A fully restored Mercedes-Benz 500 SL with 1,450 post-restoration kilometers (901 miles) on the odo is looking for an owner willing to part with €125,000, which is precariously close to the price of an entry-spec R232 SL-Class.
The grand tourer rolled off the assembly line in May 1981. The R107 generation was primarily made for the United States, but this specific example was specced for Germany. In 2013, Stern-Manufaktur Dortmund spent the whole year restoring it to as-new state. It then went to the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center Hannover, where it was acquired by its current owner.
The 500 SL trim (see video) was the cream of the crop back in the time and came powered by a 5.0-liter M117 V8 rated at 240 PS (237 hp / 176 kW) and 402 Nm (296 lb-ft) of torque. A four-speed automatic gearbox conveyed the momentum to the wheels.
The R107 enjoyed the title of the history’s safest GT vehicle when it debuted. Contributing to this were a particularly rigid windshield frame that withstood the weight of the car when it tumbled over, cleverly designed crumple zones, and seats with headrests in all trim levels. This specific example additionally received front seat heating and an automatic AC, among other premium features.
The generation came out in 1971 and went out of production in 1989. A total of 300,175 coupes and convertibles was made, 68 percent of which was imported into the USA not counting grey exports.