1993 Mercedes-Benz 600SL (R129)

• UK-supplied in Nautical Blue metallic paint with beige leather interior and registered on 16th November 1993
• Bought by a foreign royal family for use in London and subsequently garaged at a residence on the Kensington Palace Gardens estate until 2021
• Used sparingly for 28 years the odometer reading is 5,037 (atoc) at the time of cataloguing
• Introduced in 1993 as the 600SL the six-litre V12 engine topped the range, it was then re-named the SL600 in 1994
• As part of a substantial UK-based fleet and used sparingly, regular servicing was not necessary and the service book has ten Mercedes-Benz main dealer stamps
• Fully serviced in October 2021 at a Mercedes-Benz main dealer with new tyres fitted to refurbished alloy wheels
• Supplied to auction with factory hard-top, history file and MOT valid until September 2022 this 600SL may well be unique with its low mileage and royal provenance.

In 1989, Mercedes Benz introduced the fourth generation SL model, the R129, which was supplied in Europe with several engine options and named accordingly; the basic model was the 190hp three litre, inline six cylinder 300SL with 12 valves, and the 228hp three litre, inline six cylinder with 24 valves, known as the 300SL 24. The specification was high with electric windows, mirrors, seats and roof. The R129 model was the first convertible/roadster to offer the automatic roll-bar deployment in event of rollover, although the motorist could also manually raise and lower the roll-bar should he choose to thus facilitating the clean look of the R129 without compromising the occupant's safety. The 1993 introduction of the 389hp, six-litre V12 600SL engine topped the range, later to be re-named the SL600 in 1994. Production numbers for the UK-supplied 600SL are difficult to ascertain but the consensus is that a small percentage of the global production were registered new in Britain and online resources show some 180 examples are either taxed or SORNd currently.

UK-supplied in Nautical Blue metallic paint, coded 929U for the upper coachwork and coded 929O for the lower panels, in keeping with the two-tone paintwork of the era. The factory hard top is painted in the same shade as the upper body. The beige leather interior (275A) has front seats with orthopaedic backrests with the car sporting other extras of the day. Registered on 16th November 1993 with the licence number “L441 VLH” and supplied for the use of a foreign head of state and his family when in residence at their London base. We are led to believe the car’s ownership was subsequently transferred to a trusted aide in 2011, in whose London based collection the car resided until 2021. At the time of consignment a yellow badge displaying a crown, calligraphed “KPG”, the number 20, KPG in bold, the car’s registration number of “L441 VLH” and the year 2021 was affixed to the windscreen, which we are informed is a parking permit for the Kensington Palace Gardens estate.

We have offered to auction a number of UK-supplied cars delivered to international royalty that have been used at their pleasure whilst visiting London, and driven relative to the car’s “newness” in period. It is often the custom to transfer the car’s ownership to trusted aides and family friends after a couple of years. Befitting a car that was hardly used but owned by an immensely wealthy visiting royal family it was serviced accordingly and the ten main dealer Mercedes-Benz stamps are in accordance with usage, whilst the MOT history show incremental mileage increases, with the last MOT certificate issued on the 1^st September 2021 at 5,037 miles. It was noted that the tyres are to showing signs of age and the car is supplied to auction with new tyres and refurbished alloy wheels. In October 2021 a Mercedes-Benz main dealer service is planned with the instruction to rectify any issues possibly arising from occasional, but regular, use of a 29-year old car in the intervening years since delivery.

Presented to auction in superb order with factory hard-top, smart mohair soft-top in dark blue, history file complete with service book and recent 2021 service information. Whilst we acknowledge that the R129 was produced in a great number and the market is familiar with higher mileage standard examples of the model we must note that this car is perhaps unique in mileage, specification and royal provenance. We conclude by challenging the market to finding another example of the range topping 600SL with royal provenance and low mileage.