1982 Mercedes-Benz 380SL

Description

Since its introduction decades ago, the Mercedes-Benz SL roadsters have been the company's perennial favorites. From the spectacular 300SL roadsters of the mid-1950s to today's 600 horsepower Autobahn hammers, these wonderful 2-seaters are the perfect blend of luxury and performance.

In the 1970s, the SL was a favorite of celebrities and the merely well-to-do. Stylish, reliable, comfortable, with more than adequate performance from the healthy 3.8 liter V8 under the hood, they remain popular today for all the same reasons. The body on this one is quite straight for a driver, and the hood was recently repainted to give the car a fresh look. The metallic brown is an elegant color for conservative Mercedes-Benz, but on this little roadster, it's the perfect choice and compliments the car's spirited performance. Its styling has a timelessness to it that belies the fact that the car was designed in the 70s, and it has aged extremely well next to many of its peers. Today, they are still considered prestigious cars and showing up in this one will likely win you front-row parking from the valet.

The standard interior material in the SLs was MB-Tex, but a select few received optional genuine leather like this one. The interior remains in excellent condition with only minor wear and no damage to the seats. The carpets look appropriate for the age, while the door panels are the only part of the interior that might look 30 years old. And yes, that's real wood on the dash and console, showing no signs of cracking or fading, despite the many hours it must have spent in the sun. An updated Blaupunkt AM/FM/CD stereo system has replaced the original unit and sounds worlds better. The gauges are still handsome, and today's designers could take a note from the clean, elegant design that conveys information without excessive complexity. The SL also came standard with both a folding canvas top, which was replaced in 2009, and a matching hardtop.

The 3.8 liter SOHC V8 under the hood has a bubbly, energetic idle, and pulls the roadster around with real authority. It won't bounce your skull off the headrest, but it's equally happy dodging through town or hammering down the Autobahn at triple-digit speeds. These cars were also grossly over-engineered and even the engineers at Mercedes referred to them as der Panzerwagens, and you know the Germans know a thing or two about building tanks. The highly original engine bay shows signs of regular maintenance, and that's about all these cars need to be reliable for many thousands of miles. The 3-speed automatic clicks through the gears in a businesslike fashion, while the all-independent suspension soaks up bumps with a well-damped thump while still remaining sporting enough to be entertaining on a twisty country road. The famous Mercedes-Benz alloy wheels remain in good condition wearing a set of modern blackwall radials.

Given their popularity, 19-year manufacturing run, plus build quality that was truly bulletproof, these cars remain excellent hobby vehicles. It's also an affordable, reliable classic car that provides enjoyable top-down motoring while being relatively inexpensive to own and maintain. Call now!