1997 Mercedes SL320 Auto *Sold £4,500*

MAKEMercedes
MODELSL320 Auto
REGISTRATIONR604 PEO*
ENGINE SIZE3199
TRANSMISSIONAutomatic
MILEAGE133,930
MOT EXPIRY DATE25/05/2024
CURRENT V5
COLOURGold
INTERIORCream Leather
LOCATIONLancashire OL5

1997 Mercedes SL320 Auto *Sold £4,500*

In stock

  • 3.2 litre inline six-cylinder engine
  • Automatic transmission
  • Removable hardtop roof
  • Power roof
  • MOT’d to May 2024 plus 2 new tyres
  • This 1997 Mercedes SL320 Auto sold for £4,500
Category: Tags: , ,

Description

  • 3.2 litre inline six-cylinder engine
  • Automatic transmission
  • Removable hardtop roof
  • Power roof
  • MOT’d to May 2024 plus 2 new tyres

The R129 Mercedes SL arrived in 1990. It took a while arriving. The previous Mercedes SL had hung around a little too long.  

When the new SL made its debut in Geneva in early 1990, customers loved it. Orders poured in and the first-year production quota of 20,000 units sold out. 

Today, this generation SL is a remarkably modern classic. It has sophistication, road manners and performance. And this epitome of German engineering is startlingly affordable.  

Outside 

Today the SL320 still looks attractive.  

With a removable hard top, the Mercedes SL320 is an all year round classic. Once you’ve taken the hard top off, you delight in the power folding roof. Its operation is marvellous and seamless. This one is in black and in good condition. 

Another techie innovation is the roll-over bar. You can see it folded down in the images. It can be set in the up position at the touch of a button, but better to leave it down. In the event of roll being detected, it deploys in 0.3 seconds. Don’t try, just take our word for it. 

The paintwork appears to be pretty good overall. As always, there will be the odd minor age-related blemish if we look hard enough. All the shut lines and gaps look good. 

The body-coloured mouldings with the double bents behind the wing mean this is a facelift model and are all fine.  

Front headlamp wipers, ribbed rear lights and classic 8-hole Mercedes alloy wheels finished in silver, complete what is a decent overall exterior. 

The eagle eyed amongst you may spot an incorrect badge adorns the rear, the car is definitely a 320..not a 230! Also, the V5 states the car is silver whereas it is more of a pale champagne gold.

Inside 

It is often said the R129 Mercedes SL320 was the last Mercedes to be built by engineers regardless of cost and not by bean counters. It shows in both the quality and the innovation, none more so than inside. 

One example. Those power seats had magnesium frames and five different electric motors, including one to raise and lower the headrests; they also were innovative, in that the seatbelts were integral to the seatbacks. Mercedes registered no less than 20 patents on the seats alone. 

  • Beige Cream leather interior 
  • The seats are in very good condition for their age 
  • The 2+2 offers a rear bench suitable for children or more often used as extra luggage space. Forget the kids, eh, just use it as getaway-bag space 
  • The light brown carpeting throughout the inside is in good condition 
  • Wood veneers show no signs of cracking or damage 
  • The driver’s door card shows some ‘strange’ marks. Other than that, both are fine 
  • Electrically adjustable, heated, front memory seats 
  • Electric windows and door mirrors 
  • Electrically adjustable steering column 
  • Electrically activated roll-over bar 
  • Colour coded four spoke steering wheel 

Mechanicals 

As far as engines are concerned, there is a confusing array of them. The pick of the bunch by a long way is the SL320. The 3.2-litre straight six engine in this SL is smooth and powerful. It will power the SL320 to 60mph in around 7sec. That’s plenty fast enough and has the added benefit that you won’t spend your life pulling into petrol stations.  

For the facelift model released in 1997, Mercedes upped their game again. 

  • Front and rear crumple zones 
  • Five speed automatic 
  • Independent damper strut front suspension with anti-dive geometry. 
  • Separate shock absorbers and coil springs. 
  • Five-arm multilink rear suspension with geometry for anti-lift, anti-squat.  
  • Speed-sensitive power assistance and hydraulic damper.  
  • Brakes 2-circuit hydraulic power-assisted 4-wheel disc.  
  • ABS senses impending wheel lock-up and ‘pumps’ the individual brakes as needed, up to 30 times per second, to prevent lock-up and maintain stability 

These SL320s were so far ahead of their time. The cost from new was usually well in excess of £60,000. 

The car has a brand new MOT and Sylvia also got 2 new tyres fitted at the same time.

Summary 

Sylvia, has owned this Mercedes SL320 since 2016. By the condition of the interior alone, it looks like it has been well looked after. 

These terrifically engineered SLs are easily a daily driver. They are superbly built, very attractive, supremely practical, with effortless performance.  

However, this Mercedes SL320 is very much a grand tourer, best used for devouring many miles in the sun with the top down and arriving at your destination in style and comfort. 

With prices where they are right now, future investment potential is baked in.  

Buy it now. It will last. And you’ll be glad you did. 

*Please note that the Mercedes SL320 currently bears a private plate N31 SYL which will be removed when the car sells*

Good luck bidding! Please remember, our site uses anti-sniping software which ensures fairness to all bidders. So, if a bid for a lot is received in the last minute, the auction will go into a 2-minute overtime period for each subsequent bid.

Vehicle Location: Lancashire OL5 – it’s the responsibility of the winning bidder to make collection / transportation arrangements directly with the vendor.

Would like to arrange a viewing or have a question about this Mercedes SL320? Please contact the Evoke team at auction@evoke-classics.com and we will speak to the vendor on your behalf.

Guide Prices?

We’re different. But you know that. And we’re always honest. In a sector where no two classics are same, how does anyone put a ‘guide’.

Well, everyone knows the broad value of classic, let’s all be honest. So we don’t need to tell you what you already know, do we.

The ‘market’ decides and the old cliché that ‘it’s worth what someone wants to pay’ is no less true. So why kid everyone!

But, because we are different, if it really does matter to you, that’s fine, we want you to be happy. Just drop us a line at auction@evoke-classics.com and one of us will be delighted to ring you back and discuss, it’s what we do.

Tedious but it’s vital you read this, please.

We will always strive to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available. However, we can’t claim to be perfect. Your own analysis is very important and we are here to help and also answer any and all queries you may have prior to purchase.

We offer and positively encourage buyers to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding.

If we do take a physical, as opposed to a remote, look at any of the vehicles on our platform, they are not those of a qualified vehicle inspector or other professional. Nor do they include a test drive unless expressly stated.

As with all vehicles of a certain age, localised paint repairs are common. This specifically applies with classics.

So, please, unless we state explicitly to the contrary, please assume that classic vehicles on our platform could have had remedial bodywork of any kind at some point in its life.

Two final comments on images and photos.

The vast majority are supplied by vendors. Camera technology has and continues to improve significantly, but please note and understand that image and sound quality does vary. If you would like vendors to provide more images please ask us and we will contact the vendor for you.

If you are at all unsure, just ask us. It is what we are here for.

Finally, finally, finally. Please note that vehicles are sold as seen and a returns policy is not applicable. This is the norm for used items acquired at auction.

Our Terms and Conditions are here and our FAQS can be found here or contact us: auction@evoke-classics.com

Got one you’d like to sell? Please feel free to get in touch to have a no obligation chat with us:

Contact The Evoke Team

Title

Go to Top