Clean Texas Car w/ Just 78k Original Miles, Clean History, Both Tops, Very Nice!

1987 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class

There are many who feel that the R107 SLs were the last of the engineered Mercedes-Benz automobiles. After that, the cars were mainstream, and the engineers were joined by the marketing department, and the slogan "Engineered like no other car" fell by the wayside. Incredibly preserved cars like this low ownership 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SL represents one of the last of the best, a low-mileage survivor with a strong 5.6L V8 motor that proves why these cars are still wonderful machines that truly deserve their time-honored reputations.


If you could afford one of these when it was new, it meant you had truly arrived in the world, and that you cared about smart investing as much as making a good first impression. Nautical Blue Metallic is the perfect color on a grand tourer such as this, and it is remarkably well-preserved on this 78,893-mile example. It has clearly led an easy life in the warm Texas climate, and at 33 years old, it's barely broken-in. Panel gaps are exemplary and the trim fits with a precision that was typical of Mercedes-Benz quality of the era, and the "built like a bank vault" term was coined just for these cars. The heavy chrome and rubber bumpers were an unfortunate by-product of North American federal regulations, but they, too, add to the car's appeal with their purposeful look, as if Mercedes didn't care about appearance as much as function-which was 100% true. There's also a single pinstripe running the length of the body in contrasting tan, just to tie it together with the elegant interior. Sadly, 1987 was two years away from the unfortunate end R107 model, but at least it received a slender third brake light at the trailing edge of the deck lid, a big improvement over the clunky unit found on earlier models.


The luscious tan leather interior is incredibly inviting and looks upscale even in today's world. The leather used in these cars is not only lovely to look at, but wears like iron, and the bucket seats have a comfortable look while still being supportive and firm. Matching tan carpets look unaffected by the sun's rays or dirty shoes, and burled walnut trim warms up the interior without detracting from the all-business controls. A modern Pioneer AM/FM/CD stereo has been retrofitted in the dash, but it fits neatly and nothing has been altered in the dash so it could easily be removed for an original unit if you're a stickler for originality. Even the trunk is upholstered in plush carpet that's nicer than the stuff found in the passenger compartments of lesser automobiles. This car also offers two tops, a solid navy blue folding roof and a color-matched hardtop.


The final evolution of the 5.6 liter SOHC V8 was designed to run for hundreds of thousands of miles with only routine maintenance, and with only 78,893 original miles, this one is still very fresh. With a bubbly, bouncy idle and seemingly limitless reserves of torque, it moves the two-seat roadster effortlessly without the high-strung theatrics of lesser machines. The engine bay practically sparkles like new, while the chassis is clean and obviously rust-free thanks to a life down south. A 4-speed automatic transmission swaps gears unobtrusively, and the supple, all-independent suspension is willing to dance, but is equally comfortable on long stretches of highway. Traditional MB chrome wheels wearing 205/65/15 Michelin radials neatly straddle the ride/performance equation.


Renowned for their engineering, cars like this SL are a reminder of when the gap between the ordinary and the extraordinary was wide indeed. This car is documented with lots of maintenance records and all of its owner's manuals, and since it was new it has always been very well cared for. Call today!