A great many engine and spec variants of the R107-generation SL were offered over its impressively lengthy production run. Sold from 1971 all the way up to 1989, there’s a huge amount of variety to unpick on the market, and the 420 SL is, in a sense, the lesser-spotted R107. When it comes to the Series 3 models (that is, the ones built from 1985-89), you’re far more likely these days to either find the six-cylinder 300 SL or the full-fat V8 500 SL, but the 420 represents something of a sweet spot in the range. As well as enjoying the various subtle upgrades found in all third-gen models (including the additional bodyshell stiffening, thicker anti-roll bars and deeper chin spoiler), it came equipped with the all-aluminium 4.2-litre V8, the final evolution of the M116 engine (as opposed to the M117 that came in the 5.0-litre 500). Essentially a bored-out version of the outgoing 3.8, it boasted big-valve heads and oodles of torque; producing 215bhp and a stump-pulling 239lb.ft, real-world performance wasn’t that far off that of the 500 SL, but fuel consumption was noticeably more modest. So it was every bit as elegant, comfortable and agile as any other R107, but in 420 guise it represented an intelligent fusion of brawn and everyday usability. In 2021, it’s a more compelling proposition than ever.
The first thing you should do with any R107 is have a good thumb through the paperwork, because everything you then find throughout the car should hopefully be backed up by the documentation. And what we find with this 420 SL is that it’s clearly a car that’s been correctly looked after and kept in regular use; a fully stamped service book and reams of documentation go hand-in-hand with an all-original condition that’s supremely attractive: everything’s present, including the factory hard-top, and the car runs superbly. With £5k recently spent on getting everything shipshape, this is presented to market today as a lovely runner that could readily be pressed into daily use.
The V5 shows the car as having been first registered on January 12th 1989, with just five former keepers over the last thirty-two years. There’s a pleasingly large sheaf of paperwork here, with the key highlight being the service book, which is fully stamped throughout the car’s life. With the pre-delivery inspection carried out by Hughes of Beaconsfield, we can see that this supplying dealer then serviced the SL regularly until 1995; thereafter it was looked after by other Mercedes dealers and specialists and, latterly, The SL Shop.
The file contains the original books and manuals, a sheaf of old MOTs, and a whole host of receipts for servicing and maintenance. The most recent, from March of this year, show a visit to T&T Motors of Chelsea, to address such areas as fitting new front shock absorbers and front wishbone, new exhaust front and centre pipes, an ARB link, coil and crank sensor, fuel relay, spark plugs, and the offside rear window. The car also comes with a spare key.
Colour choice is all-important when it comes to cherry-picking your dream SL, and the combination of white bodywork and blue interior is a really strong look. You get a whole lot of blue in this cabin too – the seats, carpets, dash, it’s a comprehensive slathering. And it’s aged superbly – the seats are trimmed in lovely soft leather with minimal wear and no damage, the softly-stuffed fronts tilting correctly to allow access to the rear seats, which were a desirable factory option. The carpets are in very good condition, and the dash is excellent with no marks or cracks to the top. The gauges are all in correct working order, and the central air vent in the dash has been replaced by the optional temperature gauge. (Fun R107 fact: that centre vent isn’t actually a real vent anyway, it just looks like one – so it makes a lot of sense to put a gauge there instead!)
The wood trim is all great, with no sun damage or lacquer peel. There’s no excess wear to the steering wheel or gearknob, and the car enjoys a couple of modern upgrades for day-to-day usability: an Alpine CD/radio head unit, linked to a Pioneer 6-disc CD changer in the boot, and a Parrot Bluetooth hands-free kit.
Inside the boot it’s all dry and tidy, with the original carpets in good condition. The correct spare wheel is under the floor, and we also find the original jack and warning triangle.
Arctic White isn’t a colour you see often on R107s, but it suits it very well doesn’t it? Particularly when offset with that tasteful blue interior. The bodywork is good throughout, with no obvious scuffs, dents or scratches, and just an extremely minor ding above the driver-side taillight cluster. This is an unrestored car and you can see from the photos how well the bodywork has weathered the decades; aside from some very minor surface corrosion just starting to show beneath the headlight and at the base of the windscreen pillar on the driver’s side, it’s all remarkably straight and tidy. The bumpers are in good condition with untarnished chrome and no parking scuffs to the corners, and all of the light lenses are in good order – including the often-vulnerable front foglights. The factory hard-top is in excellent condition inside and out, and unlatches and secures easily. The soft-top is also very good, fixing properly in place and showing no holes, rips or window creases. The tonneau is strong, latching and unlatching without issue.
The SL wears its original 15” alloy wheels, in generally good condition; there are some minor kerbing marks to the rims, but nothing unsightly and it’d be a very simple refurb to get them back to their best. On the whole, a beautifully presented SL in a very desirable colour scheme.
It’s very reassuring to see that this SL has always been regularly and properly serviced, and that solid history is born out by the way the thing drives. It’s often said that the R107 is the classic you could use every day like a modern car, and this 420 makes the point very clearly: it starts immediately from hot or cold on the first turn of the key, idles smoothly, wafts serenely on part-throttle, and accelerates eagerly on demand. The temperatures and pressures remain consistent, the automatic transmission shifts smoothly, and the car rides very well indeed. R107 suspension is cunningly tuned for comfort on the straight-ahead and sportiness in the curves, and this one does both very well; the owner also reports no issues with the steering or the brakes – everything is as it should be. A thoroughly lovely SL to drive.
The R107 SL has earned its place in posterity by virtue of its desirability and dependability. Indeed, it’s earned on merit its position as a late-twentieth century icon. And in 2021, the model makes for a thoroughly intriguing and alluring proposition, for the fact that buying an excellent example such as this one can fulfil three distinct roles. First of all, it’s a bona fide collectible: with this history and condition, it represents an amazing investment opportunity.
Secondly, this is a car built for summertime peacocking. If the desire took you to use such a machine for high days and holidays, enjoying the classic car show scene, and displaying it for the enjoyment of others, the excellent spec and colour options will surely make it extremely popular.
Thirdly – and, we suspect, most realistic for the majority of prospective R107 buyers – is that it’s a true all-rounder. This isn’t just an ornament, a pretty object to be admired; yes, it’s joyful to behold and fabulously correct, but these things were engineered to be enjoyed and that’s precisely what this car is ready for. With everything working just as it’s supposed to, this is a superb example that’s ready for adventure. And unlike those 300s and 500s liberally sprinkled around the metropolis and beyond, you don’t see a tidy 420 every day.
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1989 Mercedes-Benz 420 SL
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