1998 Mercedes-Benz SL 60 AMG

First registered in 1997, this 1998 Mercedes-Benz SL60 AMG isn’t just a rare example of the R129 SL but one that’s been looked after well by popular Mercedes specialist, SL Shop. It has 78,500 miles on the clock, a detailed service history, six former keepers (excluding the vendor), and a long list of reasons why you should get it.

It’s one of the 49 RHD cars made (in total, AMG made 600+ SL60s), but since this is a late model, facelift example, it’s even rarer. It’s been with the vendor for the last eight years, and during his ownership, he’s made sure that everything is as good as it originally was — and has spent close to £20,000 on it. This means that this R129 is in great condition, and the next owner will be able to enjoy a car that’s received exceptionally high levels of TLC.

Cars like the R129 are becoming extremely popular, but keep in mind this is from a time when AMG was a year away from being brought in-house. It’s got a higher degree of individuality, and that’s evident in the smallest of things. Like for instance when AMG came to know of the pressure from Mercedes-Benz since they didn’t want a V8-powered SL AMG to go up against Merc’s very own SL600 (V12), they under-quoted the official power figures. Critics also seem more positive about the SL60 than the SL70/SL73 (V12-powered), because while both were made by AMG, the former is lighter and slightly more fun to drive.

Mercedes Benz’s design under Bruno Sacco’s direction has brought some gems like the 126, 201, 124 series cars, among others. But the R129’s brilliance, even when compared to the highly celebrated preceding SL models is worth noting. It’s simpler on the outside but isn’t as polarising as the R107 before it. Despite being three decades old now, the R129 SL doesn’t look out of place when parked next to other modern Mercedes-Benz cars. And that’s something which certainly won’t change in the next three decades, either; it definitely is timeless. The AMG model here is no different but looks a touch more imposing with the handsome monobloc alloys, square exhaust tips, etc.

It’s an exceptionally clean example for its age, this R129 SL; but there are a handful of scratches on the bodywork. The right door appears to have some paint damage on the inside, too. The additional hardtop, which hasn’t been used much on the car, has its rear screen shattered. This is possibly the only thing that will need to be replaced. The standard hood has been replaced by the vendor, and it looks great. Everything else seems to be just right, too, including the aforementioned AMG wheels, which have been refurbed.

The vendor, a car collector, mentions that he’s always had the car dry stored when not in use. The parts which looked less than perfect have either been replaced or repaired. That ensures the SL looks so fresh that it’s hard to make out its age. You can check out more details about the work done on the car in the History Highlights section below and the paperwork in the gallery.

The R129 offers an exceptional balance between a great-looking exterior and a comfortable yet elegant interior. It feels more than a generation newer than the car it replaced, but not exactly antiquated in comparison to the car that replaced the 129. The simplicity in the dashboard design is very similar to the design approach adopted for the exterior, too.

This 1998 example has a blue interior, which is very unapologetically typical of Mercedes-Benz. It’s got some good features, top-class quality, a new carpet (changed by the vendor), functioning climate control and radio (a mini-disc player), and comfortable seating for two. You can see age-related marks inside the cabin: on the seats, steering wheel, and the gear knob. None of that deters one from liking the cabin, and to make things better, the hydraulic soft top looks equally good when up or stowed away. The car also has a spare wheel, body cover and in case you don’t have a collection of mini discs at your disposal, a mini disc with a few songs on it.

The R129 was based on the same platform as the W124 but it was further strengthened to make up for the loss of torsional rigidity as the car had no fixed roof. It’s an SL, so apart from being a great-looking car, it’s also equipped to handle motorway speeds for long without throwing a fit. That ability is further accentuated when you bring into the equation a 6-litre naturally aspirated V8.

Said to be underquoted by AMG to minimise an internal clash with the flagship SL600, the SL60 is more powerful than what the brochure will tell you. On paper, the SL60 gets 375 bhp and a 0-60 mph time of about 5.5 seconds. In reality, you can expect it to be slightly quicker. The vendor mentions that the car starts in one go, is very quick, and has no engine-related issues whatsoever.

Like the R107, there was a fair bit of emphasis on safety as well, but on the R129, that's given even more importance. Apart from the strengthened A-pillar, the car also had a retractable roll-over hoop, and magnesium alloy seat frames.

This example has had a thorough check-up recently, and problems that cropped up during that were rectified. The sills and the underbody look largely clean, but there’s some surface rust on components and corrosion next to the rear offside wheel.

The MoT record is clean, and the car passed its latest test without any advisory. This is valid till July this year. The mileage record suggests the car hasn’t been driven a lot lately in the last few years. The vendor confirms that but also adds that when put to use, the car is great on long journeys, too.

As mentioned earlier, this SL60 has had six former keepers (excluding the vendor), nearly 80,000 miles on the clock, and service history, too. Registered in December 1997, the SL had its pre-delivery inspection in August 1997 at Mercedes-Benz Cambridge.

It has also had close to £20,000 worth of maintenance done at SL Shop, including a top to bottom check recently. The old invoices show the meticulous approach taken to keep the car in an honest yet straight-out-of-factory shape. The latest maintenance service was done around 100 miles ago.

Even if you’ve been blessed to have a variety of Mercedes-Benz cars at your disposal, it’s difficult to ignore an R129. And one in such good condition and fettled by AMG? Nearly impossible! That’s the thing about the R129 SL60 AMG; it’s got great looks, but it’s faster and, given the limited production run, much rarer than Mercedes-Benz would’ve liked it to be. Keep in mind that AMG wasn’t still quite in-house.

There’s a new AMG-developed SL coming out soon, and the SL60 AMG is quite the forebear to that. It’s got enough power to dart across continents, great looks to not be out of place when parked on the poshest of drives, and the kind of balance between simplicity and outright muscle that none of its successors could ever enjoy. And yeah, come to think of it, no one could say that about DVDs.

Experts suggest that SLs, though robust, are hard to miss if accompanied by detailed maintenance history. This one has all that and a prestigious AMG badge, And an estimated £39,000 - £49,000 for it might seem like a bargain, then. Rightly so.

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’.