1976 Mercedes-Benz 450SL

With the distinction of being the longest-running passenger car line in Mercedes-Benz history, the R107-series SL roadsters earned their place as a 70s and 80s icon, blending performance, safety, and quality in an impeccably styled two-seat roadster. From the Main Line to Rodeo Drive, anybody who was somebody in this era likely drove a Mercedes-Benz SL. Much like the R113 that preceded it, the R107 was an all-season continental grand tourer that leaned more toward sporty than sports. It had exceptional build quality, a removable hardtop, effective climate control, and an easy-going luxurious character that shrugged off the notion that sports cars needed to be finicky and rough around the edges. The R107 SL-series was a tremendous success, and Mercedes continually refined the model with increasingly powerful six- and eight-cylinder engines, improved dynamics, and more sophisticated safety and luxury features. Enduring as Mercedes-Benzs flagship sports car for seventeen years, the R107 looked as crisp and sophisticated at the end of production in 1989 as it did when it debuted in 1972.

There are myriad models and configurations in the R107 series, but for North American buyers, the 4.5-liter V8-powered 450SL was the primary offering through most of the 1970s. This gorgeous 1976 450SL is a cherished example which has covered just over 57,000 miles and is presented in fine order throughout. It is finished in a rarely seen shade of Anthracite Grey (code 172G) over black leather upholstery and furnished with a matching hard top and black canvas soft top. It is nicely documented to include the original window sticker from Gengras Motor Cars in Hartford, Connecticut, which shows it came equipped with optional metallic paint, leather upholstery, cruise control, electric windows, electric aerial, tinted glass, alloy wheels, and air conditioning totaling $21,645 in 1976 thats nearly $125,000 in todays money!

Accompanying items include the original handbooks and manuals, MB data card, original tool roll, and past service records. It is a crisp and highly attractive SL, particularly in this warm shade, accented with subtle grey pin stripes. Subtle improvements include European headlamps for a cleaner front-end look and vastly improved lighting, lightly polished Bundt alloy wheels shod with Dunlop radials, and Mercedes-Benz branded under-bumper fog lamps.

Opening those signature vault-like doors reveals a similarly crisp and inviting cabin, with excellent seats that were reupholstered under prior ownership, tidy carpets protected by original over mats, and original switchgear and instrumentation. A concession to modernity is a Sony AM/FM/CD head unit, and additional speakers mounted in the rear deck.

Known for their ability to cover 200,000 miles or more with ease, the R107 remains a popular choice among driving enthusiasts, as few collector cars of this era can approach its refinement and dependability. This examples comparatively low mileage and attentive care mean it has stayed remarkably fresh even after nearly 50 years and represents a fantastic entry point into R107 ownership, so you can experience firsthand why these truly are engineered like no other car in the world.

Offers welcome and trades considered.