Were they already too old? After all, both Mercedes-Benz SL R 129 highlighted here are from 2001 and 2002, when the successor, the R 230 generation (introduced in 2001), was already known. They may simply not have been able to find buyers. What's more, the SL R 129 again had nothing left — it was originally released in 1989!
On the other hand, we may be in the presence of a deliberate act on the part of the concessionaires who should have sold them. They kept these late copies of this generation of SL to be able to sell them, years later, to any collector, perhaps with a higher price than when they were new.
Well, whatever the reason, the truth is that these two exemplars of the sublime Mercedes-Benz SL R 129 were never registered and are now looking for a new owner.
And they're going to make themselves pay dearly for that, with each one getting for $135 thousand, around 114 thousand euros, not far from what a “brand new” SL would cost — in the US, where they are for sale, in the Mercedes-Benz Classic Centers in Irvine, Calif., are even more expensive than a new SL — and a new generation is just around the corner.
SL 500 Silver Arrow Edition
The first issue is an SL 500 Silver Arrow Edition — unfortunately without images, except the one you can see above, which looks like a photo montage — from 2002, a special limited edition only for the USA and the United Kingdom. 1515 units of this SL 500 were shipped to the US, plus 100 of the SL 600.
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As was still customary, there was a direct correspondence between the designation and the engine's capacity. Thus, under the hood there was a V8 with a 5.0 l capacity and 306 hp of power, capable of guaranteeing 6.5 s at 0-100 km/h and a top speed of 250 km/h. This V8, unfortunately, has seen virtually no action in its 18 years of life, as the odometer only records 142 miles, the equivalent of 229 km.
The Silver Arrow Edition added a number of unique features like paintwork… Silver Arrow, same color hardtop, various polished aluminum details, exclusive 18″ design wheels, xenon headlamps (remember them?) and black interior with gray “metallic” contrasts in various leather coverings.
This special edition also included a six-CD charger at the rear, heated seats and there was even an exclusive accessory in the form of a (business) suitcase with aluminum finish, key ring and pen, as well as a certificate of authenticity for each unit.
SL 600
The second unit, never registered, for sale, is a 2001 SL 600, which has only 687 km. The 600 nomenclature was synonymous with V12. The SL's long hood also allowed it to house the noblest of engines, the 6.0 l V12 (M 120) that had been debuted by the S-Class (W 140) in the early 1990s.
Interestingly, despite its 394 hp it was not much faster than the SL 500, reaching 100 km/h in 6.1s — the R 129 was always more of a luxury roadster than an agile sports car.
Black in color, the exterior has been enriched with an AMG styling package (front spoiler, side skirts, rims), while the black leather interior also comes with walnut inlays.
Would you give $135 thousand for any of these copies, knowing that it is possible to find for a fraction of that amount other SL R129s of the same height?