Mercedes-Benz 320SL V6 Roadster

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Come on, admit it, who hasn’t secretly lusted after one of these lovely roadsters at one point or another? The W129 Series SL just oozes class and it is astonishing to see how low they have sunk in value of late, a situation that just cannot continue for much longer.

Any SL is a deeply desirable car and you only have to note how values of the earlier models, from the stratospherically priced 300SL Gullwing of the 1950s to the soon-to-be unaffordable Pagodas of the 1960s, are stuck on an escalator that only seems to go one way – upwards. Launched in 1989, the W129 Series was every bit as appealing as its predecessors. Filled with toys like a power-operated roof, pop-up roll-over bar, independent suspension and sophisticated ABS brakes, it was also beautifully built and could clock up huge mileages without drama.

A wide range of engines was available from a 3-litre straight-six to a 6-litre V8 but the best buy, according to many pundits, was the ‘facelift’ 320SL V6 which was available from June 1998. With 224bhp and a new 5-speed automatic gearbox, it could sprint to 60 in just 8.4 seconds on its way to a 147mph top speed with up to 35mpg economy.

Dating from August 1998, this V6 looks absolutely superb in Designo Blue Metallic with a cream leather interior and the uninitiated would never guess that it was 16 years old, so glossy is the paintwork. It has covered some 96,000 miles with a good service history comprising nine stamps to date, the first five at MB main agents.

The interior is every bit as good as the exterior with the desirable options of rear seats and electrically operated and heated front seats. A new electrically powered soft top has been fitted at some point and remains in excellent condition, as does the hard top.

Said to drive superbly with no known faults, it is MOTd to February 2015 and comes with all its original handbooks in the original wallet and two sets of keys. These wonderful cars have surely hit the bottom of their depreciation curve and this stunning Designo Blue example looks like a no-brainer at the guide price suggested today.

AMENDMENT: This car has a good service history but technically not a full service history as previously stated.