Tag: 6.0

Budget Bentley: 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton W12

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Walk into a Volkswagen dealership in the early 2000s, and it was clear that the brand had taken the people’s car upmarket. The Mk.4 Golf/Jetta looked decidedly more modern than the Mk.3 holdovers from 1998. The 2001 introduction of the B5.5 Passat splashed chrome, leather and wood all over the mid-range sedans and wagons and offered exotic-sounding performance from the wild optional W8. But it was this car that really signaled VW was operating on a different plane; not only did they bring over the D1 platform Phaeton, but with it they brought the monstrous 6.0 W12.

While to many the Phaeton looked like a reskin of the D3 Audi A8 and indeed the two did share some componentry, the D1 platform was actually shared with VAG’s other subsidiary Bentley. Both the Continental GT and later Flying Spur shared the infrastructure, meaning the Phaeton enjoyed extreme levels of refinement, ride quality and fit/finish that weren’t typically associated with “the people’s car”. While all the luxury added up to north of 5,000 lbs without passengers and it lacked the twin turbochargers the Bentley boys got, the Phaeton W12 was still the fastest car in the VW showroom in 2004. With 420 horsepower driving all four wheels, the Phaeton was capable of effortless and nearly silent 5.5 second 0-60 runs and could break 200 mph unrestricted.

While it sounds great, there were two drawbacks. One was that to nearly everyone your Phaeton looked just like my Passat. And while a loaded W8 4 Motion Variant Passat was really, really expensive, you and your significant other could drive out of your local dealer with not one, but TWO fully loaded Passats for the price of just one W12 Phaeton. It’s no surprise that the U.S. market wasn’t ready for a $90,000 Volkswagen, and a scant 482 were sold here before the model was yanked. But today, that means you can get these market-busting models for pennies on the dollar:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton W12 on eBay

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1990 Mercedes-Benz 500SL 6.0 AMG

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I promise that this will be the last Mercedes-Benz R129 for a while. It’s just that I ran across this car and if you look at the title, you know it is something special. This is a 1990 500SL 6.0 AMG with just under 22,000 miles. The backstory on this car is that it was originally commissioned by the Jordanian Royal Family in 1990 but for whatever reason never made it there and ended up in Japan. This car was built as a normal 500SL before being transported to AMG’s facilities in Affalterbach for the full conversion. The biggest change to the car was of course the M119 being converted to a 6 liter which increased power to 380hp and 428ft-lb of torque. Those are respectable numbers even for today, never mind in 1990. Now it is up for sale in San Diego and ready for a new home.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 500SL 6.0 AMG at Symbolic International

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2002 Mercedes-Benz SL600 Silver Arrow with 5,400 Miles

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The past few weeks I’ve come across a few Mercedes-Benz SL500 Silver Arrows that have garnered some attention. This car in Florida ended up selling for $16,900 and this car in Atlanta looks like it is still for sale. Today, I came across one of the 100 SL600 Silver Arrows that were made for the US market. The SL600s differed from the SL500s in that they didn’t receive the two-tone white interior but it did get the very pricey panoramic glass hardtop as standard. You also got a cool metal briefcase with some goodies inside of it that matches the car. Of course, you paid for all that at nearly $140,000 in 2002. Today, I have found one of these SL600 Silver Arrows for sale in Texas with just 5,400 miles. The price? Well, if we are on planet earth, this price is somewhere on Neptune. Seriously, I spit water on monitor when I saw this number and I wasn’t even drinking anything at the time. It is just that crazy.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL600 Silver Arrow at CarGurus

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1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL 6.0 AMG

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One of my new year’s resolutions on this site is to feature less run-of-the-mill common cars and more really special and rare cars. I’m off to a decent start with a 500SEC Koenig Specials Twin-Turbo and a 300SL Gullwing AMG from this past week. Today, I ran across another really cool car and has some awfully cool options. This is a 1991 560SEL 6.0 AMG up for sale in Japan. It looks like it was a normal 560SEL that was converted by AMG Japan into one of the most well-equipped W126s I’ve ever seen. What exactly is so special about it? Wait until you see the rear seats and under the hood.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL 6.0 AMG at Silver Star Japan

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1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing AMG

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Here is a special one. This is a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing AMG. You are probably thinking to yourself that ”300SL Gullwing” and ”AMG” don’t go together and up until the year 1996, you would be correct. That is because in 1996, AMG began taking original W198 Gullwing and Roadsters, and putting modern AMG drivetrains and interiors in them.  Who thought this was a good idea? The Royal Family of Brunei. Remember him? According to AMG, 11 of these cars were produced from 1996 to 2008 with five going to the Royal Family and the other six going to qualified AMG customers. The rumored price tag at the time was over €1,000,000 thanks to AMG literally having to rebuild these cars from a bare metal shell.

