1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SL

Description

We've sold a lot of R107 Mercedes-Benz SLs, but this 1979 450SL might just be the nicest we've ever featured. Great colors, tons of service records, and a wonderfully well-preserved interior mean that this might be the one to hang on to for the future.

If you've been watching SL prices, you know the 190 SL has quadrupled in value in the past five years and the "Pagoda" SLs are not far behind. Will the R107s join their older siblings? Hard to say, but if you're armed with this handsome anthracite roadster, you'll be in the right position because it'll be one of the nicest specimens anywhere. Super straight bodywork with legendary build quality is a hallmark of the good SLs and this one certainly qualifies. The sophisticated color combination is unusual for the late-70s and still looks wonderful today. The federalized bumpers are in good shape, the grille isn't baked by heat and sunlight, and the chrome shines up nicely. In short, someone has taken exceptionally good care of this sparkling roadster.

The interior is virtually new, defying the decades and looking quite fresh. Much of that credit is surely due to the lambskin wool seat covers, which have been protecting the seating surfaces underneath, which are extraordinarily nice. The carpets haven't been soiled or faded by the sun, and the dash looks factory fresh. All the instruments are fully functional, housed in three big dials behind one of the biggest steering wheels of the modern era. Problematic things like the A/C, power antenna, and power windows are fully functional thanks to relatively recent service, and there's an upgraded Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo in the center of the dash. All SLs included both a cloth soft top that stows neatly under a hard tonneau cover behind the rear package shelf, as well as a color-matched hardtop that seals it up as well as a coupe. The trunk isn't terribly spacious, but since this is such an excellent highway car, they give you a nice package shelf behind the seats for extra gear. And it's all fully carpeted in plus, luxurious materials that looks and feel expensive (which, of course, they were).

They say that a Mercedes-Benz SL is inexpensive to maintain and expensive to neglect, and that's true here. All the proper service has been done thanks to long-term ownership by a car dealer, and absolutely nothing has been neglected over the past three-and-a-half decades. The fuel injected 4.5 liter V8 springs to life easily and purrs along with a nice V8 burble out back and has a smooth torque curve that builds power without seeming to work very hard. The engine bay is packed tight, but here, too, you can see signs of conscientious maintenance and new parts. The 3-speed automatic transmission was overhauled a few years ago (we have the receipts) and the underside of this car is every bit as nice as the rest of it. No accidents, no lifetime in a rust-belt state, just a low-mileage SL that someone truly cherished and gave it whatever it needed, when it needed it. Even the original alloy wheels are in remarkable condition and wear 205/70/14 Michelins that look and handle right.

There are probably too many of these to be the next big boom market, but the truth is, there are not many higher-profile cars that cost less. For A-list status, it's hard to beat an R107 SL, and this one has great colors, lots of receipts, and careful ownership to back it up. Call today!