∙Superb R107 500SL in excellent order
∙Recently retrimmed with all-new wood 
∙Immaculate rust-free hardtop
∙New hood

Introduced in 1972, the classic R107 SL was one of the most stylish cars of the 1970s and 1980s – a symbol of wealth and good taste and one of the most aspirational cars money could buy, finding favour among the rich and famous.

In the UK, it survived the economic strife of the Seventies to end its life as a symbol of Eighties extravagance – a definition of the Yuppie Years that defined a decade. It was a popular car, not least for its handsome styling (the work of Joseph Gallitzendörfer, who was a senior stylist with Mercedes-Benz for over 30 years). Its comfort, solidity, sturdiness and mechanical longevity also helped it enjoy an 18-year sales run. 

It had a very advanced roof system for its era, whereby the retractable soft top could be folded down and stored under a tonneau cover and the hardtop fitted on top for use over winter, which in many ways made the SL one of the first-ever coupé-cabriolets. 

This example is a 500SL, which is the most desirable of the standard SLs. That means it gets a 230bhp 4,973cc V8 along with pretty impressive levels of standard equipment. 

A 1982 car, it’s one of the last pre-facelift examples which are arguably prettier than later cars.

This car has been part of the vendor’s personal collection of Mercedes-Benz models for the past six years, but has barely been used in the past three years and has just been recommissioned and returned to the road. 

In  the process of doing so, he’s carried out a lot of work on the car. It has new wood throughout the interior, for example, a new hood and refurbished alloy wheels. 

He’s selling the car to put funds towards the restoration of an older Mercedes. 

While there isn’t much early history with this car, it does come with a large folder full of bills covering expenditure from the mid-2000s onwards, much of it on genuine Mercedes-Benz parts supplied by main dealers. 

There’s also a bill for almost £2,000 in mechanical recommissioning by the owner very recently, as well as another receipt for the brand new mohair hood. 

The car also comes with a brand new MOT valid until May 2022, which it passed with advisories for a wiper blade and number plate lamp, both of which have since been addressed. There’s a UK V5C. 

This is a really good example of a pre-facelift R107, with no rot in any of the usual places. The arches, floors, sills and front inner flitch panels behind the radiator grille (all common SL grot spots) are in superb order with no evident corrosion.

The silver-blue paint is excellent, the vendor having recently had a lower half respray carried out. The paint retains a deep shine and presents brilliantly.

It comes with five-spoke ‘Penta’ alloy wheels which the owner has had painted to match the body and they really suit the car. 

Of particular note is the hardtop, which is in incredible order for an R107 – they usually suffer quite badly from corrosion around the bottom of the frame, but this one is completely solid. 

The soft-top is brad new while the hood tray, which is a common R107 grot spot, is superbly solid with no signs of rust. 

The previous owner of the R107 had it retrimmed with dark blue leather and white inserts. It’s not original but it is quite smart and is in very good order.

Since then, the vendor has renewed all of the wood on the dash, around the gear lever and on the centre console with reproduction parts via an SL specialist and the look has transformed the cabin.

The blue vinyl dash is in good order and all of the switchgear works as it should, while it also has a modern DAB/Bluetooth radio head unit fitted as a concession to modernity.

The 4,973cc V8 sounds fabulous and starts well from cold, with no excessive smoke or untoward noises. It is presented honestly rather than over-detailed, with all of the fluids at their specified levels and no signs of any leaks.

It’s a strong unit, which holds good oil pressure and idles smoothly. It promises good performance and the vendor reports that the car drives really well, and that the four-speed automatic gearbox works as it should. 

He has recently had the rear suspension bushes replaced and new brake discs and pads fitted.

The R107 SL is a car that’s rapidly on the up-and-up in terms of value, so that alone makes this example a really worthwhile purchase. It’s a brilliantly strong and solid example in a great colour, with the best wheels and arguably the best engine. 

Combined, those elements make this an extremely attractive car and one that makes a wonderful, usable and achingly cool classic that will be an enjoyable, depreciation-proof and rewarding thing to own. 

There are a lot of R107s on the market at the moment (thanks in part to their inherent longevity) and the quality is variable. Make no mistake here though – this is a good one. A very good one, in fact. 

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