This 1955 model that was converted in 2000 is one of only two right hand drive cars built. It was imported to Japan when the conversion was wrapped up and has been with its only owner ever since. Now it is coming up for auction in Tokyo, Japan soon. But first, lets take a look at what exactly a 300SL Gullwing AMG is:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing AMG at BH Auction

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1999 Mercedes-Benz SL73 AMG

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The mighty Mercedes-Benz SL73 AMG: A car that can’t be mentioned without saying the word ”Zonda” in the same sentence. Less than 100 of these monsters started life as a regular SL600 with the M120 6.0 liter V12 and were shipped up to the AMG factory for some special touches and an increased displacement to 7.3 liters good for over 540 horsepower. The eponymous 7.3 liters were so good that they made their way in the Pagani Zonda and the rest was history. With so few of these cars made, if they ever come up for sale, they usually don’t go for cheap nor stay for sale long. Now that this 1999 is available for sale in California, it’s time to take a close look at this thing while we can.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1999 Mercedes-Benz SL73 on Hemmings

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1997 Mercedes-Benz S600

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The W140 S600, in my opinion, is one of those ‘best friend or worst nightmare’ kind of cars. A wonderful example is almost pure bliss but if you end up with a neglected one, you’ll soon be searching the classifieds for a nice Toyota Corolla. Unlike its younger sibling W220 S600, the M120 V12 in the W140 is a great example of a twelve cylinder engine. It’s extremely smooth, makes great power and doesn’t have any real fatal flaws. It’s just everything around it that can be troublesome at times. Throttle actuators, EGAS modules, coolant pipes, breather pipes on top of everything else that normally goes wrong with a 90s Mercedes, will drive you nuts. The thing is, you really have to love the W140 to justify owning one. This isn’t a half-hearted car that you can drive and forget about. Even if you have no interest in maintaining this car by yourself, you really should have someone who knows the M120 look after it as most general mechanics usually don’t have the knowledge and experience to tackle problems as they arise. If you are one of those crazed W140 fans that has been looking for a prime S600, this 1997 in New York might fit the bill.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1997 Mercedes-Benz S600 on eBay

Year: 1997
Model: S600
Engine: 6.0 liter V12
Transmission: 5-speed automatic
Mileage: 90,000 mi
Price: No Reserve Auction

1997 MERCEDES BENZ S- CLASS S600 V12 W140 IN PRESTINE CONDITION. MERCENDS BENZ FLAGSHIP VEHICLE WITH LOW MILES ONLY 90,000 ORIGINAL MILES.
BLACK ON BLACK BEST COLOR COMBINATION. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE SINCE 2013 THIS IS MY FOURTH S600 YOU WILL NO BE DISAPPOINTED, ADULT DRIVEN,GARAGE KEPT, MERCEDES BENZ SPECIALIZED MAINTAINED. WILL NOT BE DISSAPOINTED RECLINING HEATED REAR SEATS, DEFROST EXTERIOR MIRRORS, REAR SHADE, AND VERY RARE OEM 19″ AMG MONOBLOCK WHEELS. ABSOLUTE DREAM VEHICLE

VEHICLE NEEDS DOOR LOCK PUMPS.

PRIVATE OWNED. CLEAR NYS TITLE IN HAND. VEHICLE IS SOLD WHERE IS AS IS.
CURRENTLY REGISTERED AND INSURED. $1,000.00 NO REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT REQUIRED

This one looks like a nice example. It’s not perfect, but not many of these are anymore. Being a 1997, it has the 722.6 transmission which I think pairs great with the V12 in terms of power delivery and most importantly, reliability. This car also has 19 inch Monoblocks which are really rare and suit this giant body well. The bumpers have some rock chips and the paint looks oddly faded, but it’s nothing too ghastly. Inside, the S600-only two-tone leather seats and exposed stitching dash look great without much wear. The wood on the steering wheel is surprisingly not totally cracked into a million pieces like the majority of them are and the rest of the wood looks OK, but has some small flaws. The seller says this car needs door lock pumps which isn’t a cheap or easy repair as they usually need to be sent out to a specialist for a rebuild. Like I’ve said a hundred times before, I wish there was some sort of mention of maintenance and repair records on this thing to give me some sort of piece of mind.

Given it’s sharp looks and 90,000 miles, I can see this one bringing good money. Like most 90s Mercedes, prices are all over the map depending on condition but I think this seller might hit a home run. I wouldn’t call the W140 S600 a collectible, but it has it’s small legion of fans who adore them. Maybe in another 5-10 years these will reach a stage where people will be snagging these up regardless of condition à la 190E 2.3-16, but right now it’s only the best of the best that will have real value. As for a price, $15,000 wouldn’t shock me. That is a ton of a money for any W140, but for someone who knows what they want, I can see them ponying up to get it.

