A legendary fixture in the classic car world, the R107 is one of the most ubiquitous classics in the world of top-down motoring. It's an appeal that endures to this day, proudly sporting glamorous looks and a build quality that continues to impress. Combine that with excellent handling and it's no wonder that the car is so popular. Launched in 1971, the R107 became a pop culture icon, and by 1989 had appeared in many movies and iconic TV shows. it is still much sought after, particularly the later facelifted 300SL, with its rust proofed body and legendary 3 litre straight six. The silky smooth engine boasts plenty of power but is more frugal than the older & heavier V8 power plants, it quickly became the sweet spot in the range. The one to have.
Thanks to its low mileage, good storage conditions and a charmed life with plenty of maintenance, this highly original example ascends close to showroom order. Made in 1988 only a year before production ceased, this special roadster drives and presents beautifully, Finished in Nautical Blue metallic (929) over factory grey leather (278), a colour combination many R107 afficionados believe to be the most desirable for R107 - having spent a good few hours photographing the car we would not argue with the claim. Condition is everything and there’s very little to fault on this one
Original owner’s manual, service book, radio manual
Supplied new by Arlington Mercedes-Benz, the car carries the dealer number plates and window sticker. Believed to have been dry-stored throughout its life, the fabulous condition of the car, both inside and out, would certainly back up that assertion. The service history is complete and shows that the car has been maintained consistently to a high standard from new. Indeed having never failed an MOT and having only covered 5000 miles in the last 16 years it really has been pampered!.
There is a recent invoice for £2800 for works to ensure this high standard is maintained to the present day. The leather folder contains all the manuals, including that for the radio and alarm certificate, as well as all the original paperwork, and the stamped service history book. There are a number of previous MOT certificates, tax discs and invoices for work carried out, and the car has an MOT valid until July 2026. There is an invoice for the new mohair OEM soft top. The original spare wheel leaflet supplied by the factory is still present, a testament to the cars amazing originality.
Sharp lines and a timeless character are fixtures of the R107's popularity, and as an ambassador for the model, this car is exceptional. As with the interior, the car’s exterior looks as though it has just been driven out of the showroom. Finished in Nautical Blue - one of the most desirable and elegant colours for the R107 - the external presentation of this car is immaculate, with only tiny age related marks present but barely visible. To sweeten the deal, the car comes complete with its hard top, which looks to be as good as new - it even features the original, unfaded dealership sticker on the rear window.
This continues across the chrome work, which is very brightly presented, and the headlight lenses, which appear to be clean and fracture-free. The soft-top is also in as new condition. The alloy wheels are also virtually ‘as new’ and there are sound premium tyres all around, which all have plenty of life left in them. Underneath, the car appears to have benefited from being kept clean and dry - we can't discern any signs of corrosion or reason for concern. We have been told the car has just been WaxOyled which is reassuring to know
Nestling into its factory leather seating, this R107 feels like a timewarp. From the subtle wood trims to the colour-coded door cards, the astonishing interior of this car feels like it could have just left the showroom: there are virtually no giveaways of the car’s age, a testament to a lifetime of careful, diligent ownership. It's clear from first glance that this has been the pride and joy of every driver to sit in its opulent cabin. The car was photographed on a hot summers day and the original air conditioning was in full use and very welcome.
The seats are in fabulous condition, both front and back, proudly sporting one of the R107's most popular colour combinations. The ‘+2’ seats in the rear look unused, folding them down reveals a generous extra space for luggage, which is in good order. The carpets across the board are in extremely good condition, with no marks or discolouration, and a glance underneath those in the front reveals a clean and rust-free floorpan. The vendor has just bought new overmats, ensuring that even these are spotless. The stylish wood veneer on the dash looks wonderful, with no cracks, splits or marks to the lacquer that we can discern, with all of the dials and switches appearing clean and easy to read. There is a small mark, caused by a repair, on the vinyl of the soft top lid, hard to detect and doesn’t detract from the astonishing interior at all.
As far as we could tell every one of the generous internal options are working as expected - the electric windows, the vanity lights on the sun visors... to complete the authentic timewarp experience, the car even boasts a factory style Blaupunkt radio updated with DAB and Bluetooth complete with its manual. The boot is in excellent order with good, clean carpets - there is an original first-aid kit, apparently unused, along with the original warning triangle, jack, wheel brace and spare wheel. The tool-roll and tools are also present in excellent order.
Ultimately, with only very minor faults on display, this is an utterly superb example of the R107.
An exceptional example with a comprehensive service history
The car starts on first turn of the key, gear changes are smooth and quiet, and the engine sounds lovely. Having just been given a full service this is not surprising. Present is an invoice for £2800 for recent works to ensure the car is in tip top condition for the new owner. The vendor assures us that it drives as well as it looks. With its modest mileage and that comprehensive service history, in addition to the R107’s reputation for longevity and reliability, the car should offer many more years of trouble-free motoring.
Open the bonnet and, again, it’s difficult to believe the car’s age and mileage. The engine looks amazing, and aside from a modern Bosch battery everything looks much as it must have done when new.
The R107 is a bona fide modern classic. For top-down motoring in style and comfort, there’s little to match it. Its looks are timeless and values continue to increase, especially as really good examples, in the right colour scheme, are now so hard to find. There’s virtually nothing to fault on this one – The vendor believes it’s probably the best of its kind in the country, and it’s hard to argue with the claim. If you’ve always wanted a 300SL, this is the one to invest in. 3ce3c0e8-8460-46bc-b506-67dc281a150f.jpg221.6 KB
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