Inventory Listing

18,616 original miles. Still sitting on its original Michelin tires. Leather interior, two tops, everything works. Heavily documented and almost new in every way.

This 1985 Mercedes-Benz 380SL wears 100% original Smoke Silver Metallic paint, which is a lovely color that’s entirely correct on a sporting, yet upscale motorcar. It’s not gold, but it’s not silver, and the effect is almost iridescent, giving the car a handsome look that should look great anywhere it goes. Of course, rust is a total non-issue on this car, as it has never seen more than an accidental spring shower, and fit and finish are remarkable given the technology of 1985 and the passage of more than three decades. Want to know why Mercedes-Benz cars are different? Just slam one of the doors on this convertible. On the R107s, there’s also plenty of chrome, and it’s all real chrome, not plastic, so it has a substantial feel in your hands whenever you touch it. The bumpers, which seem to have grown more graceful with the passage of time, are in excellent shape, the heavy metal door handles offer a substantial handshake every time you enter the car, and the famous three-pointed star emblems on the nose and tail are still as new. And it is all accented by a pair of pinstripes that run from nose to tail, adding a dash of contrast to the bodywork.

MB-Tex was still standard equipment in the SL, but this one carries Tobacco Brown leather upholstery that was an $853 option in 1985. With so few miles, it’s in excellent condition with only the most minor “comfort marks” on the driver’s cushion, no notable scuffs or tears. Likewise, the brown carpets are still deep, plush, and luxurious with only minor fading in the rear package shelf area, which is probably inevitable on any convertible in a dark color. Everything remains fully functional, including the big, round gauges, the power windows and locks, and the original Becker Grand Prix AM/FM/cassette stereo that triggers the power antenna properly. The automatic climate control system has been upgraded to R134a refrigerant so it’ll be easy to service in the future, but you may never need it once you experience the top-down motoring this car offers. And speaking of top-down motoring, this car includes a brown canvas convertible top that looks almost new, as well as the removable hardtop that seals it up as well as a sedan.  The trunk is beautifully upholstered in more brown carpet and includes a complete tool roll, the jack assembly, first aid kit, as well as the original spare tire that’s never been used.

The 3.8 liter SOHC V8 under the hood feels quite energetic around town and as a German-bred 2-seater, obviously it was built for high-speed cruising, so it’s effortless in almost everything it does. With only 18,000 miles on it, this one is barely broken in, so it starts quickly, idles smoothly, and drives in a way that only low-mile original cars can. The engine bay is completely original and stock, with the exception of normal maintenance items, but they were careful to retain things like the original hose clamps whenever something was replaced. Factory finishes, decals, and markings all remain 100% intact and it all works like it should.

The 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission was a relatively recent addition to the spec sheet when this SL was built, but it gives this convertible impossibly long legs when combined with the 2.65 rear gears. At speed on the highway, the engine just loafs along at about 1200 RPM, barely whispering and pulling down surprisingly good fuel economy at the same time. The suspension is supple enough to ignore the frost-heaved roads here in northeast Ohio, but never puts a tire wrong when you’re hustling, inspiring confidence behind the wheel. And, of course, there’s a big disc brake at each corner, just in case. Unmarked alloy wheels carry their original 205/70/14 Michelin radials, which we might recommend replacing if you intend serious driving, although they appear to be in fine condition.

Documentation is pretty impressive, too. We have the original window sticker, factory data card showing all the option codes, a full selection of factory owner’s manuals, the original warning tags from the interior, and all the original keys.

The meteoric rise of the 190SL and later “Pagoda” SLs might suggest that the R107s can’t be far behind. Specification certainly matters, but as is the case with all vintage vehicles, it always pays to buy quality first, and this superb 380SL is the finest we’ve ever featured. Unquestionably original, beautifully maintained, it’s a glimpse into what top-of-the-line motoring was like in the go-go ‘80s.