– Andrew

1993 Mercedes-Benz 600SL

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1993 was a huge year for the Mercedes-Benz SL in North America. For the first time in its 39 year history, the Sportlich-Leicht was being produced with a V12 engine. The 600SL was graced with a massive aluminum block 6.0 liter with forged steel connecting rods that produced nearly 400 horsepower. This was 80 horsepower more than the M119 V8 from the 500SL of the same year. Of course, you paid a premium for the extra four cylinders. The 600SL base MSRP in 1993 was a staggering $120,000 (over $200,000 in 2017 buying power) compared to $98,000 for the 500SL. But in my opinion, you definitely got your moneys worth. These were handsome, practical cars that you could depend on — unlike your friends with V12 Jaguars and Ferraris.

This R129 for sale in Connecticut looks to be a great example of the first year V12 cars and it’s in my favorite color of Spruce Green Metallic. It’s not a perfect example and has a couple minor flaws but most importantly it looks well-cared for because for as stout as the M120 V12 is, it still needs its regular maintenance and repairs.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1993 Mercedes-Benz 600SL on eBay

Year: 1993
Model: 600SL
Engine: 6.0 liter V12
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Mileage: 75,375 mi
Price: Reserve Auction

This Mercedes Benz 600SL is a future classic that has had extensive restoration work performed. In 1993 when this SL was sold, it represented the pinnacle of luxury and performance, 24 years later this car retains all of its original style and character and is a bargain when you consider the refinement and features that come with this car that originally had an MSRP of over $100,000.

The owner of this 600SL maintained the car flawlessly and invested in cosmetic and mechanical work to keep this car in peak running condition. The seats were recovered and the top was replaced which give this car great curb appeal. The transmission was recently replaced so the car shifts and drives great. This car comes with extensive documentation of both the restoration work that was performed and records of scheduled maintenance being performed on time and by professionals. The Carfax on this Mercedes is perfect!

This car was owned and cared for by a true connoisseur of Mercedes-Benz automobiles which is reflected by its pristine condition. This is a great opportunity to own a V12 Mercedes-Benz!

I really like this car. Spruce Green suits this car really well and the early 1990’s design language is highlighted well. It gets away from the standard black paint that is often neglected by this point and isn’t as garish as something like red. I enjoy the tan interior as a nice contrast to the green paint while the burl wood looks to be crack-free and has a nice shine to it. The carpeting in the driver’s side footwell could use a deep scrub as well as an extracting and it looks like there was a car phone mount that was drilled into the carpet that left behind multiple holes. I’m really disappointed that the seller, a dealer of rare and unique vehicles, didn’t bother to take photos of the soft top and open the hood to show that wonderful V12. I’m sure that can be arranged, but why would you make things difficult in the first place?

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say this car won’t even sniff the reserve that is set for this auction. Not because it isn’t worth it but rather you can’t expect people to bid with confidence if you leave out key photographs and don’t show any of the ”extensive documentation” that this car has. One more odd thing about this car is that the last registration was from 2011 which isn’t the something that inspires confidence in anyone. This car is less about actually trying to sell it with an auction and more about catching the eye of a serious buyer then proceeding with the transaction from there.

– Andrew

Tuner Tuesday: 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300E AMG 6.0 ‘Hammer’

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You probably know all about the W124 AMG ‘Hammer’ cars by now. A normal 300E that was transformed by then independent company AMG into a four-door monster thanks to the punched-out 6.0 liter M117/9 and various other à la carte options depending on the owners desires. They didn’t call these cars the ‘Hammer’ for nothing with 375-ish horsepower and even more torque. Because of this, the values have held strong at nearly 10 times and sometimes even more than what you’d pay for a normal W124 300E. When one of these cars come up for auction, it’s usually a big deal. This 1988 Hammer heading to the block at the end of the month will probably fetch a pretty penny, despite what Sotheby’s is predicting. So let’s check this monster out:

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1988 Mercedes-Benz 300E AMG ‘6.0 Hammer’ at RM Sotheby’s

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Michael Schumacher’s 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SL 6.0 AMG

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I hope your Monday is going well, but if by high chance it’s not, hopefully this car can change that. Today we have a bonkers 1986 560SL 6.0 AMG and just to make it even better, it was owned by none other than Michael Schumacher. This R107 is a creation of ex-AMG engineer and current owner of Mercedes tuner MKB Pano Avramidis who took an already crazy 560SL 6.0 AMG and added a healthy dose of modern Mercedes upgrades. Of course all this comes with a very hefty price. So let’s take a look at this R107 AMG for sale in Monaco.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: Michael Schumacher’s 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SL 6.0 AMG on Classic Driver

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