1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SL (R107)

Some cars just get better looking with age and the R107 Series Mercedes-Benz SL is definitely among them.

Overshadowed for a long time by its graceful "Pagoda' predecessor, it's now becoming better appreciated for what it is - a beautifully built sports roadster that is totally dependable. To this day, no car door closes with a more reassuring "thunk' than a Mercedes SL, and everything about the car suggests solid engineering.

Fast, comfortable and discreetly understated, the SL has a matchless ability to munch up the miles for year after year without ever seeming to falter. No wonder it stayed in production, fundamentally unaltered, from 1971 until 1989 - the longest production run of any Mercedes car to date.

The more powerful 500 SL with 5.0-litre engine, produced from 1980-1989, was not available in the US through Mercedes-Benz and was popular as a 'grey market' import before the arrival of the 560 SL (only made for the US, Japanese and Australian market) in 1986-1989.

This particular 560SL is offered in a wonderful colour combination of Metallic Grey over Burgundy leather which is very striking indeed. It arrived here from Texas and has been preserved well by the dry climate and has clearly been well looked after over the years. The car has only had two owners and travelled a mere 62,000 miles in its sheltered lifetime. It's supplied with a factory hard top in a matching livery. This stylish eighties Mercedes is again part of a private collection in Belgium and therefore has had very little recent use.