Sold 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL500 - 58K miles

2002 Mercedes-Benz SL500
https://shiftgate.com/auction/2002-mercedes-benz-sl500-2/
The auction ends Friday, April 29 at 4pm Eastern​

History
When the all-new R129 generation of Mercedes-Benz’s SL roadster hit the streets in 1990, it was met with frothing consumer demand. The prior R107 series had been in production for nearly 20 years, becoming somewhat long in the tooth. The new, upright Teutonic look was a Bruno Sacco masterpiece of industrial design that looked as sharp then as it does 30 years later. Along with the strong, restrained styling, this latest SL was technical innovation on four wheels.



It featured a hidden roll bar that could automatically deploy in the event of an accident, or be manually raised to give the new SL a more aggressive stance. Advancements like automatic self-levelling suspension, adaptive dampers and the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) that could brake individual wheels and adjust engine power, put the new SL roadsters on an engineering pedestal far above the competition. Over 11 years of production, Mercedes continually improved upon the R129 with added features and luxuries, all of which are included in today’s 2002 example form the final year of production.

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Exterior
Finished in Brilliant Silver Metallic (744), this 2002 SL500 looks to be in very good condition overall with no history of paint or bodywork and no rust present. It features a power-operated black soft-top that stores under a rigid cover when lowered. There is also a removable body-color hardtop with heated rear glass and included storage dolly. The factory AMG styling package adds a revised front spoiler, side skirts and rear apron. Other exterior highlights include Xenon HID headlights, integrated fog lights and an eccentric-sweep windshield wiper with heated washer jets.



The original, staggered-width 18” AMG thin-spoke monoblock wheels are mounted in Michelin Pilot Sport rubber, sized 245/40 up front and 275/30 out back. They frame disc brakes all around with curb rash documented in the gallery. Flaking paint on the front air dam, scrapes on the front bumper and a blemish on the driver-side front wheel arch are all detailed in the gallery. Straight panels and even gaps are also noted in the gallery, along with a clean undercarriage. Per the owner, one of the soft-top hydraulic motors has a small leak.



Interior
The cabin features Black Nappa leather upholstery on the seats, door panels, dashboard and roll bar with Burl Walnut trim on the doors and center stack. Both seats are heated with 10-way power adjustability and three-position memory settings. Wear on the bolsters and cushions is minimal, as seen in the gallery. Wood trim, door panel and dash surfaces are all in very good condition, showing evidence of careful upkeep.



The leather-wrapped, power-adjustable steering wheel frames a 160-mph speedometer with inset digital odometer and 7,000-rpm tachometer. Additional analog gauges include fuel level, combination coolant temperature/fuel economy/oil temperature, and a clock. The center stack houses automatic climate controls and the original Mercedes-Benz AM/FM/CD/tape stereo system with Bose components.



All four interior storage locations – dashboard, center armrest, center console and behind the passenger seat – automatically lock when the car is locked. Additional cabin amenities include an auto-dimming rearview mirror, heated side mirrors with auto-dim functionality on the driver’s side, rain-sensing windshield wiper, cruise control, all-season floor mats and dual cup holders. Per the owner, the rearview mirror is slightly loose causing a minor rattle.



Mechanical
Under the hood is the original 5.0L M113 SOHC V8 that features an alloy block and heads, three valves per cylinder and 2-stage magnesium intake manifold. Making 302 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque when new, it is mated to a 5-speed automatic that spins the rear wheels. Period Mercedes literature notes a 6.1-second run to 60 mph.



These R129-seires SLs feature fully independent suspension with a five-arm multilink rear setup. This car comes with ESP to rein in understeer and oversteer as well as Brake Assist, an early innovation that can apply all available braking boost in a panic stop situation.



After purchase in 2018, the current owner had the engine mounts, transmission mounts and harmonic balancer replaced. Service records in the gallery show new brake pads and rotors being installed in 2015 along with regular oil changes and routine maintenance. Records dating to 2010 are included with the sale.



Details
Located in Arcadia, California, this 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL500 has been under current ownership since 2018. The owner has added 8,000 of the 58,677 miles since then and notes the car runs strong with no major issues. This all-original SL has a clean title and two keys are included with the sale. Blending looks that never go out of style with V8 power and that killer AMG design package, this is an SL500 sure to make its next owner the envy of enthusiasts everywhere.