Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
Last weekend, we featured a pair of clean 1986 Mercedes-Benz 560SELs that were an instant turn on for any fan of the 1980s and the peak of Mercedes-Benz engineering prowess. If you don’t need the V8 power but want the extra length of the long wheelbase W126, here is a very low mileage 1989 300SEL for sale in New Jersey that is bound to channel your inner executive.
No matter how many successive generations of S classes pass us by, I always look back to the W126 as the gold standard of executive transport. The W116 of the 1970s was a thoroughly capable car if a bit unloved. The W140 that succeeded the W126 was a technological tour de force but was a bit brutish in terms of its size and complexity. The W220 that came after that was derided as a bit unreliable during the dark days of Mercedes-Benz products in the early part of the 21st century. The last and current generations of S classes have moved the luxury sedan game very much forward, but the technology is a bit over the top for me, which has me going back to the W126 for simpler, albeit capable performance and motoring pleasure.
The two following 560SELs represent the flagship of the lineup for the period between 1986 and 1991. The first one we will look at is a very low mileage example for sale in Arizona in a classic combination of black over parchment leather.
When the W126 S class debuted at the outset of the 1980s, the top engine for US customers would be a 3.8 liter, all-alumnium V8. Those in Europe, however, could specify a larger, 5.0 liter V8. This led to many gray market imports flooding the marketplace, leading Mercedes-Benz lobbyists to push for legislation against private importation of vehicles not originally intended for US sale. But, in 1984, Mercedes-Benz threw an olive branch to those S-class buyers wanting a bit more power: the 500SEL. With a new 5.0 liter V8, this engine produced 184 bhp and 247 lbs. ft. of torque. This may not sound like a lot from a V8 engine, but manufacturers were still coming off a wave of newly introduced emissions controls that strangled power. Also, this was an era where a Honda Accord was barely cresting 100 bhp.
The 500SEL would last two short years until the 560SEL, with the 5.6 liter V8 engine, arrived for the 1986 model year. This final year 500SEL for sale in Texas has covered a scant 63,000 miles and spent much of its life in Southern California.
Earlier this year, I struck a few chords with my AMG 500SEC post. The questions of AMG authenticity were once again brought up, reminding us that pre-merger there is still some fuzzy areas regarding these AMGS. As with that SEC, the full documentation of production and maintenance records were key to the value of these boutique cars, and enthusiasts are willing to pay for the right one. Also like that SEC, this later run 1990 560 SEL is fully documented from Japan – but unlike that earlier car, this SEL has the full-fat 6.0 V8 fitted:
Like the Porsche 928 we featured yesterday, this 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL for sale in New York brought up memories from my childhood. I remember coming back from an auto show and scanning the pages of the latest Mercedes brochure to come across a picture of a similar black on black 560SEL. The flagship of arguably one of the most revered luxury brands, this was a car with few equals. With a rear seat that measured almost five feet across, this was a conveyance for dignitaries and celebrities. While it started to seem a little bit dated towards the end of the production run in 1991, people still clamored to buy these über sedans and many are still pressed into service today. With only 50,000 miles on the odometer, this is one W126 that has lots of life left to give.