1982 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL

The 1982 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL is in one of the purest specs: the M110 straight-six engine mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. That will make the drive on your favourite stretch more enjoyable, especially when you’ll make the car work for it, and won’t just rely on an automatic ‘box. It has done 120,000 miles from new, and in the last few years, it’s clocked close to just 2,000 miles every year.

With nine owners from new and a largely clean MoT history, it’s clear that the car has been taken care of well by its former keepers. The bodywork is in good shape, and with minimal rust underneath, this 280SL looks like a tidy example that deserves to be relished more. On a bright sunny day making full use of its 195-section tyres? Absolutely.

The Astral Silver paint looks just about perfect on the R107, and this example has no reasons to hide its clean exterior. Coming from something like the W113, the styling would’ve been a shocker, but the market eventually began to appreciate the fuss-free appearance. It comes with the Mercedes-favourite Baroque wheels and a wonderful mix of lines, slight curves, and an assertion that it’s ready for the next journey as soon as you are.

It’s a high-mileage example, no doubt, but it’s been kept well. You can see that the overall condition of the bodywork is pleasingly neat and devoid of damage. The panel gaps are also consistent, and most trims align perfectly. The hard top is no different in that regard; its glass screen is good, and the side panels appear unscratched, too.

The R107’s cabin is a cheerful place in its own way. The cloth interior mightn’t rival the highly opulent leather ones, but its appeal isn’t diminished. It has everything you’d expect in a Mercedes-Benz car of its stature and age. Like a Panzer, it has also stood the test of time, and the cabin’s condition is a testament to that. The dashboard design harks back to when Mercedes-Benz had a fairly minimalist arrangement of controls and a lot of free space. All of which would today be used to place a vertical touchscreen, but thankfully, this car has none of that modern malarkey, and for all the audio needs, there’s a nice, period Blaupunkt Toronto cassette player.

The wood on the dashboard and centre console looks to be in good shape. The large, collapsible steering isn’t the prettiest owing to its size, but it doesn’t look out of place or too old. The instrument cluster is inching towards being an epitome of clean design, despite covering largely every bit of information one would require from their 80s car: speed, RPM, temperature, oil level, fuel level, economy gauge, along with the usual telltale lights.

The carpet and mats are in good nick, and both door cards exhibit the same condition as the rest of the interior — spot-free and far from worn-out. The cloth seats are no different, either. This car doesn’t have the rear seat, but specialists do offer aftermarket choices now, if you were interested.

The wind deflector at the back is a nice touch and will be useful in making sure the enthusiastic drives don’t demand a trip to the hairstylist afterwards. The boot is clean and under the bottom panel is the spare wheel nicely tucked in. Storage space might be at a premium inside the cabin, but the absence of a rear seat means you’d be able to accommodate a decent-sized duffle bag in there, in addition to the luggage that the fairly big boot can hold.

Apart from being a well-cared-for example what works in this SL’s favour is its engine and gearbox combination. This is the exact opposite of opulence, given we're talking about a Mercedes-Benz. The 280 SL is powered by a 2.8-litre straight-six engine, which was claimed to make 182 bhp. In comparison to the V8-powered 380 SL, it mightn’t be as sonorous but the power deficit was less than 40 bhp. On the bright side, the 280 SL was lighter.

This 1982 car retains the original data plate and VIN plate. The straight-six is comfortably positioned in it, no surprise since the engine bay was large enough to accommodate V8s. It’s closer to the cabin; Mercedes-Benz had a clear focus on safety and in SL line up, crumple zones became standard affair from the Pagoda onwards. The R107 took it forward with thicker A-pillars and collapsible steering, among other things.

The overall condition of the car is said to be nice, with only some rust visible underneath. It is nearing its fortieth anniversary, but the undercarriage doesn’t give that away easily. All four tyres on the car appear to have a substantial amount of tread on them; it’s a mixed set of Pirellis at the rear and Falkens at the front.

The 1982 R107 SL has had nine owners in total, and the ninth (current) owner bought the car in 2015. Previous mileage records suggest that it’s roughly done about 2,000 miles every year in the last 15 years. It has a valid MoT certificate, and most of its previous tests were cleared without major advisories. In 2013, it did have some corrosion-related advisories but nothing after that. The current plate is the third registration on the car, with the original plate being changed in 1990 and another in 1997.

It’s hard to not find this 1982 R107 280 SL appealing. Okay, it’s not fresh out of a museum, and its nine owners have added a fair few miles on it. But the idea of driving a manual, relatively light SL can’t be ignored. It’s a rare combination and is bound to work well if you’re after driver interaction and don’t mind the absence of a V8 engine. The M110 engine found use in a variety of cars, ranging from the SLs/SLCs to even the W123 saloon, and not to forget the S-Classes and even the G-Wagen. It’s a celebrated engine, just maybe not as much as the V8s.

At an estimated £16,500 - 21,000, the 1982 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL can be a fine way to enjoy a sporting car without opting for one of the heavier, even if more powerful engines. It’s a tad different from the conventional image of the SL, but you’ll still get to enjoy the plush cabin, the unbeatable ride comfort (for a car of this kind), and unmistakable styling. Alternatively, it can be a great base for a light, driver-focussed SL; a Panzer Light, if you will.

Viewing is always encouraged, within Govt. guidelines of course, and as stated this car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.