Mercedes-Benz 350SL Roadster

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The successor to the fabulous ‘Pagoda roof’ SL range of the 1960s, the W107 Series SL was an altogether more masculine machine that looked, and felt, as though it was carved from a solid block of steel.

The Stuttgart development team even nicknamed it the ‘Panzerwagen’ for its tank-like solidity. Engineered to last for decades and hugely expensive when new, it appealed to the international jet set and was equally at home cruising to the golf club or forging across a continent. Fast, comfortable and discreetly understated, it had a matchless ability to munch up the miles for year after year without ever seeming to falter. No wonder it stayed in production fundamentally unaltered until 1989 – the longest running car chassis in Mercedes history.

When it was launched in 1971 it initially came with only one engine option, the tried and trusted 3.5-litre V8 that was already to be found in the big S Class saloons and coupes. This produced 200bhp and 211lb/ft of torque and remained an option right up until 1980 when it was finally replaced by a slightly larger 3.8-litre unit. Bigger and smaller engines were also made available over time but the 3.5 was always the engine that the car was designed for and gave it a top speed of 132mph – quite fast enough for most needs.

First registered as XDR 189M in August 1973 (and then as EC 12, sadly now on a Land Rover, and most latterly as OXI 824 which still shows up as related to the car on the Experian database and may well be retrievable), this particular 350SL was re-registered in Ireland in 2007 and has only just returned here for sale.

Looking most eye-catching in black with extra chrome around the wheel arches and an of-the-period green interior, it is showing just over 110,000 miles on the clock and comes with various old MOTs and 10 service stamps (the last at 85,175 miles in 1995) which indicate that this total is most likely accurate. The original owner’s handbook is also present.

Said to be in good running order, it certainly started easily and ran well enough as we moved it around the Brightwells yard to take these photos. Presentable enough as it is, it could do with some TLC here and there to return it to its former glory and has not been MOTd during its 8-year stay in Ireland (where it had just two owners, the last since 2009) as the MOT test is not required on vehicles of this age on that relaxed island.

An email dated May 2015 confirms that HMRC are satisfied that there is no VAT due on the vehicle, so it should be a straightforward process to get it re-registered for UK use using the NOVA documents that the vendor will supply with the vehicle. Being offered here at no reserve, it could well prove a summer bargain for someone!