, affording this incredibly significant historical artifact continued life as an at-the-ready driver when it is called to use. A comprehensive, “bow-to-stern” mechanical sorting of the car was undertaken by Mercedes-Benz expert mechanic Rene Luteraan of Van Nuys Sports Cars, with receipts totaling a robust $40,000, resulting in a precise “as original” driving experience to match the cosmetic beauty, powerful presence and historical gravitas possessed by the car.
Today the car presents in a high quality condition throughout with lovely paint work in the original color of 166 G blue-gray accompanied by predictably precise Mercedes-Benz fits and beautiful chrome trim throughout. The interior remains nearly all original with charming patina in the 60 year old 1088 red leather of the seats and notably a still glimmering original wood dash and door trim finish. All gauges are in unblemished original condition with the expected patina of a lifetime, dry climate garage-kept car. The entirety of the interior is consistent with the notion that this is and has been an incredibly well cared for car since new. Similar to the interior of the car, the engine bay remains particularly original with factory tags throughout including body, chassis and engine along with all original body stampings. The trunk space contains the original tools and roll, original jack and lug with a special treat for those interested in rare Mercedes accessories; in this case a well kept original Mercedes Type 300 wooden spare parts box containing all original spark plugs, bulbs and other items for on-the-spot repairs in period and a rare spectacle for modern show purposes.
This special order W189 chassis is 1 of only 65 cabriolets 300 D examples built with an irreplaceable provenance in its wake. It proudly touts a convergence of desirable collectability traits few cars can boast about similarly as presented in its original colors with superb factory documentation confirming original ownership. The car is accompanied by the original owners manual, original tools, rare original Mercedes-Benz type 300 wooden spare parts box, original jack and lug wrench and a framed photo of Ella Fitzgerald with the car as taken by Annie Leibovitz in 1988. An unrepeatable chance to own a superbly sorted and rarely seen German luxury classic with incredible Ella Fitzgerald ownership history. Now ready for future driving enjoyment at a moment’s notice.
