Chassis No.: W09108215KWJ02021

Registration: US Title

Location: Miami, Florida

$929,000 USD | Sold

• A stunning expression of late 20th-century “wedge” design
• Powered by a potent mid-mounted Mercedes-Benz M119 V-8 engine
• Believed to be one of 13 Series 2 Imperator 108i examples, and reported to be one of just five factory-built as left-hand drive
• Displays just 2,218 km (~1,378 miles) at the time of cataloguing
• Includes copies of its original order invoice and factory correspondence
• Recently received an inspection and service by Canepa of Scotts Valley, California
• Delivered new to Japan

Isdera was founded by the visionary automotive designer Eberhard Schulz, whose career had begun at Porsche, where he first made a name for himself with the hand-built prototype, the Erator GTE. Even while employed at Porsche, Schulz was developing his own concept in his spare time, a design explicitly intended to echo the elegance and engineering of the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SL.

By the early 1980s, Schulz decided to forge his own path and established Isdera, a company dedicated to small-scale production vehicles, design, and engineering services. Two years later, the firm introduced the Imperator 108i, a car representing the culmination of Schulz’s vision. Over the subsequent nine years, only 30 examples would be produced, each undergoing subtle design revisions and powered by rear mid-mounted V-8 engines sourced from Mercedes-Benz. All were constructed around a tubular steel spaceframe clad in bonded fiberglass, and each retained the car’s signature gullwing doors, an enduring hallmark of Isdera’s design language.

The Imperator’s engineering was as sophisticated as its styling. The suspension employed front double wishbones and rear upper and lower transverse links, while coil springs and disc brakes were featured on all four corners. The car’s performance was formidable for its era, with Isdera claiming a top speed of 175 mph and a zero to 60 mph time of 5.1 seconds.

The example on offer is a later Series 2 Imperator 108i, immediately recognizable by its pop-up headlamps and dramatic swept twin-exit exhaust on the passenger side. Discerning enthusiasts will further note its softened body lines, enlarged front grille, sculpted wheel-arch vents, and offset NACA duct integrated into the hood. Together, these refinements create a car that blends the audacious spirit of a prototype with the sophistication of production engineering.

Accompanied by fascinating documentation including copies of its original order form and correspondence, this factory left-hand-drive example was sold new to Japan and is dressed in the quintessential German sports car livery of silver over black leather. Beneath its rear hatch lurks a potent Mercedes-Benz M119 32-valve fuel-injected V-8 engine, paired with a five-speed ZF manual gearbox, delivering approximately 300 horsepower.

In 2016, the car was registered in the United Kingdom before passing into German ownership, during which time it underwent a partial restoration by MePoRes F. Ulbricht GmbH. By 2021, it had joined another notable European collection, with invoices on file confirming inspection and servicing of the cooling system, climate control, and brakes. Shortly before the consignor’s acquisition, the car received an inspection and service from the renowned performance specialists at Canepa in Scotts Valley, California.

With less than 1,400 miles on the odometer at the time of cataloguing, this Imperator 108i Series 2 remains an exceptional example of Isdera’s visionary craftsmanship. Its striking design, Mercedes-derived V-8 power, and extreme rarity render it not merely a car but a collector’s trophy—a rare jewel whose presence commands admiration and respect in equal measure, and one certain to captivate any automotive event.

https://rmsothebys.com/auctions/mi26/lots/r0046-1991-isdera-imperator-108i-series-2/