1982 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL R107

The seller bought ‘DJN 738X’ from us in 2021, simultaneously demonstrating his impeccable taste in classic cars and classic car auctions – but then this is an unusually attractive example of a perennially popular sportscar.

Built in January 1982, this Signal Red’s 237bhp engine is mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox, a combination that allows its driver to cruise at more than two miles a minute – and to do so for up to 400 miles without stopping thanks to a 90-litre petrol tank.

It also does it in considerable style too, not least because this one also boasts a suite of factory options including headlamp wipers, an Anti-lock Braking System, cruise-control, and air conditioning in addition to a hardtop and stand.

And the seller has made good use of the Mercedes’ long-distance touring chops taking it from his home in Scotland down to Goodwood on a regular basis as well as up to the far north coast and across to Norfolk.

He even drove it the 500 miles from his house to our HQ – and was keen to tell us that it’s never let him down, nor needed oil or water between services: “It’s a magnificent engine, and has never missed a beat.”

Signal Red is one of our favourite colours for the SL, visually shrinking it (although it’s not a large car anyway) while also giving it a sporting air the more usual sober metallics lack. 

Of course, the one thing is shares with every other Mercedes-Benz R107 is peerless build quality and to find one that still sports accurate panel alignment and a continued air of authority is still the rule rather than the exception.

This one remains a credit to the breed with excellent paintwork and almost no dents or visible corrosion. It also looks as good at two paces as it does 20 – and as sporting with the hardtop fitted as it does with the softtop furled.

We think its hardtop would have been black when the car was new, but it has since been finished in Signal Red. The roof is still clean and free of damage, including storage dinks, but then it does come with the O/E stand for when it isn’t needed.

The only time the SL has seen rain is on the odd occasion our seller got caught out, as he did driving it down to us. “It was a monsoon, but the hardtop didn’t let a drop in!” 

We understand the softtop was replaced shortly before the seller bought it five years ago, and it still rises and falls smoothly, and fits snugly. The only problem he suffered was a faulty rear latch. He sourced a replacement from The SL Shop, fitted it himself, and it’s latched perfectly ever since.

As you’ll have noticed, the chrome bumpers, radiator grille, and door mirrors work especially well against the red coachwork, but then the brightwork is in a better-than-average condition with little in the way of tarnishing and pitting and nothing in the way of rust or damage. 

The 15-inch Bundt alloy wheels, which are made by automotive legends Fuchs, are in fine fettle with no scuffs or scrapes to their outer edges. Seemingly replaced at the end of the post-fire restorative work, they even have good centre caps and rust-free bolts. 

They’re also fitted with a matching set of Vitour Galaxy R1 tyres. Although they were made in 2017 and are therefore towards the end of their useful life, they do still have plenty of tread left and no obvious sidewall damage.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

Other notable features include a set of four matching Mercedes-branded mudflaps and coordinating Bosch headlamps and foglamps. 

Flaws and blemishes seem to be limited to a cracked offside front indicator lens, bubbles on the bonnet above the offside headlamp, a chip on the edge of the offside front wing, a chip on the offside rear wing under the bumper, a dent in the driver’s door, and a scratch below the handle on the nearside door with another on the nearside front wing. 

Both windows also catch their respective door rubbers, and some of the rubber seals have perished, including those around the door mirrors and the base of the hardtop’s ‘B-pillar’. The boot spoiler is also starting to show its age with some hardening and bubbles forming along its horizontal surface, and the chrome trim under the doors is loose.

The paintwork shows the usual polishing swirls and marks, and given how good it is we can’t help but think it would be worth paying a professional to machine-polish it back to its full glory.

We understand the trim was all replaced when the SL was rebuilt, a donor car offering up a cream interior to replace the immolated black version it left the factory with.

And that replacement interior also added +2 rear seats, which were one of the few factory options the first owner didn’t opt for. While these might not offer huge legroom, they’re infinitely more useful than the simple shelf this example spent its first three decades with. The rear seats also came with seatbelts, so they’re as safe as they are practical. 

The front seats have fared well; only a little softer now than when they were new, their face material is no more than gently creased. Naturally, the heaviest wear is to the driver’s seat, namely a few cracks plus rubbing to the outer seatback bolster – and if even this light patina is too much for you to live with, we suspect a decent mobile restorer would be able to make a huge improvement for only a minimal investment. 

The wooden veneer is in a similar condition; not new but still attractive enough for most folk to be comfortable living with, and the sand-coloured carpets are also in a good used condition with no apparent holes or other signs of heavy wear.

The electric windows glide up and down smoothly. The driver’s window was sluggish when he bought it, so the seller purchased a new window carriage from The SL Shop. Fitting it resolved the issue, but the polarity somehow got switched, so pressing up now makes it go down, and vice versa. Sorting it out, should it bother you, would be simple enough. 

An aftermarket Sony headunit is fitted, and the cabin also benefits from a fold-down wind deflector for ruffle-free motoring with the roof furled.

The boot is clean and well-trimmed. It also contains a full-size and matching spare alloy wheel fitted with a seemingly new tyre. Lifting everything out uncovers a solid metal floor. 

As for faults, neither the odometer nor the electric aerial work, and the heater fan only works on its lowest setting. We are told that everything else works as it should.

The cosmetics have been discussed and while most of the suggested work would be strictly optional, the carpet behind the rear seat so grubby and marked that it would probably be worth sourcing a replacement. The same might be said of the plastic gearshift surround, although this is less noticeable.

The engine bay is also grubby but sorting that out would be a straightforward matter of spending a couple of hours with a few cleaning products and a handful of microfibre towels. It is nicely presented otherwise, including very good underbonnet soundproofing and what looks like a recent battery.

The underside has been undersealed, which has left a little overspray on the exhaust system. You have to scroll all the way back to 2011 to find any mention of corrosion during an MoT though, and even that was only “vehicle underbody has slight corrosion in places”. 

However, that underseal has failed in a few places to revealing a little rust including along the sill seams. It would be prudent, therefore, to investigate and nip any developing problems in the bud.

NB: Please note that both a hardtop stand and a custom-made indoor cover are included in the sale. 

The SL suffered a dashboard fire in around 2009-10, which caused enough damage for the insurance company to declare it a Category C write-off. It was subsequently professionally repaired, a process that took six years. 

Why so long? 

Well, we understand its then-owner ran, among other things, a car breaker and spares business, which enabled him to source most of the parts himself. His in-house team then fitted them as and when they became available, followed by a respray – and when the job was finished, he celebrated with a road trip to the South of France with his wife.

How’s that for confidence in your staff?

There are also copies of invoices from Tony Correale Autos of Finchampstead for some of the remedial work, and the recent Vehicle History Check is clear bar that Cat C marker.

Its MoT certificate is valid until April 2027, and the history file includes the Owner’s Manual, a thick wad of expired MoT certificates, various invoices for work and parts, including one for a service in September 2021 at 98,970 miles, which was only 1,500 miles ago.

The R107 has been a stalwart of the classic scene for decades with a reputation for elegance, reliability, and solid residuals that is the envy of its class.

It also benefits from a huge range of specialists and suppliers to help you keep it in tip-top condition, yet it’s still simple enough for a home mechanic to maintain it with nothing more than a Halfords tool kit. 

This one is also finished in one of the best colours and is powered by the most lusted-after engine.

Perhaps of equal interest is that its Cat C marker means its estimate is far lower than it would be for a car with a clear HPI report.

How low?

Well, we estimate it’ll fetch somewhere between £13,000 and £17,000.

Laughably little, isn’t it?

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’.