$20,500
The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is a grand touring sports car that has been manufactured since 1954. SL stands for ‘Sport-Leicht’ meaning Sport Light in English. SL cars produced between 1971 and 1989 are collectively referred to as the R107 generation. The R107 was the first generation of SLs to receive a V8, introduced new design language for Mercedes, and also came equipped with a host of safety features that eventually spread to more Mercedes models shortly after being introduced.
The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is a grand touring sports car that has been manufactured since 1954. SL stands for ‘Sport-Leicht’ meaning Sport Light in English. SL cars produced between 1971 and 1989 are collectively referred to as the R107 generation. The R107 was the first generation of SLs to receive a V8, introduced new design language for Mercedes, and also came equipped with a host of safety features that eventually spread to more Mercedes models shortly after being introduced.
The R107 generation received a mid-cycle refresh in 1985. Changes were as follows: a deeper front air dam, revised brake system, driver’s side airbags became standard, and a catalysator option became available for European markets. In 1986, US R107s received a mandatory trunk-mounted brake light. Today’s model is a 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SL. This specific model is a Canadian-market example finished in Arctic White over Brazil Brown leather and powered by a 5.5-liter V8 paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. 560 SLs were the most powerful SL available aside from the AMG versions of the car, and were only sold in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia. Additional equipment includes a body-color removable hardtop, a Dark Brown soft top, automatic climate control, cruise control, a Becker Grand Prix stereo, fog lamps, and 15″ Gullideckel wheels. The car spent time in Ontario and British Columbia before being imported to the US and was acquired by the seller, an SL collector, in 2022. This R107 shows 97k kilometers (~60k miles) and is offered with manufacturer’s literature, a stamped maintenance booklet, a tool kit, a clean Carfax report, and a clean California title.
The car is finished in a crisp, Arctic White (147U) and features a color-matched hardtop and a Dark Brown convertible soft top, which can be viewed in the gallery below. Additional exterior equipment includes quad European headlights, front fog lamps, and original euro spec chrome-accented bumpers and trim. The chin spoiler up front has some scrapes along the bottom, and there appears to be a small scuff on the passenger side of the car behind the roof. Chrome around the car appears to be straight, all glass looks clean with no cracks present. The Silver-finished 15″ Gullideckel wheels look excellent combined with 205/65 Michelin Defender tires. The car features power steering, a fully independent suspension, and power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes. The brown cloth roof looks excellent. The stitching is tight, and the fabric appears to have no stains whatsoever on the outside. We are pleased to report that the hardtop roof is also included with the sale. It matches the shade of the body and matches the quality at which this Merc has been preserved. Glass on the hardtop is just as clean as the rest of the glass, no cracks present. The hardtop’s headliner is also clean and hangs just as it did when it rolled off the assembly line. Overall, the exterior of this 560 SL has been excellently preserved. There are two dings to deal with, but the car is certainly ready to show out of the box.
The Brazil Brown leather interior looks absolutely stunning in this 560 SL. The cabin features bucket seats upholstered in Brazil Brown leather along with a matching dash, center console, door panels, and carpets. Additional amenities include new blue tooth invisible connection to the original Becker radio, refurnished automatic climate control, cruise control, a Becker Grand Prix AM/FM cassette stereo, a power-retractable antenna, leather-wrapped airbag steering wheel frames, VDO instrumentation including a 170 km/h speedometer, a tachometer with a 6k-rpm redline, and a combination gauge, power windows, and power door locks. The leather in the driver’s door panel is starting to sag just slightly, but the passenger’s looks to be in proper order. The brown leather dashboard and dash pad look excellent, and all the gauges are clean and easily readable. The wood trim in the center console is clean because the seller replaced the entire dash after purchasing the car. The front seats show very early stages of creasing but have no holes or tears. Carpets up front and in the back fit snugly into their respective positions. The central armrest between the seats has a large hole on the side facing the passenger seat. It is likely only visible when the seat is leaning forwards but nevertheless, it must be addressed. Overall, condition inside the car is great, everything looks clean, and the owner has clearly taken great care to keep this 560 in good condition.
We are happy to report that the undercarriage of this 560 SL hides no major damage. All components are likely solid, and condition underneath likely mirrors the condition of the rest of the car. The engine bay is in fantastic shape. The 5.5-liter M117 V8 was factory rated at 227 horsepower and 287 lb-ft of torque and sends power to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission. Everything appears to be in its proper place and looks remarkably clean.
According to the CarFax, which shows no accidents or other damage, this Merc was originally purchased in Ontario, Canada brand new in 1989. By 2008, the car was still in Ontario, but had acquired 56,000 kilometers. In 2019, the car pops up several times in British Columbia until December 2019, when the car shows up in Kent, Washington. In 2020 the car was in Arizona before finally appearing in California in November 2021 with 95,849 kilometers. The seller reports that the previous owner was a Canadian doctor, who took excellent care of the vehicle from Ontario to Arizona, where the seller bought the car. A number of maintenance documents are available in the photos, demonstrating regular maintenance and lubrication service occurring at regular intervals. The seller is a collector and Mercedes-Benz SL enthusiast, having owned most SL models built between 1954 and 2021. The seller has fixed all issues, changed to euro headlights and new euro bumpers, replaced a dented grill, installed a Bluetooth connection to the original Becker Grand Prix radio, just put in the cassette tape and the blue tooth is available, refurbished the AC to its now artic cold function, replaced the wooden dashboard, added a new functional wind deflector, as well as a full service by a local Mercedes Benz specialist. The original Becker Grand Prix radio was refurbished by Becker and now has a 3-month factory-guarantee.
The R107 generation is a fantastic generation for the SL. The car was small and truly lightweight up to this point and the generations that followed continuously added pounds and diluted the driving experience. However, make no mistake, this car is not a driver by any means. Inside and out, documentation included, it is blatantly obvious that the owner has gone to great lengths to preserve the quality of this wonderful machine. Great condition, a gorgeous interior, and the biggest engine available all come together to make one exciting car. If you are in the market for a classic German automobile, this 560 SL is your diamond in the rough. Immediately ready for summertime cruising, we are highly confident this wonderfully preserved Mercedes-Benz 560 SL will have no problems achieving its $40,000 to $47,000 estimate.
IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL BIDDERS
It should be noted that this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.
We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.
Please note that the title for this vehicle is in transit.
