Mercedes 420SEL

History

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. All the more amazing then that you can now pick one up for less than the cost of a good night out in Spearmint Rhino (or so the head of our Fine Art department tells me).

First registered in March 1988, this particular 420SEL wears its 20 years incredibly lightly and appears to be in excellent shape for its age. Last serviced less than 200 miles ago, it has an extensive service history from new to verify the current mileage of just under 140,000. Recently treated to a new alternator, radiator and brake pipes, it is also fitted with a Witter tow bar and can apparently tow up to 1.5 tons, although the current vendor has not used it for this purpose.

He bought it to do a regular commute from Herefordshire to Essex – exactly the kind of mile-munching run that the car excels at, giving effortless performance from its 231bhp and 140mph V8 engine. He states that the car has always proved utterly reliable and he would trust it to go anywhere at any time.

This being a long-wheelbase model, it has acres of legroom in the back and would make a great wedding car. It even has special order soft seats so the bride will not get a numb bum on her way to the church. Altogether a fabulous long distance cruiser at a bargain basement price.