Mercedes-Benz SL320 – Auction Car of the Week

There are some cars here within the tens of thousands of adverts on Car & Classic that are, arguably, more popular than others. People looking for a Talbot Tagora are few and far between, but people looking for, say, an R129 Mercedes-Benz SL320 make for quite the enthusiastic profusion. And while that popularity is deserved – the R129 is a fantastic car – it does make it hard for prospective owners to, you know, stand out. We’re not saying every SL320 owner wants to be the centre of attention, we’re just saying that it’s nice if yours is a little different from the rest. But how do you achieve that with a modern classic so ubiquitous? You buy a bright orange Designo version, that’s what.

The Designo department of Mercedes-Benz is where – if your pockets are deep enough – you can run around like the proverbial child in a sweet shop. The good people of Mercedes-Benz will not question you, they will not judge you, they will simply facilitate your every dream in terms of paint and trim. The 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL320 we have here is a glorious, unapologetically bright example of that. And it is all the better for it. The R129 is a car that excites when it’s in gloss red, such is the unusual nature of such a hue. This one, with its deep, rich, metallic orange is simply on another level. We adore it, and we’re sure you do, too.

People who have never owned one will tell you that you need a V8 in an SL. Ignore those people with gusto. Instead, embrace the perfection and beautiful balance of the SL320’s straight-six. Mercedes-Benz was so proud of it, they fitted it into almost everything. Plus, it was and still is incredibly reliable. This one is the epitome of that, as it has only covered a mere 47,000 miles. It is, as they say, not even broken in yet. Backed up by a silky smooth five-speed automatic transmission, this is more GT car than apex-hunter, which is just fine. Jump in this SL320 and while you can indeed hustle thanks to over 200bhp, you’ll be doing so in the smoothest of settings.

Inside, the glorious visuals continue. Immaculate dark blue leather, contrasting wood trim, wood-rim steering wheel, and dark blue carpets all present wonderfully. Again, this is all the work of one bold owner and the Designo department. Look up, and you’ll be greeted by a skyward vista framed by the panoramic hard top roof. Perfect for those colder months. When the sun does shine, there is of course a folding fabric roof, which is in excellent condition. This car is just a dream, a bold, bright, intensely vivid dream.

Sure, the colour and the trim isn’t going to be for everyone. Maybe it’s gone a bit too far the other way for most of you. Some of you, though, will be reading this with locked eyes and 100% focus. You fell in love with it before we even started talking, didn’t you? You’re sat there now, studying the pictures, you have the auction listing open in another tab, and you’re thinking about bidding. And we would encourage you to do exactly that. This stunning SL320 is not like the others. It is better, bolder and brighter. Who doesn’t want a bit of that in their life?