Mercedes-Benz 300SL Auto

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In the old days, the badge on a Mercedes Benz SL stood for Sport Leicht (Sport Lightweight). When unveiled in 1989, the new R129-series SL remained true to the Sport bit, even if the term Lightweight was a bit of a stretch.

It was so crammed full of the latest technology that even the base model turned the scales at 1,815kgs. The fabulously engineered electric soft top, 10-way electric seats and pop-up roll-over hoop that automatically flipped up if the car sensed an accident made sure that the SL’s cosseted occupants were kept safe and travelled in the absolute lap of luxury.

The stiff chassis, with its optional adaptive suspension and active damping made light work of trips to the golf club, the boot being sufficiently commodious to cope with two sets of clubs. Offered initially with two engine options, a smooth 3-litre straight-six that produced 190bhp or a brutish 322bhp 5-litre V8, it was the latter machine that managed to tempt Lady Di away from her Jaguar XJS in 1991, the press subsequently having a field-day about her German car buying antics – poor girl.

This nicely presented 300SL has had three previous owners since it left the factory in 1991. It retains its original book pack, the service book (plus later invoices) showing no fewer than 15 services to date, the first 10 at authorised Mercedes-Benz dealers until 2006, specialists thereafter. These services have been evenly spaced at roughly 5,000 mile intervals, the last being undertaken in 2014 at 74,435 miles.

Its previous long term owner purchased the car in 1998, keeping it until the (private) vendor acquired it in 2014 almost by accident as part of a complicated two-car deal. Thinking he would use it on high days and holidays, this hasn’t really happened and he has had enough of paying storage on a car he rarely uses.

There are five old MOTs on file, the mileage now reading some 74,500 miles from new. It has a spare key, is MOTd until June 2015 and is ready for the next owner to give it rather more exercise than it has experienced over the last 12 months.