1975 Mercedes-Benz 450SL

Description

It's time to look retro, sophisticated, cool, and unique - all for under $17K. This 1975 Mercedes-Benz 450SL is a powerful and beautiful droptop that will get you attention this summer.

A Mercedes is great for vintage style, and so this shade of yellow-green seems quite appropriate. Many of these convertibles are trying to be more modern with resprays to black and red, which makes this 1970s-chic hue a really nice way to standout without being ostentatious. This Benz looks great with either the matching hardtop or the well-coordinated new coco folding roof. Regardless of how you drive it, this R107 model comes with the Mercedes tradition of overbuilding their vehicles. No other convertible from this era has the build quality you experience every time the solid door makes its reassuring 'thunk'. The body-matching painted one-piece hubcaps also offer a great vintage appearance. These were the wheels that came on most of the legendary post-WWII Mercedes-Benzs, but unfortunately, not too many 450SLs feature them today.

Mercedes-Benz's unique upholstery called MB-Tex delivers the look of upscale leather with the durability of granite. The textured bucket seats look right at home in the top-of-the-line SL, and thanks to their legendary durability, they still look great. In fact, everything inside this classic doesn't look like it has spent four decades on this earth, which means this 450SL has been babied most of its life. Even the power windows and power antenna are still working perfectly. The no-nonsense gauges are big, clear, and easy to read at a glance. The traditional gated shifter makes choosing the right gear easy, but given the SL's laid-back personality, it's probably better to let the three-speed automatic gearbox shift for itself. Even the original Becker AM/FM/cassette radio is still in place – a nice option when this was new and now a sought-after distinction among Mercedes enthusiasts.

The 450 SL carried one of Mercedes-Benz's largest engines during its era, and so when you pop the hood, the engine bay looks like it's overflowing with V8 power. The 4.5-liter SOHC motor with Bosch fuel injection is legendary for its durability and smoothness, not to mention a friendly, torquey attitude. This is a sports car for cruising, and Mercedes was a bit more concerned with engine refinement than all-out acceleration. So while this one is not out to give the pin-you-to-you-seat experience, this is the kind of car where you'll glance at the speedometer and discover that you're humming along at 20 mph faster than you initially thought. On the road, an R107 has a chassis that is the perfect balance of elastic comfort in a tight-handling package. This was topped of with power steering and four-wheel disc brakes for the best all-around control. The full driving experience lets you know that the Mercedes SL is in a class all of its own.

Still handsome and a lot of fun to drive, we promise not to tell your neighbors how affordable this SL really is, because they may not stay that way in the future. Call now!!