1999 Mercedes-Benz R129 SL320

Any late model R129 SL would have made a fantastic daily driver at the end of the last century, the updates introduced in 1998 included a raft of styling tweaks, additional features such as power-folding door mirrors, the option of a panoramic glass hard top (featured here). Most importantly, in the SL280 and SL320 a change from the outgoing M103/M104 straight-6 to an all-new V6 powerplant, dubbed the M112, in this guise producing 221bhp.

These upgrades made the SL easier than ever to live with and use regularly, so it’s extremely unusual to find one now, 25 years later, with such low mileage. Our Smoke Silver SL320 has covered less than 20,000 miles in total, so it’s probably about as close to a new V6 R129 as you’re likely to find.

Given the extremely low mileage, it should come as no surprise that the car is in exceptional overall condition. R129 SLs can suffer with blistering on the front wings and we’re pleased to confirm that this car is free any issue, with nothing to report inside the immaculate cabin, either. The hard tops can suffer with oxidisation, and the panoramic glass item fitted to this car is again, in superb condition. Out on the road that time-warp feeling continues, the car feeling as tight and solid as it would have done in 1999.

The original book pack is still here, in similarly good condition it must be said. Inside you’ll find two keys, instructions for the factory-original Mercedes Audio 10 head unit, all other instruction manuals and of course the service booklet which shows a number of stamps at Mercedes in Guildford, and later Mercedes in Portsmouth, the most recent of which is from 2015 showing a recorded mileage of 17,944. Affixed to the inside rear cover of the service book is the Mercedes Benz Data Card, too. That’s not all though, as there’s also a folder containing assorted invoices for routine maintenance and plenty of MOT certificates, all of which confirm the exceptionally low mileage we see today. There’s even an envelope with a few of the old tax discs enclosed which is nice to see.

When an opportunity comes along like this, to acquire a car of this age with such low mileage it can be tempting to squirrel it away and only bring it out for a special occasion, if at all. Or the alternative, the approach we would have, is that this is a rare chance to step back in time and purchase a nearly-new R129 with features like that panoramic hard top, heated seats and cruise control – this car deserves to be out on the road and it has plenty of miles left in it for just that.