1998 Mercedes-Benz SL320 Special Edition

As an SL320 Special Edition it is finished Designo Red, a colour that was unique to this model. With just under 52,000 miles on the clock and just two previous owners, it also has an impeccable service and maintenance history. 

First registered in November 1998, it appears to have cruised through life being as pampered as any we’ve seen recently. Driving well and featuring a very clean interior and tidy, straight bodywork it would make an ideal car with which to dip your toes into the world of classic cars.

Good fun too because this SL320 is still new enough to be enjoyable to drive and decently reliable but old enough to have some character about it. It’s probably reached the bottom of its depreciation curve too, so if you’re looking for a swift, stylish modern classic that is dependable enough to commute in and yet elegant enough to razz around in at the weekends then your search is over.

And, it’s being offered with no reserve, so it’ll sell from the very first bid.

The Designo Red paintwork is in a good condition. Unique to the model, it’s nice to see an example finished in a colour other than the more usual silver or black.

The bodywork is completely clear of rust and other serious problems, even on the wheelarches, an area that enthusiasts will recognize is a notorious rust trap. The panel gaps are also as tight and even as you would expect of a car that consolidated Mercedes-Benz’s reputation for quality and longevity.

The light lenses are clean and bright too, and the wash/wipe system on the optional Xenon headlamps works as it should.

As does the Hardtop roof, which is free of damage and seals as tightly as you’d expect of a car with this pedigree and history.

The 16-inch alloy wheels are very smart, being free of scuffs, chips and kerbing thanks to having been refurbished only recently. It was a proper job too, with the correct diamond-cut finish where most people would have just had them powdercoated. The wheels are shod with matching Avon ZV5 tyres too, all of which have good tread.

Sure, there is the odd stonechip here and there, and a minor scuff on the front right bumper corner but it’s a straight, honest car that wears it faults openly. As such, you know what you are getting into with no fear of it having a secret, hidden past that has been successfully disguised by a clever bodyshop.

The light grey Nappa leather, which is unique to this limited edition, is in fine fettle as might be expected given the car’s limited use and low mileage. With only very gentle creasing to the driver’s seat, the rest of the leatherwork looks almost unmarked and is as soft now as the day it left the factory, which is remarkable for a car that’ll never see 21 again.

The optional rear ‘seats’ are even cleaner and look to be unused. This is no surprise given how little space there is but they do fold down and thus give you somewhere to put coats and bags, a feature that is just as handy as being able to give two friends an (occasional) lift.

The rest of the interior is similarly good with undamaged wooden veneer, deep, clean carpets, and a steering wheel that looks only a few years old. It all seems to work too, including the cruise control, electric windows, and air-conditioning. It is also fitted with a Tracker.

As a special edition the car wears the appropriate badging on the two sills and the centre console. It also has a wind-deflector to stop your expensively coiffured hair getting ruffled when the roof is down.

The boot is as clean as the rest of the interior, and lifting the grey carpets reveals only a clean, rust-free floor. The boot is home to all the usual tools and a warning triangle plus a full-size alloy spare wheel and a CD multi-changer.

The roof works very well, and the fabric inside and out looks very sharp, and possibly fresh. Some of the internal roof bars may benefit from a clean through.

Problems appear to be restricted to a slightly recalcitrant backrest adjuster on the passenger’s seat, a small scuff near the nearside front seatbelt, and what seems to be an occasionally faulty radio.

Recently serviced and so ready for another year’s motoring, the engine bay is as clean as the rest of the car, which is to say that it is very clean indeed.

We’ve driven it and can confirm that it drives like a good ‘un, feeling tight and free of rattles. It starts on the button, ticks over evenly, and pulls strongly, with the automatic gearbox changing up and down the ratios as it should. The gearbox is also switchable between normal, sports and winter, allowing the driver a modicum of control no matter what the weather or their mood.

And, this car reminded us that there is a real joy to be had from driving a small-engined car; there might be faster SLs than this but it gets about very nicely indeed thanks to its 228bhp, straight-six engine and four-speed gearbox – and being able to drive it hard without fear of losing your licence is a rare treat in today’s horsepower-obsessed world.

The underside is clean and free of damage but does have some slight surface rust here on some of the components. Like the airbox, which is slightly rusty but nothing that half-an-hour with a rattle-can of paint wouldn’t sort.

The SL’s MOT certificate runs out in March 2021, and was gained without a single advisory point. The online MOT history doesn’t show anything of concern and confirms the car’s low mileage.

The car comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it. It also comes with two keys, the original owner’s handbook and storage wallet, a well stamped service history booklet, and a printout of its original specification.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained in recent years to the very highest standard.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d like to know something specific, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on. Or, even better, contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call, where you can direct us in real-time. 

The R129 is as pretty as it is tough - and that’s worth something in today’s troubled times; apocalypse-ready vehicles don’t have to be finished in camouflage green and fitted with four-wheel-drive because only two things will survive in a post-nuclear world: cockroaches and Mercedes-Benz cars of the late eighties and nineties. 

But, you need to buy the right one and few fit the bill better than this. With a perfect service history, minimal miles on the clock, and a mid-range, ultra-reliable engine it also has enough toys to keep you occupied while you’re waiting to go through the police and army roadblocks we can all look forward to…

It’ll be fairly cheap, too. We think this one, even with all the benefits it offers, will only sell for between £10,000 and £14,000 – and it is being offered with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid.

This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.