The R107-generation SL’s enduring appeal is attributable to two key factors: firstly, the design was supremely well-judged – tasteful, elegant, and near-timeless. There are few cars that would still look at home in the showroom after almost two decades, but this pretty form carried it off masterfully, having launched in 1971 and continued in production right through to 1989. And secondly, the mechanicals were bulletproof: taking chassis components from the rugged W114 saloon and mating them with a variety of brawny but cultured V8s and straight-sixes, the SL roadster served up vivid performance in a solid and playful package, with class and reliability fused with effortless style.
A refocusing of approach in 1980 meant that seventies SLs were markedly different to eighties ones, as the 350 and 450 versions were discontinued, as was the old 3-speed auto ’box, and the new 380 and 500 models arrived along with a 4-speed transmission. Among all this, the 280 SL was the package that endured: built from 1974 until 1985, this evergreen spec featured a 2.8-litre straight-six making a robust 182bhp. Indeed, when the model was ultimately replaced by the 300 SL, it was mooted in some corners that the older 280 was superior; the 300 may have had a bigger displacement and a handful more horsepower, but it was a SOHC unit whereas the 280’s motor was a vivacious twin-cam. And, of course, the car that the 2.8-litre engine is wrapped up in is a very attractive package: an exercise in tactility, and comfort – a cruiser with a sporting edge, equally at home on the Riviera or the Kings Road.
The circle of life represents so much more than a catchy ditty in a Disney movie. It’s often the case that the cars our parents own go on to inform our passions and enthusiasms as adults; it stands to reason that if you grow up around interesting cars owned by people who are passionate about them, the osmosis effect will intertwine that fondness with your very DNA. What’s less common, however, is to actually own one of the cars that represents those formative years; not a car like the one your mum or dad owned, but the very car itself.
The 280 SL you see here used to belong to the present keeper’s mother; in fact she’d owned it from new. Inevitably there’s a strong emotional bond here – after all, one is likely to feel affectionate to any old family car, let alone one that represents such an ingrained sense of nostalgia and heritage.
There are a few former keepers showing on the logbook now, but the truth of the matter is that it’s always been in the same family throughout its entire life; the first owner passed it down to her son, the present keeper. In years since, he’s registered it in his wife’s name simply for parking purposes in central London, then changed it back again… so the number of keepers doesn’t tell the full story. In essence, this is an unrestored example of an all-original and matching-numbers SL, with single-family ownership and a fully traceable history right back to the start. And you don’t find something like that every day.
The owner has a large amount of paperwork to accompany the SL, and the holy grail item within all this is the original service book. See the dealer sticker in the rear window of the hardtop? Cross-reference that with the book and you’ll find a little treat: not only does it list that company as the supplying dealer, but also as the venue of its regular servicing, the stamps showing it was looked after at Westway right up until 1999. That was the point that the SL migrated from Hull down to London, and since then it’s been looked after by specialists in the city, with the most recent stamp being from Scuderia Sports Cars in March 2020.
The interior of this SL is in good order throughout, testament to having been a cherished member of the family for so many years. The seats are strong and supportive, with the fabric mostly in good order aside from a worn patch on the driver’s seat base; there’s also a loose trim piece on the rear right-hand side of the passenger seat frame, although this should be easy to re-affix. The dash is in good condition with no cracking along the top; there are no warning lights illuminated, and all of the dials are working properly – aside from the milometer, which the owners suggest is perhaps a little temperamental. (It’s currently reading 7,869 miles; combining through the MOT history we can see that it was reading 100,804 when it was tested in 2007 and then zeroed – so we can assume that, adding the two figures together, the correct mileage must be around 107,000.)
All of the wood trim is in good condition with no lacquer peel or sun damage; the piece on the ashtray lid has come loose, but it would be the work of a moment to glue it back on. The door cards could do with a clean, but they’re solid and complete. The passenger side electric window doesn’t appear to lower, but the driver’s side one works fine. The car is fitted with a quality Blaupunkt Modena head unit with removable security fascia.
Inside the boot it’s all clean and tidy, with the correct carpet and the original jack and a first aid kit in place. The spare wheel is present, although we can probably assume it hasn’t been used for a while (if ever) and there’s been some minor water ingress or condensation at some point over the years, as the spare’s rather corroded and the tyre perished. Overall though, a presentable and pleasant interior with no major jobs to be concerned about.
This unrestored example is all correct-spec, the matching-numbers car coming with its original factory hard-top which is in very good condition (with just a little surface corrosion to one lower corner and a minor ding in the adjacent chrome). The top unlatches, lifts off and goes back on just as it should with no difficulty. It’s all dry and solid under the tonneau, and the soft top raises neatly; the hood could do with a bit of a scrub, but it’s in very good condition with no holes, tears or undue wear and nice clear window plastics.
The bodywork is in remarkably good order throughout. Aside from one small chip on the nearside rear arch, the paintwork is outstanding with no notable stone-chips, scratches, scuffs, dents or dings. The only minor surface corrosion visible is at the base of the rear wheel arches where they meet the sills. All of the chrome trim is present and correct, and generally in good condition throughout; the chrome strip on the driver’s side sill has come loose and needs reattaching, and there’s a little tarnishing on the door handles, but on the whole it all polishes up very nicely. Impressively for a London car, the bumpers are largely intact – there’s a small scuff to one front corner, and a spot of corrosion in the middle of the rear bumper, but otherwise they’re solid and tidy.
The window glass is all good, as are the light lenses, save for a crack and hole in the offside rear cluster. The car is fitted with its original steel wheels with the correct colour-coded hubcaps. One of them has been doodled on with a marker pen around the three-pointed star, but that should be easy to clean off! They wear 195/70 Federal Super Steel tyres with decent tread, displaying 2007 date codes.
This is a car that’s always been correctly maintained, and it’s clear from the way it runs that it’s always received love and proper attention. The owner assures us that the SL drives superbly; that creamy-smooth 2.8-litre straight-six fires up on the first turn of the key and settles into an even idle. It pulls willingly through the gears, with the auto ’box shifting smoothly just as it should. He’s also keen to point out that there’s nothing to worry about in terms of the suspension, steering or brakes – this is an SL that you can jump into and enjoy straight away.
There’s a reason why there are so many R107s still on the road today, and it’s the same reason that Mercedes-Benz found themselves simply unable to stop making and selling the things for a remarkable eighteen years: they’re just lovely machines. The perfect fusion of luxury and amusement, of style and flair – it’s an instantly recognisable classic, and yet it can behave like a modern car. Naturally there’s an old-timey feel to the way it operates, that’s an inherent part of its charm, but the point is that you can treat it like a modern machine: keep it serviced correctly and it’ll reward you with impeccable reliability and daily thrills.
And if provenance flicks your switch, it’d be hard to find an R107 with a more complete and provable history than this one. Having been in the same family for its whole life, there are absolutely no unknowns: it’s all original, all complete, a lovely runner with matching numbers.
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Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the sellers discretion.
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1982 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL
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