1988 Mercedes-Benz R107 300SL with Medium Red Leather (277)

Through the 18-year-long production run of the 107-series SL (and its coupe derivative, the SLC), Mercedes-Benz despatched more than 300,000 examples of the Panzerwagen. Its popularity on either side of the Atlantic wasn’t a surprise, but many buyers don’t know that the SL was available in about a hundred colours. And despite that wide variety of paints, it looks remarkably good in black — like a sharp tux. This 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, backed not only by its paint but also the extremely likeable condition it’s in, epitomises that.

Scoring well in our Assured Inspection, this 1989 300SL is a late model example with 87910 miles on the odometer. That the 300SL is regarded to be one of the best iterations of the R107 SL only furthers its likability. It offers great refinement without compromising on the overall performance or tractability — something R107 owners enjoy now. This 1989 300SL is an automatic-gearbox-equipped, straight-six-engined car with a detailed history file, three previous owners, and invoices that highlight the level of work done to ensure the splendid state of both the paintwork and the cabin.

Black mightn't be the easiest of paints to maintain, but this car presents very well. Of course, the paintwork, although corrected about four years ago, isn't completely spotless. Upon closer inspection, one can notice slight deviation from what's otherwise a clean car. The bodywork is damage-free, the panels align perfectly, and the black paint shines well. The wheels appear to have an occasional scuff or two but nothing major that'll put anyone off. The exterior is complemented by the classy ‘medium red leather’ interior, which isn't just tasteful but also in undoubtedly fresh state. There are no visible signs of corrosion on the surface, which is reassuring. It looks clean underneath, too.

Manufactured in 1988, this 300SL was first registered in the UK in the year 1989. It has three previous owners, a clean MoT record, and a detailed service history. According to the service book, its last service was carried out in 2022 at 87,326 miles. During its last visit to the garage for MoT (May 2023), it also got new spark plugs and leads, a replacement battery, and some work done on the radiator joints. Going further back into its history, in 2018, the car got its seals for the bodywork replaced. In 2019, this was followed by substantial work done on the panels — both repairs and paint correction. During the same time, an existing retrofitted electric hood mechanism was reverted to the factory correct manual specification.

We've recommended the 300SL to our customers because it is the sweet spot in the late-model R107 lineup, and this car is no different. Its spec further makes it very easy to fall in love with. The SL has been cared for previously, and it has performed rather appreciably in the SLShop's internal checkup. At well under 100,000 miles for a car that left the factory three and a half decades, it is pretty sparingly run, too.