Vehicle Description
This 1988 Mercedes 560SL is one seriously cool example of German
automotive design and, with just 58,000 miles in its rear view
mirror, it's lightly travelled, as well. It not only sports a great
exterior color but also harbors a healthy sized V8 under its hood
that's running nice and strong. With the weather getting nicer,
it's hard to beat the feeling of getting out on the road with just
the blue sky above you.
Like a classic song or movie, this is a model that only gets better
with time. Mercedes had long since gained traction with the
American car buying public by the time the 560SL was first
released, realizing that the market wanted a more substantially
proportioned open air coupe than what they had previously offered,
so they equipped their R107 line, of which this Benz is a member,
with a wider and slightly longer body to provide a more comfortable
cabin and better cornering. Just one glance at this '88 and you can
see why Mercedes chose not to mess with the design - even though
it's been about 30 years since it came out, it looks properly
classic without being the least bit outdated. Draped in a great
looking dark gray metallic shade, it's just an effortlessly elegant
car, yet sporty and agile-looking at the same time. Your first
inclination is almost certainly to picture yourself behind the
wheel with the top down on a nice, sunny day, but should the
weather change, you'll not only have a black canvas convertible top
at your disposal, but also a matching dark gray hard top that
installs easily.
There's one nice looking tan leather interior waiting inside the
doors, with a pair of plush buckets up front that still carry a lot
of padding for comfort on even long road trips and are bracketed by
door panels that sit snugly against their frames. From all
appearances, this car has been fortunate to have carried passengers
that have treated it with respect - there's no signs of abuse or
unintended mishaps inside. Up front, the dash area is particularly
impressive, with factory gauges that remain unusually clear, and a
nice, fresh-looking dash pad over the top. There's several
burl-patterned accents inside to add an even more luxurious look,
and with a little polishing, they'll really come to life. The
factory air conditioning is a welcome feature and it's in good form
here, cooling the cabin via a set of well-placed vents in the dash.
The trunk area in back is looking good, with nice, clean tan
carpeting lining its interior.
Raise the hood and you'll find a nice, clean engine compartment,
with a 5.6-liter V8 sitting at the center. It holds the distinction
of being the Mercedes top tier engine option at the time of its
release, and carries plenty of power to make this droptop a fun
ride, as well as just under 300 lb-ft of torque to push you back in
your seat when you step into it. The power plant pairs with a
4-speed automatic transmission whose overdrive gear provides nice
low revs at highway speeds. Armed with power disc brakes at all
four corners, this SL comes to a stop quickly when called on, and
its broad stance, low profile and smooth power steering combine to
make it an impressive corner carver as it rides on a set of 15"
stock Mercedes wheels equipped with Michelin tires.
This 1988 Mercedes 560SL represents a high-water mark as far as
aesthetics are concerned and it's not often you come across a
classic that's 30 years old, yet has logged fewer than 60,000
miles. Call today!
