This 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL has remained with its current owner since it was delivered new and has a documented total mileage of 90,291 kilometres. Its backstory is remarkable from the outset: a SL 600 was originally intended to be ordered, but after documented comparison drives of different engine variants together with Niki Lauda, the decision was made in favour of the 500 SL. Following a major engine failure in 2005, the car later received the complete engine assembly, ancillary components and automatic transmission from an accident-damaged 500 SL with very low mileage. The replacement drivetrain has covered only around 11,000 kilometres to date; accordingly, Matching Numbers are not present.
The R 129 represents an era in which the Mercedes-Benz SL combined the classic open Grand Tourer concept with considerable technical sophistication. The offered 500 SL is powered by a 4,973 cm³ V8 producing 326 hp or 240 kW. Power is transmitted via an automatic transmission.
The specification of this example was extensive. Documented equipment includes, among other features, a Becker Mexico radio with CD changer in the boot as well as integrated bass speakers. According to the consignor, the original purchase price including the ordered options amounted to more than 1.6 million in the currency applicable at the time.
It is interesting to note that the choice of the V8 was not made for cost reasons. The current owner had originally intended to order the SL 600. Only after comparison drives with the different engine variants did he opt for the 500 SL, whose handling ultimately convinced him.
The left-hand-drive roadster is finished in Almandine Red metallic with a beige leather interior. The photographs show the clear, purposeful lines of the R 129, with its broad grille, low front end and the characteristic wedge-shaped side profile of the model series. The colour combination is confirmed as Matching Colors.
According to the verified documentation, the bodywork is accident-free and remains largely in its original paint. The exception is the bonnet, which was repainted by Mercedes-Benz following a minor defect. This repaint is documented. No additional condition rating is given due to the absence of a separate inspection report.
Inside, the Almandine Red metallic exterior is complemented by beige leather. The photographs show a classically light SL interior and the straight-lined dashboard typical of the early R 129 years. Electric windows and central locking are among the recorded equipment.
Particular mention should be made of the audio system: the car was ordered with a Becker Mexico radio including a CD changer in the boot and integrated bass speakers. Such period-correct equipment details contribute significantly to the character of an early R 129 and its original specification.
The 500 SL is equipped with a 4,973 cm³ V8 producing 326 hp and an automatic transmission. The VIN is WDB1290661F056048. The documented total mileage of the vehicle is 90,291 kilometres.
A central part of its technical history is the engine failure in 2005. Shortly after a service at the former Mercedes-Benz authorised workshop Winterleitner, a major failure occurred after only a few kilometres. According to the verified history, no definitive cause was established. The SL was subsequently stored for around ten years.
The eventual solution was found at KFZ Jaucher in Eugendorf. A crashed 500 SL with only around 10,000 kilometres was located there. Its complete engine assembly, including ancillary components, as well as the automatic transmission, were transferred to the offered vehicle. The replacement drivetrain has since covered approximately 11,000 kilometres. This conversion is documented; accordingly, the vehicle is expressly not offered as Matching Numbers.
The SL was last started and briefly test-driven approximately two years ago. Before further use, a technical inspection and oil change are recommended; the battery may also need to be replaced. The vehicle is currently not registered and is listed as not roadworthy.
A particular strength of this 500 SL is its unbroken ownership history: the current consignor has owned the car since it was delivered new. The choice of vehicle itself was unusual. An SL 600 was originally planned, but before delivery the opportunity arose to test different engine variants together with then-Formula 1 driver Niki Lauda. Based on the handling, the owner ultimately chose the 500 SL.
The first major journey also produced its own story. In Italy, an attempt was made to steal the Mercedes; the locks subsequently had to be replaced. The SL was then regularly used and maintained until the engine failure in 2005 led to its long period of storage.
After the donor drivetrain was installed, the car was returned to running condition. Today, the documented total mileage of 90,291 kilometres contrasts with only around 11,000 kilometres covered by the engine and automatic transmission – an unusual but transparent and well-documented technical history.
The vehicle comes with verified vehicle and service documentation as well as records relating to the replacement of the engine and transmission. The repainting of the bonnet and the unusual history behind the original engine choice are also documented.
Accident-free status and Matching Colors are confirmed. Matching Numbers are expressly not present due to the documented drivetrain replacement. Following the extended period of limited use, a comprehensive technical inspection is recommended before the next regular outing. No separate condition or valuation report is available.
This 500 SL is interesting less for perfect technical continuity than for its unusually transparent history. Single ownership since 1992, 90,291 documented kilometres, largely original paint and a documented decision in favour of the V8 following comparison drives with Niki Lauda form a remarkably personal background.
The 2005 engine failure is just as openly part of this story as the subsequent solution: a complete V8 drivetrain including automatic transmission from a very low-mileage donor vehicle. For purists, this means the absence of Matching Numbers; from a technical perspective, however, the replacement drivetrain has covered only around 11,000 kilometres. Following a thorough inspection, this early R 129 offers an ownership history that cannot be reconstructed decades later.
A single-owner R 129 is interesting enough. One whose owner originally wanted an SL 600 and ended up choosing the 500 SL after comparison drives with Niki Lauda has an additional story to tell. The fact that the original engine later spectacularly gave up the ghost does not make the car more perfect – but it does make it more honest. Today, it carries a documented V8 with only around 11,000 kilometres. Add Almandine Red, beige leather and the period-correct Becker Mexico, and you have an SL whose appeal, in my view, lies not in Matching Numbers but in the fact that one owner can tell its entire, eventful story.
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User 150854User 150854Der Einbringer beziffert den damaligen Neupreis einschließlich der bestellten Extras auf mehr als 1,6 Millionen in der seinerzeit maßgeblichen Währung. 1,6 Millionen österreichische Schilling entsprechen heute genau 116.276,53 Euro.
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