1986 Mercedes-Benz 560 SL – SOLD 🏁

About This Car

“Mercedes has been producing elegant S-Class coupes since the mid-’50s. But the more vintage ones have become increasingly unaffordable. Fortunately, time marches on, and the hard angular design of the Mercedes-Benz 560 SL, produced from 1986 to 1989, now look downright avant-garde. Few vehicles have the despotic beauty of these 237hp, V8-powered roadsters, much less their imposing, tank-like engineering”.

Few things in motoring portray affluence and opulence like a Mercedes-Benz SL. The SL stands for ‘Sports Light’ which said it all for the first of the SLs in the 1950s; they were Mercedes’ proven sedan mechanicals installed in a shorter, sportier, lighter body.  The R107 series, debuted in 1971 and was built, with various improvements and updates, right through to 1989.

This is the model that survived not only the ‘Decade That Taste Forgot’ but the ‘Greed Is Good ‘ 1980s, too! It is possibly one of the longest-running single models of all time. It was quite an advanced and safe car on its introduction in the 1970s and it was almost a classic by the time Mercedes replaced it in the late 1980s. That’s an impressive showroom run and just goes to show how good this car’s basic engineering – and of course its appeal – really was. Compared to its lithe 1960s predecessor, the new one was larger, heavier, more comfortable and easier to drive. Mercedes was a pioneer of safety and the long front and rear overhangs were part of that – the bigger body gave better crash protection.

Mercedes-Benz launched their flagship 560 SL at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1985. It was sold alongside the 500 SL with minor external changes, improved front wheel suspension new brakes and a 5.6-liter V8 engine. This was one of the first cars to be designed with computer assistance; Computer modeling was used to assess the stresses and loads on various sections of the body shell.
Apparently the 560’s 5.6-litre, single-cam-per-bank V8 was an engine used in USA, Australia and Japan to help counter the loss of performance due to emission regulations strangling the engine. The American-delivered cars were equipped with rubberized DOT-compliant bumpers and quad headlamps. Heavily equipped with stock amenities, the 560 SL had only two options: heated seats and electronically adjustable headrests.

Speedart Motorsports is offering for sale this well preserved example in original condition and presented in the elegant color combination of Champagne Metallic(473) with Dark Brown(746) soft top over Palomino(174) hides and burr walnut veneers.

This is a classic and timeless design that definitely stacks up as a no-compromise daily driver for an enthusiast. In fact it would be a better daily driver now than many ordinary sedans of the same age… This is the case for this motorcar having clocked less than 45,000 miles, with evidence of a great care taken by its previous custodians.

Although not a garage queen the exterior enamel is believed to be original, as verified by the paint meter and a thorough inspection of all panels indicate that the roadster is free of any incidents, with an attached non-derogatory Carfax report confirming such findings.

The 560SL is quickly becoming noticed by collectors, given the rise in the previous generation SL models, and its iconic shape along with its unimpeachable build quality will make this open top motorcar a rewarding investment.
We encourage all interested parties to schedule a private viewing in our showroom and we also welcome a thorough pre-purchase inspection of this honest and mechanically sorted Mercedes-Benz.