The Pick of the Day is a 2000 Mercedes-Benz SL500 in Florida listed on ClassicCars.com.
In certain vehicles, it’s hard to hold back from misbehaving. If you ever find yourself in a Corvette or a Hellcat-powered Challenger, it’s too tempting to floor the gas pedal and let that V8 power loose. It’s an unwritten rule that if you’re driving a Wrangler or a Bronco off-road, you must get mud on it. Restraining yourself in those ways is difficult, just like finding the willpower to drive an attractive luxury vehicle less than 230 miles a year – for 24 years. Somehow, there are five people on this planet who were so disciplined that they only put a total of 5,452 miles on this 2000 Mercedes-Benz SL500.
It’s hard to imagine the man behind R129 SL’s design would be able to do the same. Bruno Sacco, who was the head of Mercedes-Benz design from 1975 until 1999, was quoted by Top Gear as saying it was “the most perfect car of my career” and that it had “the perfect profile.” True, Sacco is a biased source, but that’s still one hell of an endorsement from an Automotive Hall of Fame inductee.
It’s easy to see why he said that. The 1990-2002 SL-Class has an ingot-like visual presence, especially in the Brilliant Silver Metallic shown here. Although Sacco and his team clearly used straight edges for the strong, defined lines, they tempered their harshness with subtle curves and rounded edges. The Sport Package balances those two design elements by adding sculpted AMG aerodynamic components to the lower body and replacing the standard wheels with a set of 18-inch monoblocks – a must for any modern Mercedes.
Despite its low mileage, this SL did pick up a few scrapes and nicks here and there, but they’re all minor, such as a light scratch on the driver-side mirror cap and another one on the right side of the rear bumper.
Whoever originally configured this car didn’t practice restraint with their wallet and that’s clear when you check out the interior. They ticked the boxes for the SL2 package, which not only equipped this SL with xenon headlights, but also heating for the Charcoal Nappa leather seats and a CD changer for the six-speaker Bose sound system, as well as wood and leather trim for the steering wheel and shift knob. More glossy wood accents the center stack and door panels. Other features include power windows, locks, and mirrors; rain-sensing wipers; a power tilt and telescoping steering wheel; 10-way power seat controls; and three-position memory for the seats, mirrors, and steering column. When it gets too cold outside, the soft top can be stowed away and replaced with the included body-color aluminum hardtop.
Like the rest of the car, the M113 5.0-liter V8 has not been modified. According to the specs sheet, it produces 302 horsepower and 339 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission helps deliver the engine’s output to the rear wheels.
Bruno Sacco is rightfully proud of the R129 SL. Whoever pays the $61,500 it takes to become the next owner of this low-mileage SL500 should also be proud. We just hope the pride they feel when they look at the numbers on the odometer doesn’t keep them from driving and enjoying this Mercedes design icon.
Check out the listing for this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com.
