Mercedes-Benz 600SEC V12 Coupe

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Launched in 1992, the W140 was the first ever Mercedes to feature a V12 engine and is reputed to have cost Mercedes-Benz over $1billion to develop.

This incredible vehicle is often referred to as the last Mercedes to be over-engineered, a Mercedes trait that was costing the company dearly in product delays and over budgeting. Indeed the project overruns with the W140 were such that they ultimately cost chief engineer, Wolfgang Peter, his job.

However, the results were worth it and the W140 showed Mercedes at the very pinnacle of engineering design and build quality. Light years ahead of its competitors, it featured innovations such as double-pane glazing resulting in near silence from intrusion of the outside world, power-assisted closing for doors and boot lid, electric windows which lowered back down upon encountering an obstruction and rear periscopes rising from the wings to assist parking.

Power came from a silky-smooth 48-valve 6-litre V12 that put 389bhp and 420lb/ft at the driver’s disposal, sufficient to crack 60 in just 5.7 seconds on its way to a top speed limited to 155mph. The only downside was that this was a car that most people could only dream of owning – at over £110,000 new (£230,000 in today’s money) the customer base was exclusively VIP.

First registered in June 1993, this 600SEC has covered only 58,900 miles in the hands of five owners with a comprehensive service history. Equipment includes: sumptuous soft hide throughout; endless burr walnut trim; deep pile wool carpeting with over-mats; wool headlining; tinted windows; dual climate air conditioning; 14-way adjustable electric memory heated orthopaedic seats; nine individual settings controlling steering wheel and interior mirror positions; electric rear privacy blind; electric seatbelts; electric rear headrests; electric folding heated mirrors; cruise control; adaptive suspension; ASR plus Snow ASR; remote infra-red total closure central locking; fire extinguisher; Becker Mexico entertainment system providing sound quality equal to a Philharmonic orchestra with CD auto-changer, cassette, radio and electric retractable aerial – we could go on but you get the picture…

Driven over 200 miles to the sale, the driver commented that: “The sheer quality of the ride and the sure footedness at speed, the way the power is delivered with turbine smoothness, the scenery flashing by at a phenomenal rate, it is hard to imagine a more comfortable way to travel. Cruising with all four windows down is almost like driving a convertible.”

Fitted with expensive 18” AMG split rim alloys, it comes with a fully stamped service history (nearly all Mercedes), the original leather-bound V12 book pack, two sets of keys and an MOT until December 2016. Motoring doesn’t get much more hedonistic than this.