Vehicle Description
1985 Mercedes-Benz 380 SL Convertible
Personal luxury sports car. If there is such a category, the
Mercedes SL class which has an enduring design that in the R107
generation, lasted nearly 20 years virtually unchanged. It was that
good, and associated with a level of affluence once reserved for
top earners, but now is more affordable with the iconic engineering
and comfort Mercedes is renowned for.
For consignment, a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible with a
title verified 10,508 actual miles. The astounding mileage was kept
low by our consignor who has owned the car for nearly 30 years,
putting just 5,000 miles on it during that time. This two owner car
has never seen rain or snow and has been stored in a climate
controlled environment for the past 30 years.
Exterior
Cabernet Red Metallic presents as a warm shade of brown and in this
case, a bit of flair is added with a double pinstripe in orange and
tan. Not that flair is needed, the style of the car says it all.
Low and wide, its long hood leading a sizable cab forward with
large front fenders and shorter wheel openings in back give the car
a laid back profile that is magnified when the top is down, or off,
in the case of the accessory hardtop. The windshield is raked but
not radically, and the shoulder line is straight terminating in
sharp vertical angles in the front and back. The unmistakable tail
lights are quintessential Mercedes from this era, a continuous bar
of alternating colors with the marker light at the corner, covering
the back and the side. The chrome bumpers are in very good
condition as is the grille surround and iconic Mercedes three point
star on the nose. The black canvas top and its trio of plastic
windows are in great shape, with some ever so slight cloudiness on
the plastic. The color keyed hard top is about as mint as we've
seen. In fact, we could find no major exterior imperfection in
paint, metal, or body.
Interior
Solid heavy doors, a Mercedes mainstay, are lined with a wonderful
stretch of beige leather with perforated panels and a robust door
pull and armrest. Inside, the robust bucket seats, also in beige
leather, show no wear and the carpeted rear shelf is spotless. In
true Benz fashion, from the steering wheel forward is a compilation
of nice materials and design, resilient in their tendency to age or
loosen, a solid collection of gauges, lights, and switches that
still look and feel fresh. A strip of wood separates the black dash
top from the beige lower and the wood is prominent in the center
stack and console. A Becker AM/FM/Cassette player is in the top
center with a myriad of heater and AC buttons in the burl panel
below. The shifter and more buttons reside in the center console,
backed by an armrest, all in spectacular condition with one faded
spot in the wood veneer.Tan carpet below is plush and clean,
protected by MB woven mats, while the trunk is lined in the carpet
end to end.
Drivetrain
Under the long hood, we find a clean engine bay housing a 3.8 liter
V8, fuel injected and rated at 155 horsepower. A 4-speed automatic
transmission sends power to the rear wheels and 2.47 gears, while
power disc brakes on all four wheels assure when it's time to exit
the Autobahn, the brakes will be up for the task. We note the
insulation pad is a bit detached from the underside of the
hood.
Undercarriage
Another feature that is as clean as we've seen on the make and
model, there's an overall lack of surface rust and any dampness as
all. Components are free of grease and minor dust from the road is
the only thing that's here added after the factory. The single
exhaust flows into an original equipment muffler, then exists as
two tips on the left rear of the car. Coil spring suspension is
found on the front and back, both independent.
Drive-Ability
You don't have to twist my arm to take a classic Mercedes onto the
test loop. Thud goes the door and with a turn of the key, we're
test loop bound. The 380 is no slouch and the design of the car
gives confidence around turns, it's sure footed and comfortable and
nothing rattles or squeaks. We're not going to rack up many miles
on this low mileage example, and roll it back to the mall withonly
the power antenna notworking and the AC blowing cool but not cold.
While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were
working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these
functions will be working at the time of your purchase.
This is about as fresh and close to new as you might find for this
year, make and model. If this isn't the cleanest 380SL available on
the market, it sure ranks right up there. This is a rare
opportunity for the discerning collector and if not already a Benz
enthusiast, this one will convert you after a short drive.
WDBBA45D1FA035320
W-West Germany
D-Daimler Benz
B-Passenger Car
B-SL
A-Roadster
45-380SL
D-Manual Belts
1-Check Digit
F-1985
A-Sindelfingen, GE Assy Plant
035320-Sequential Unit Number
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee
is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
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