Mercedes-Benz SL280 (R129)

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Come on, admit it, who hasn’t secretly lusted after one of these glamorous roadsters ever since they were launched back in 1989?

Beautifully built and just exuding class, they were strictly for the rich and famous when new but have now dropped to a temptingly affordable price. In 1998 the SL range received a facelift which included a new 18v SOHC V6 for the 280 model which now produced 204bhp and 200lb/ft plus various subtle styling tweaks. It could sprint to 60mph in around 9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 141mph with up to 33mpg economy.

First registered in June 1999, this SL280 has covered 94,000 miles with a good service history comprising five stamps in the book up to 85,401 miles in 2014 with many supporting invoices. It has had six owners in all, the current keeper acquiring it in 2015 from a gentleman who had owned it for nine years and had it waxoiled four times during his ownership, hence the good state of preservation today.

In 2008 he also had a Prins LPG system installed by Motorgas Conversions with a 68-litre tank neatly installed under the boot floor (so no loss of luggage space) and filled via a flap inside the figure 8 on the rear number plate which is so unobtrusive you would never find it if we didn’t point it out! Clearly fond of the car, he also fitted parking sensors into the rear bumper.

Looking most attractive in dark blue metallic with a beige Nappa hide interior, it rides on smart 18” alloys shod with 235/40/18 front and 275/40/18 rear tyres that give it a most purposeful stance. The power soft top operates as it should but there is no hard top.

Supplied with all its original handbooks, a spare key and key card, 12 old MOTs and a current MOT until November 2019 with no advisories recorded, it looks a million dollars but should only cost a few cents to run thanks to the economy of the LPG system which actually makes the engine run even smoother than it does on petrol, according to the vendor.