Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG Kompressor

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The most powerful production car ever to storm out of the factory gates, the Mercedes SL55 AMG was launched in 2002 and remained in production until 2008 when it was replaced by the even more bonkers SL63.

While it was the immense 500bhp power output that grabbed all the headlines, the really astounding figure was the torque generated by the supercharged V8. With 520lb/ft available at just 2,650rpm, the SL55 could literally melt its tyres away from the lights and needed all manner of sophisticated electronic aids just to keep it on the road.

“The engine is amazing,” said AutoExpress. “Even at idle, it reverberates through your ears and makes the ground tremble. Crack the throttle open and the full-blooded roar is nothing short of phenomenal. However, it takes a while to notice the sound – to begin with, you're too busy concentrating on the speed. Despite weighing the best part of two tons, AMG's flagship will pass 60mph in 4.5 seconds. By that stage, though, it's only just getting into its stride. With the standard car's 155mph limiter removed, Mercedes claims 180mph is easily achievable, and an AMG engineer has admitted to us that an otherwise unmodified SL55 has already achieved over 205mph in testing.”

Costing £89,000 at launch before any options were added, ownership was always going to be restricted to a privileged few and only around 1,500 were sold in the UK, so seeing one on the road today is always quite an event and makes it a sure-fire classic of the future.

First registered in September 2002, this particular car has covered 104,000 miles from new in the hands of five keepers, the vendor acquiring it in 2008 from a dealership near Heathrow. At this time it had covered 89,000 miles and came with an impressive array of 10 service stamps in the book, the vendor adding just 15,000 miles over the last seven years.

He had the car serviced by local marque specialist Gerry Doverman in 2010 and has only covered 700 miles since, a back injury dictating its lack of use. Now back to good health, the exciting arrival of a new member of the family has meant that something with more seats and a bigger boot now sits on the driveway, rendering this slumbering giant surplus to requirements.

Looking stunning in Metallic Telluer Silver with a grey leather interior, it rides on 19” alloys (nearly a foot wide at the rear) and has a smoked glass Vario Pan hardtop that folds away into the boot at the touch of a button. Packed with all the luxuries you would expect including sat nav, cruise control and electric heated seats, it also has a paddle shift 5-speed gearbox that lets you waft around in auto mode or can switch to manual if you fancy being a bit lairy.

To appease the insurers, the vendor fitted a Tracker system and also advises us that it comes with a compact, inflatable spare tyre and adjustable suspension that can be manually lowered to ‘gangster level’. In excellent condition throughout, it comes with all its original handbooks, is MOTd until February 2016 and needs nothing more than an extrovert new owner behind the wheel.