1988 Mercedes-Benz R107 300SL with Medium Red Leather (277)

This R107 300 SL really does look just as it would when Mrs Hibberts drove out the Drayton Continental Mercedes-Benz dealership in Stoke-on-Trent in 1988. That is to say, spectacular. Likely to have been a dry day, despite it being November, it’s almost certain not to have been used over the miserable following winter months, that evident by it having its first inspection in June ’89 with just 1,040 miles added to its odometer.

In the thirty-five years since, it’s only added 10,570 miles to that, with the mileage reading just 11,610 miles. That sparing, caring use, means this really is about as box-fresh a 300 SL as you’ll find. Mrs Hibberts’ choice of Arctic White paint, with a dark red leather interior was a considered one, as it really does look fantastic. Other equipment includes a rear-seat delete, air conditioning and electric windows and mirrors, these being heated, too, though the chances are that function’s never, ever, been required…

Short of taking the car off the production line and putting it into a museum, cars don’t come in much finer condition. The paintwork is immaculate, the chrome bright and full of lustre, and the interior looking untouched, with the exception of the addition of a Sony stereo head unit and speakers behind the front seats. The black fabric hood is in excellent condition, similarly the hard top is perfect, and has an original dealer sticker spanning a sizeable amount of the rear window. Lifting the bonnet reveals more of the same, with it being in good shape, though if you wanted perfection a few replacement hoses and a few hours with a detailing specialist would have it presenting in such fine condition it’d almost certainly pass muster and gain some silver in a concours d’elegance event.

You don’t need a box file full of receipts to ascertain this car’s been looked after, but there’s evidence of its care, as well as a wad of MOT certificates that verify its low mileage. Poring over the paperwork reveals it covered most of its scant mileage between ’92 and ’99, before being squirreled away into storage, changing hands a few times among four previous owners, before finding its way to the SLSHOP. Here, it’s been inspected, stored and previously sold.

A really appealing opportunity to buy an as new 300 SL as is possible. While we’d not recommend buying it and using it as a daily driver, this is a car that’s crying out for a few thousand miles added to it in the summer months, being enjoyed as it should be without worrying about knocking any value from it.