1996 Mercedes-Benz E320 SPORTLINE

On sale here is a prime example of the E-Class Cabriolet, fitted with the most desirable 3.2-litre six-cylinder engine, an old smoothie.

In the same long-term ownership for some nineteen years, our seller is reluctant to part with this lovely car, but life in London with two other cars, means no resident’s parking permit and therefore she has been shut away in a garage near Hyde Park and little used of late.

The car was purchased from Hexagon BMW, the previous owner having traded her in for a 6-Series BMW. There’s no accounting for taste! He had lived in St. John’s Wood and had used the car for high days and holidays.

Our seller and his wife used the car regularly in London from 2004 to 2009, though once again it was a second car.

A relocation to Guernsey saw the car registered there with the licence plate 12776. It was always safely garaged and used sparingly, which accounts for the car’s low mileage.

In late 2021 the car was reimported to the UK and the VAT was paid. The DVLA reassigned the car’s original registration number.

Last summer saw the classy convertible taken on a 3 week European road trip, taking in France, Switzerland and Italy. Around 3,000 miles were covered, the car performing faultlessly save for a new jubilee clip to reposition a hose.

Our seller has never stinted on servicing and maintenance which should provide reassurance for a new buyer. And as regards to parting with the car, he says:

“Preparing it to drive down to Bonhams I have come close to changing my mind. I hope the next owner will get the same pleasure that I have had driving the car.”

The E320 Cabriolet has always exuded class and good taste, the choice of Tourmaline Green suiting the car rather well.

The design of the A124 was deftly handled by Bruno Sacco, Joseph Gallitzendörfer and Peter Pfeiffer. They collaborated to deliver a distinctive yet reassuringly familiar design that was also incredibly aerodynamic, greatly benefitting fuel consumption and refinement. This car’s W123 predecessor delivered a drag coefficient of around 0.44. The W124 range, meanwhile, achieved a lowly 0.29 to 0.32. Quite a feat.

This example has been well cared for during its 27-year life, being garaged when not in use. There are however a few battle scars from a life well lived. The paint on the rear bumper is peeling and it, and the one up front have some scuff marks. Respraying them will be a simple enough task for a good bodyshop.

Close inspection will also reveal some stone chips here and there, not unexpected. We have also spotted a small dent in the passenger door (pic 69) and the offside front wing (pic 78).

The front nearside wing has some rust on the arch (pic 84) and there are some scratches visible in our pictures. The bodyshop does beckon.

The alloy wheels are in fair condition but would benefit from refurbishment. Each is fitted with a premium Michelin Cross Climate tyre, ideal for all year-round motoring. As we always like to point out, care taken with tyre choice is generally a good sign of caring and considered classic car ownership.

The black fabric roof contrasts nicely with the deep green paintwork, though there are creases and marks here and there.

Who doesn’t love a cream leather interior? It suits the Mercedes Cabriolet so well. The front seats, electrically controlled of course, are as comfortable as your favourite armchair. There are some gentle creases from general use, but very little sign of wear. A gentle clean and protect with some proprietary hide food is all that should be required.

Let’s not forget that this is a genuine four-seater soft-top, so can be enjoyed with family and friends in tow. The rear seats look little used and are in fine condition.

Door cards and the underside of the roof look to be in good order and we love the car’s elegant lines when the roof is safely stowed away in its compartment.

The driving position is suitably commanding, the view down the elegant bonnet one of the best. The part wood steering wheel is a delight to hold and falling easily to hand is the gear lever, proudly displaying the ‘Sportline’ moniker atop, less you forget which version of the W124 you are driving.

The wood dash houses some of the clearest instrumentation in the business, a lesson to all manufacturers as to how it should be done. Tunes are provided by a standard fit stereo radio/cassette player. There’s also a boot mounted CD autochanger.

We do note the dash top is a little jaded and the is a little paint bubbling/corrosion in the driver’s door aperture (pic 79).

Boot space is generous, so no need to travel light. Under the boot floor sits a full-size spare wheel and tools. The spare wheel well could do with a good clean up, to deal with the area of surface corrosion.

We always include pictures of a car’s underside in our listings and that is the case here. It all looks to be in mighty fine condition, commensurate with the low mileage. We can tell this is a car that has been safely garaged and used sparingly as a second or third car.

Mercedes-Benz build their cars to last and the 3.2-litre engine which sits proudly under the bonnet is barely run in. As detailed in the next section, no expense has been spared mechanically, so it will come as no surprise that the engine still purrs. It’s powerful enough for relaxed cruising, which is this car’s forte. The automatic gearbox helps take the stress and strain out of everyday driving too.

As already mentioned, the E320 took a 3,000-mile trip through Europe in its stride just last summer. Perfect for the job.

This is a well-maintained car. Just look at all the invoices, displayed for your viewing pleasure in our picture section. We cannot possible detail all the work done here, so we suggest finding a few moments to read it all in detail.

We note an invoice from Mercedes-Benz specialists Klasse of Fulham dated 3rd October 2022 in the sum of £2,850.35. Work done included:

• B1 Service and brake fluid change
• New plugs and air filter
• Gearbox service
• Fuel filter pipe replacement
• New electric aerial
• Partial exhaust replacement

Other work worthy of note is the replacement of the roof cylinders with servicing, carried out by Harrison Automotive in 2017, the invoice total, a heady £5,097.56.

The original service book accompanies the Mercedes, with plenty of reassuring stamps from main agents and specialists.

The last two MoTs have both been advisory free, the current certificate being valid until 2nd October 2023.

The owner’s manual is present and correct, as well as guides to the security system, radio etc.

This low mileage, two-owner E320 Cabriolet still has the ability to turn heads. Elegant looks, a timeless design and the reassurance of that Mercedes-Benz build quality.

Our seller has enjoyed the car immensely and has ensured it has been well maintained. Yes, there are some cosmetic issues that most will want to address, but this is a car to buy now, enjoy over the summer and then make a plan for long-term ownership.

We confidently expect a lot of interest in what is now a rare and sought-after car. A sale price of between £13,000 and £18,000 is surely on the cards.

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