1993 Mercedes-Benz 300SL

This example of the exalted breed hails from 1993 placing it from a time before the “SL” nomenclature got promoted and still featuring the mechanical, six-digit odometer. It’s also important to note that this car is the more powerful 24-valve model featuring the M104 straight six engine. This lent the model an almost 40bhp advantage over the M103 engined 300SL and is admired by purists for combining the lighter, more agile 6-cylinder road manners with performance almost the equal of the V8 cars.

Current owner and car enthusiast, Neil, acquired the 300SL-24 in 2013 to become the car’s sixth keeper. At that time, it had covered roughly 97,000 miles. Neil has used and enjoyed the SL as his daily driver up until around 20 months ago, adding around 58,000 miles to that total in the process. 

Between 2024 and 2025 Neil commissioned a comprehensive repair and refurbishment of his much-loved daily driver spending more than £24,000 bringing the car back up to today’s impressive standard. Mechanicals, bodywork and aesthetics were all addressed, making this a very exciting ownership prospect for the next lucky owner. Neil is sad to see the car go but unfortunately health issues necessitate its sale.

The 300SL looks both fetching and period correct in equal measure in its Pearl Blue livery – an endearingly classic hue for the R129. Its smooth protective panels along its flanks and over its bumpers, the so called “Sacco” panels named for uber-designer Bruno, are finished in a slightly contrasting hue and feature the pre-facelift triple vents behind the front wheels. The overall effect appears both impressive and eye-catching. 

With this SL now being 33 years old there are some inevitable, yet relatively minor, imperfections noted by our team. These include paint chips in places, some scuffs and cracks to the plastic trim parts. Some of that trim is also noted as loose, such as in places on the nose and at the bottoms of the front wings. There are several chips in the windscreen but none that have troubled the MoT testers. Please review our photographic package to assess these for yourself.

To our eyes the R129 looks surprisingly contemporary still – always the sign of an impressive original concept. That modern aesthetic is aided by the fitment of clear front indicator lenses and a general lack of brightwork that helped further visually distance the car from its predecessors. What are very much of their period, however, are the relatively small 16-inch “Gullideckel” 8-hole alloy wheels.  These appear to be in great fettle all round as they were newly fitted in 2025. They are shod with a matching set of quality Goodyear tyres in a 225/55 configuration. These are date stamped from 2025.

This SL features a robustly engineered removeable aluminium framed hard top which anchors firmly and securely atop the car once the fabric hood is safely stowed under the electrically operated hard tonneau. A new wheeled hardtop stand and cover is included with the car. The folding deep blue fabric hood is reported by the owner to be just 2 years old with the SL having hardly been used during that time.

The interior of the R129 SL is an object lesson in premium sports car cabins with few equals – certainly in the early 1990’s. The interiors of this period were as impeccably screwed together as the exterior with a fit and finish that is still cause for positive comment today. 

In this example the interior is finished in the classic Cream Beige colourway. The seats are finished in the earlier perforated leather in that shade. Both front seats are electrically adjustable, and featuring the first production appearance of seatbelts built into the seat backs. Just one of those 20 patented parts and features. The token rear seats are trimmed in matching leather and fold forward to provide additional carpeted storage for bags and other accoutrements. The condition of the front seats does reflect the car’s age and mileage somewhat with the driver’s outer bolsters a little misshapen and visibly worn.

The complementary, light hued carpets seem to have been protected by carpet, over-mats as they present well throughout. The dashboard is finished with a black coloured top roll, and the familiar, ultra-clear VDO gauge set sits behind all black, airbag equipped steering wheel. The large centre console is finished with a dark wood veneer and houses the original Becker Mexico head unit.

The cream headlining of the soft tops looks to be in a fine, unmarked condition. It’s a totally original interior and befitting of a luxury GT of this stature. The well-shaped boot is trimmed with its original carpet and trim pieces, and the spare wheel and tool set are housed under the floor. The spare wheel is in a poor aesthetic condition and wears a well-used looking tyre.

This ultimate sports tourer is fitted with the enthusiast’s choice of M104.98 straight six petrol engine. This is a twin overhead camshaft unit and four valves per cylinder. It was original rated at around 230bhp and is popular in R129 circles as providing a winning blend of power, torque and relative light weight. Power is fed to the rear wheels via a smooth changing 722.3 four speed automatic gearbox.

The under-bonnet presentation is generally very good and seemingly highly original. Even the textured under-bonnet insulation – so often a victim of wear and tear – appears in fine order having possibly been more recently replaced. What can be seen of the underside of the car looks straight and clean and quite impressive the age and mileage of the car. R129’s are known to achieve very significant mileages if regularly maintained and even at 155,000 miles one could expect this example to have plenty of loyal service left ahead of it. This example sounds admirably smooth on our accompanying video with no unexpected noises or smoke noted.

This SL comes with a generous and informative paperwork archive providing some valuable provenance. This includes the current V5 and hard copy MoT valid until February 2027. This is an advisory free test. There are numerous previous MoTs on hand too, documenting the car’s linear mileage progression.

With other £24,000 spent between 2024 and 2025 on this SL, it is clearly a very well cared for example. Invoices from that period confirm the following key works to have been undertaken - new bumpers, grill, headlights, fog lights, radiator, key suspension components, exhaust, wheels and new tyres. A new wiper motor, driver’s window motor, brakes, aerial, battery, hydraulic cylinders as well as various switches and relays. A professional respray was also undertaken at this time.

The all-important original service book is on hand. This contains 16 service stamps covering mileages between 1,335 (1993) and 64,486 (2005). Since that point the car has been serviced by owner Neil with the assistance of a local garage.

It is hard to process that fact that the R129 first appeared over 37 years ago and that its design hails from the mid-1980s. It was such an advanced car for its time that it seems much younger and fresher than the numbers suggest. Its build quality and the quality of its components have helped preserve it as one of the most useable modern classics on the market today.

This is a lovely example which is both original and honest in equal measure. It certainly appears to have wanted for nothing in its current long ownership and the huge spend little more than a year ago should prove deeply reassuring. The condition is good overall with only a few of the usual areas that could be further improved if the next owner feels it to be necessary. This is your opportunity to join the enthusiastic club of proud R129 custodians whilst their value proposition remains so impressive. Offered here without reserve. 

We estimate this fine car will hammer somewhere between £6,000 - £10,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.