Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
Crazy tuner mods didn’t stop in the 1980s….no, not by a long shot. Alive and well, they’ve continued on through today with deep pockets attempting to make expensive cars more expensive, unique, and…well, you can be the judge. I spotted this unusual widebody duo several months ago and have been waiting for them to disappear. Strangely, they haven’t sold. Is it the price? The looks? The…price? Or, is it the looks? Let’s dive in…
Here’s a deep cut! When the IRL and CART split rocked the open-wheel racing world in the mid 1990s, CART resurrected an event to rival the Indy 500. Called the “U.S. 500″, it was run at Michigan International Raceway and brought back events that had run there from the mid 1970s through the 1980s. As Penske was one of the strongest supporters of the series, engine provider Mercedes-Benz loaned some 40 R129s to the event for use as parade cars. They were offered in three colors; red, white, and blue, and all included the SL1 Sport Package, which added AMG bodywork and 18” wheels. Also special were embroidered fender logos, floor mats, debossed “US 500”-logo headrests, and new-for-96 ESP. With only 40 of these cars produced, they are almost certainly one of the most rare modern Mercedes models:
It always surprised me what comes out of the woodwork when looking at unusual color combinations. Most of the time I didn’t even think it was possible, but the old adage of anything is possible with enough money sure rings true.
Today, we have a 1999 Mercedes-Benz SL500 up for sale in London finished in Designo Purple over Designo Purple leather. Thats the name. Just Designo Purple.
Last week I laid out why I think right now the R230 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is probably the best value in the Mercedes-Benz world. It has the perfect combination of very high production numbers and the perfect timing of too old to be modern but too young to be a classic. Today, we have the previous generation that had a similar production run, which means it can still be had for very little money given how many are out there floating around. Of course I’m talking about the trusty R129, and more specifically an early 500SL.
This example up for sale in New Jersey is finished in one of my favorite colors of Spruce Green and just has shy of 51,000 miles. The best part? The asking price is only $10,900. Of course there is a catch.
This R129 sold for $13,000 on 3/6/22. Looks like it was a decent deal!
We made it to March and for some areas of the country, sSpring is in the air. For those who don’t have winter, congratulations: I envy you. That means that our cars are beginning to see the light of day and we are heading into buying and selling season as we prepare for driving again, and for some, that might be looking for a convertible. The easiest and one of the most cost-effective ways is to grab a Mercedes-Benz SL-Class as you basically have your pick from every budget level. In terms of bang for buck, the R129 is the way up there, and today’s car is something you don’t see everyday.
This Euro-spec 1992 500SL up for sale in San Diego has a little different look if you might have noticed. That is because it is wearing the handsome AMG body kit as well as some cool white AMG gauges. Don’t get too excited, as there isn’t a punched-out 6.0-liter under the hood, but rather the standard 5.0-liter M119 V8 we all know and love. Still, this one might be worth it.
