2001 Mercedes-Benz 320SL – Classified of the Week
There are few as good at making a beautiful yet usable sports car as the Germans, as this stunning, limited edition SL goes to show.
April 30, 2019
The R129 Mercedes-Benz is one of those cars with a timeless design. Had Mercedes-Benz rolled it out of the factory last week, we’d be happy to accept it as a modern offering, not a car that was designed in 1984. It’s a sleek, uncomplicated, elegant machine that carries with it a sense of class. It’s not brash, it’s understated. And that’s a lovely quality for a car to have. Sometimes it’s far better to classy and cool than to shout. The R129 embodies that philosophy.
The R129 took over from the R107. However, the R107 didn’t quietly shuffle off. Instead it left a huge pair of vehicular shoes in its wake. Again, a two-seat roadster, the R107 was hugely popular around the globe. If you wanted a luxury two-seater sports car, you bought an R107. Not only that, the R107 was thrust into the public consciousness thanks to becoming a pop culture icon, appearing prominently in films like K-9 and Beverly Hills Cop along with TV shows such as Dallas and The Six Million Dollar Man. Oh yes, the R129 would have a lot of work to do if it was going to be as successful. Or as memorable. 
Happily, the pencil-wranglers at Mercedes-Benz hit the nail on the head with the R129. What they produced was a huge leap forward from the R107, both in terms of how it looked and how it drove. The R129 employed a shortened version of the W124 saloon’s floorpan. That was no bad thing, as the W124 E Class was and still is a sublime car to drive. When shortened and given with less weight to move, it was even better. The R129 was an agile, responsive, tight sports car when it was pushed, but also a sedate, relaxing cruiser when it wasn’t.
Purists will tell you that you need a V8 or even a V12 version. While those engines are indeed good, they’re not the final say in R129 propulsion. The 3.2 straight-six fitted to the car featured here and mated up to a five-speed automatic gearbox is ample for the baby Merc. You’re never going to feel like you don’t have enough power – you have 231bhp on tap. And with just 50k on the clock, you’re going to get decades of use out of it, too. The Benz straight-sixes are hardy engines. And of course, by putting your ‘sensible’ shoes on and going for a car with fewer cylinders than the flagship versions, you’ll be smiling at the pump, too.
Of course, this is more than just a Mercedes with a straight-six. This is a Designo Alanite special edition. How special, you ask? One of just fifty built. If you’re not familiar, Designo is Mercedes-Benz’s bespoke arm, through which customers can create cars with paint and trim like nothing else on the showroom floor. This if bespoke tailoring for your Mercedes. It’s still an available service today, though the modern offerings aren’t nearly as classy as this R129. Especially limited-run model, which was built to showcase what the craftspeople could do.
Finished in gorgeous Alanite metallic green with contrasting beige leather upholstery and black carpets, it just oozes class. From what we can see, it looks absolutely stunning. And of course, being an R129, the roof comes off so you can show the world that tasty spec. But don’t think it’s a cramped and dingy cabin with the roof on – this model has the rare panoramic glass roof so you’ll be able to see the world around you even when the weather turns. All in all, it’s a stunning example of the R129, and one that will turn heads without hesitation. And all for just £21,990. Lovely.
