This Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL is half a century old and was owned by famous actor and racing driver Stephen McQueen for the first eight years since production. The current bid is $50,500 with a few days remaining on the auction clock.
Mercedes built a touch over 6,500 such sedans in 1968 through 1972, which means this example was among the last produced. Like the others, the bulky luxury car packed a 6.3-liter V8 with 250 PS (246 hp / 182 kW). The engine enabled it to sprint 0-97 km/h (0-60 mph) in 6.3 seconds, which was on par with the sports cars of the era.
Kienle Automobiltechnik completely restored the car to peak driving condition after someone imported it into Germany ten years ago. The restoration cost €125,000 and involved fixing the bodywork, the wiring, air suspension and brakes, and the engine.
Based on the photos, it seems some parts were allowed to stay stock: for instance, the seats still wear the original leather trim. The dash panel boasts natural wood accents, and the trim level guarantees the saloon has an AC on board, as well as a Becker audio tape player and radio receiver.
The winning bidder will receive a full package of documents confirming that the car was once owned by Solar Production, Steve McQueen’s movie company.
The seller claims the current owner of the car has had it for seven years. However, the records indicate that the owner actually tried selling it last year for $299,995, and the website where the ad was posted claims the deal was finalized. We are not aware of any reasons for this discrepancy.