If you as a Mercedes-Benz aficionado have been searching for the utmost in exclusivity, this 1948 Mercedes W142 A 320 Cabriolet - believed to be the only one is existence, will undoubtedly make a welcome addition to your collection no matter how diverse it may already be.

Originally built around 1948 as a design study for a future luxury cabriolet model, the W142 A 320 Cabriolet employed a 58kW side-valve engine and a number of other mechanical components utilized by previous 142-inch wheelbase luxury models.  However, due to the development of a single overhead camshaft and numerous other technical innovations which were implemented on the 1950 A300 saloon, the W142 cabriolet design study was soon rendered redundant, sold to a Dutch businessman and shipped to Indonesia where it remained for the next 40 years.

In the late 1980's, an Australian motoring enthusiast discovered by accident the hapless, non-running and now "Post Office Red" Mercedes cabriolet and shipped it back to Melbourne. After an investigation by Mercedes-Benz Museum head Max-Gerritt von Pein confirmed the vehicle's unique status (as well as its original colors), an intensive restoration project followed, which after completion just last year has brought the W142 as close to its original specification as possible.

As for what exactly this means for you, a potential buyer?  The 1948 W142 A 320 Cabriolet is expected to fetch in the neighborhood of AUD $450,000 - AUD $600,000 (USD $352,440 - USD $469,920) when it hits the auction block on March 12, really a small price to pay when you consider it may be the only one of its kind ever produced.

To learn more, keep scrolling to view a number of photos showcasing the Mercedes W142 A 320 Cabriolet (all of which enlarge when you click them), or head over to Gizmag for the unique model's full history and description.

Enjoy.