Mercedes-Benz 420SE Saloon

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A monument to Teutonic engineering excellence, the Mercedes-Benz S Class was widely acclaimed as the Best Car in the World in the 1970s and '80s.

Built like the proverbial brick outhouse, no self-respecting African dictator would be seen in anything less. Lighter, sleeker and more fuel efficient than the outgoing W116 models, the Bruno Sacco-designed W126 S Class ran from 1979 to 1991, with a minor styling uplift and new engine options from 1986.

Towards the top of the range was the mighty 420SE, introduced to replace the 380 in 1986. It was powered by a creamy smooth 4.2-litre V8 that produced 215bhp and 289lb/ft of torque, sufficient to propel it to a top speed of 130mph. A relatively rare model by Mercedes standards and not available in the USA, just 14,000 420SEs were made before the range was replaced by the less imposing W140 class in 1991.

This October 1988 example has been in the current ownership for the last year and has been a daily driver throughout that time, proving “100% reliable” according to the vendor. Recent new parts include both front ball joints, exhaust rear section, transmission fluid, oil and belts.

With some 103,000 miles under its wheels, the car is said to be in generally good order with a fair amount of service history, a very good tan cloth interior and a current MOT. Due to be driven some 80 miles to the sale, it looks like a huge amount of car for a very modest outlay and is only being sold because the vendor is moving to a new city centre location with no parking.