The R107 SL was produced from 1971 to 1989 and benefitted from a number of facelifts and a huge range of trim levels and engines. 

The 350SL was the first model to feature a V8 powerplant and helped forge the SL’s reputation as the quintessential sports tourer for those in the know.

This SL is a UK car, and has covered on average less than 1,500 miles per year. For a 50 year old car, it’s in nice condition and has clearly been well kept by it’s previous owners. 

Having been hardly used over the last few years, it is now in need of a little TLC to bring it back to original condition.

As well as the V5 and current MOT (which runs to January 2023), the car comes with a number of previous MOT certificates that confirm the low mileage.

In fact, they show that it has only covered about 2,000 miles since 2006.

Inside, the seats and door cards are dressed in cream vinyl with lightly contrasting dash and cabin elements in a light tan, black carpets and OEM rubber mats. It’s a bright and airy cabin, with that driver-focussed simplicity that all 70s cars have.

Overall, the cabin elements are in good condition. The owner assures us that everything works as it should - including the Mitsubishi Radio/Cassette and electric windows. Trim and switchgear displays some age-related wear, but as the car has covered so few miles, this is minimal.

The boot area is similarly trimmed in black carpet, underneath which is a full size spare wheel. The floor appears to be very solid, with no evidence of damage or corrosion we could see.

Some items of trim in the cabin are loose or need to be reattached, but as far as we could see everything was there. Mostly, as the car has not been used regularly for so long, it just needs a really good valet.

R107s are very handsome cars, with timeless, classic styling. Tho bodywork of this car is very tidy and straight, and is finished in bright red. As with all SLs of the era, there’s a lot of brightwork, which all looks to be in very good condition too. The wheels are the original items, shod in white-wall Cooper tyres. All look in good condition, and the tyres appear to have a good amount of life in them too.

Underneath, the body and chassis appear clean and solid. At some point it has obviously been undersealed, which should have gone some way to preserving the metal well. The fact that it has a recent MOT should give confidence in the solidity of the shell.

The removable hardtop is in good condition too, with no dents or damage we could see. Underneath the hardtop is the standard SL manual folding fabric roof. The owner informs us that it is in good condition and works well, but we were unable to confirm this on the day.

Featuring Mercedes’ 3,499cc V8 (carried over from the W111 280SE) which develops a healthy 200bhp, there’s more than enough power to make for comfortable cruising, even on modern roads. Mated to the automatic transmission, it provides cosseting and effortless performance.

In this car, the drivetrain appears to be in good condition, sounding healthy and starting well. Potential buyers should be aware that the car does not have a service history, but when we viewed the vehicle, it appeared to drive well. The owner assures us the car has no mechanical issues and is ‘ready to go’.

SLs have always been great cars, and the R107 is, in our opinion, the sweet spot of great design, wonderful build quality and performance. And the V8 in this car is the perfect engine, absolutely suiting the character of the vehicle.

This car has clearly been cared for over the years. It’s very straight and solid - an honest car, if you will. The long MOT give us confidence that this is a worthwhile purchase for anyone looking for an interesting classic daily, or a semi-restoration project. Obviously, it should be noted that the car doesn’t have much of a paperwork history, and it’s by no means a pristine car. 

It needs a number of minor jobs to be carried out and needs a thorough clean. But don’t let that put you off. These cars are increasingly rare and the opportunity to purchase a solid example with lots of potential is not one to turn your nose up at. As an ownership prospect, or as the base for a thorough recommissioning, this handsome vehicle has much to recommend it.