Market Finds: This Euro-market SL Is a Looker

This Euro-market SL Is a Looker

By Petrolicious
April 28, 2014

The car: 1985 Mercedes-Benz 280SL (Euro)

Price: $17,500

Location: Venice, California, USA

Original Ad: Click here

It’s hard to believe that this SL is a direct descendent of the inimitable 300 SL “Gullwing” from the 1950s, but that’s the direction Mercedes took when they introduced its successor for 1963. When the next-gen debuted in 1972, it continued the composed style that had become a hallmark, but now with a dash of sleekness. So great was this style that it endured through 1990.

American-market SLs often were unique due to emissions and safety requirements, so finding one imported from Europe always is a treat. This gray-market example from Germany is a 1985 280 SL (a motor never available in the U.S.) in the hands of its second owner, who has maintained it in Southern California during its American tenure. He claims it is “Mechanically perfect – the car needs absolutely nothing” and, if you don’t believe him, he suggests contacting Pacific Motors Mercedes to verify since they’ve maintained the vehicle during his ownership. With 77,000 miles, a perfect interior, cruise control, and cold A/C that actually works, this Merc sounds like a comfy and reliable cruiser without being a gas-guzzler like the American 560 SLs can be. And with the nifty European-spec headlights, it’s a looker.

If you know of a great, stylish car for sale and would like us to feature it, please let us know!

Petrolicious makes no claim as to the accuracy of the information contained in the car’s original listing, nor will it be held responsible for any errors in said information. If you’re interested in this car, do your homework and research it extensively before you buy.

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ik1
ik1
10 years ago

Those wheel arches though I´m pretty sure that they weren´t original mercedes parts but aftermarket, even if they could be offered from the dealers themselves, were pretty common at the time, especially in Germany. If the car has spent most of his life there the could hide some rust, but if that was the case, rust would probably be created because of the wheel arches instead of being hidden by them. They are easy to remove as they are not welded or bolted. I think that in the last years of production (88-89) W107 were galvanised

Matthew Lange
10 years ago

Looks nice and fairly priced. Always wary of chrome wheel arches though. Wonder if they’ve been added to cover up some horrors underneath?

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