This 27-year-old Mercedes-Benz SL 500 Mille Miglia belongs to a series of only 630 units made, or even fewer if you only count those lucky enough to come with a 5.0-liter V8. The bidding is at €19,130, so it might be yours for a bargain bin price if you react fast enough.
The Mille Miglia roadster (watch the video for a better look at the model) was named after the legendary Italian racing competition and celebrated 40 years since the marque’s victory at that race. Stirling Moss and Dennis Jenkinson piloted a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR along a 1,596-km (992-mile) long rally track, coming first in 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds. The first mass-produced SL 500 was immediately sent to Moss as a token of gratitude.
Rumors claimed that the company never produced over 600 cars like it wanted to, instead stopping at around 40. These have been neither confirmed, nor denied since.
The main difference from the mass-market car the roadster is based upon is in the trim, the fit and the finish. The body was always finished in silver, while the interior used a combination of red and black with carbon accents here and there. Stock wheels were replaced with the rollers of the iconic 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II, and finish flag graphics was applied to both front fenders. Power was supplied by a 326-PS (321-hp / 240-kW) engine mated to an automatic transmission and rear-wheel-drive system.
If we were to try and explain the slow bidding, mileage would be our first answer. Despite still evidently being in good condition, the car has already put 123,300 kilometers (76,600 miles) behind it.