Vehicle Description
Chassis No. WDBBA48D4JA084998
Beginning in 1954 with the illustrious 300 SL "Gullwing,"
Mercedes-Benz began the tradition of crafting some of the finest
two-seat automobiles in the world and in doing so, the simple two
letters "SL" became legendary. Akin to the release of the 300 SL
Roadster in 1957, the launch of the new 560 SL just over 30 years
later in 1986 created a buzz in the automotive community. The new
SL model housed the largest displacement engine ever fitted to an
SL at the time, the all-new, all-aluminum 5.5-liter 'M117' V8 that
quickly became the crown jewel of the "R107" model range. Sales of
this exclusive new model were limited to just the North American,
Australian, and Japanese markets. With 227 horsepower on tap for
North American buyers, the rear suspension was redesigned to
accommodate a new torque-compensating, anti-squat geometry, and a
limited-slip differential to help with uninterrupted power
delivery.
This 1988 560 SL was ordered new in San Francisco, California, in
handsome Smoke Silver Metallic (702) with a Palomino Leather
interior and burlwood trim, just as it appears today. The removable
steel hard top and brown folding soft top combine the dynamism of
an open roadster with the year-round convenience of a closed coupe.
Additional equipment includes automatic climate control,
illuminated vanity mirrors, power windows, heated exterior mirrors,
an exterior temperature gauge, heat-insulating glass, and anti-lock
brakes.
The current caretaker of this 560 SL acquired the car directly from
the original owner's estate in 2022, at which point it left the Bay
Area for the first time since new. Since then, the soft stop has
been replaced with a German-made Haartz top in the original shade
of dark brown. The original Becker Grand Prix Electronic Cassette
radio has been replaced with an Alpine radio featuring a CD player
and integrated Bluetooth connectivity. Today this 1988 560 SL
displays just over 37,000 original miles and is accompanied by a
clean CARFAX Vehicle History Report.
