Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale this Australian delivered Mercedes-Benz 380SL.

The warranty card on file confirms this car was delivered to its first owner on the 25th September 1983.The first owner is noted as a company, AJM Pty Ltd in Darling Point, Sydney, NSW.

Further, the warranty card confirms that the car was delivered new in champagne metallic (paint code 473) with a palomino interior (trim code 154), which is how the car is presented today.

The option code plate in the engine bay provides us with information on how the car left the factory. It had the following options:

- Option Code: 440 Bumpers with guards
- Option Code: 470 ABS
- Option Code: 505 Outside rear view mirror
- Option Code: 585 Behr Air conditioner and electric windows
- Option Code: 599 Heat insulating glass for side and rear windows

The car also has a factory hard top.

The original dealer stock number plate is still fitted in the engine bay and the number matches that noted on the warranty card on file.

We are also able to confirm that the car retains its original matching numbers engine.

The early history of this car is not known. At some stage it found its way from Sydney to Adelaide in South Australia where it remained for a long time. Information on file indicates the car was owned by well respected Adelaide surgeon Dr DL Hribar in the early 1990s and at that time the car was registered as VNL 529. By around 2010 the car was owned by Mrs Janet Beresford from Leabrook, a suburb east of the Adelaide. The car was still registered with the plates VNL 529.

Mrs Beresford sold the car to the current owners in 2016 and at that time the odometer read approximately 142,000 km.

The car was starting to show its age and the new owner invested some time and money to improve it both cosmetically and mechanically. He had the car repainted in its original colour of champagne metallic, the grill and badges restored, the steering wheel was replaced with one from a later model car (the original is with the car), installed new wheel arch moulds, installed new sound deadener under the bonnet, replaced the rear muffler, had the tail shaft reconditioned and had the car serviced.

The car was used and enjoyed sparingly over the next 8 years, travelling some 2,000 km in that time. Unfortunately, the owner passed away in 2024, which is the reason that the car is now offered for sale.

At the time of photographing the odometer read 144,536 kilometres.

Today, the car is best described as very original and a genuinely lovely driver quality example. While not perfect, it presents very well and the colour combination is in our view just right. With the soft top down, it gives the car a particularly elegant appearance.

Overall the paint on the car is still very presentable. In fact, from a meter away and in our photos the car looks amazing. Upon closer inspection there are some imperfections in the paint, which look to be humidity blisters. These are most noticeably on the right rear quarter panel and on the boot lid.

The bright work on the car presents very well. The chrome bumpers, grill, mirrors, wheel arch moulds and the window surrounds are all in good condition. We did notice some marks on the rubber inserts on the bumpers. The badges both on the bonnet and on the boot lid are in very good condition.

The car is fitted with the stylish 14 inch Mexican hat wheels which we understand were an option for this era of Mercedes-Benz. They are shod with Supercat 215/65R14 tyres, which are date stamped 2407 (week 24, 2007). The wheels still present well.

Both the soft top (dark brown) and the hard top (champagne metallic) are in good condition. We did notice a very small imperfection on the left rear corner of the soft top. The rear window and both quarter windows on the soft top are clear and have not been affected the sun.

Inside the cabin it is a similar story. The interior presents well and the palomino upholstery compliments the champagne metallic paintwork. The colour combination is timeless and just suits the car. The upholstery and most notable the seats are still in a good condition with no rips or tears in the leather. The seats have that typical seventies and eighties Mercedes-Benz feel, where you sit on the seat rather than in it, however, once out on the road they are actually quite comfortable. The top of the dashboard is in very good condition. We did notice a very small crack near the windscreen but that could easily be repaired. The instruments are crisp and clean. They appear to be in good working order with the exception of the economy gauge. The carpets present well as does the storage area behind the seats.

The car starts easily, even from cold and settles into a smooth idle rather quickly. The engine is quiet, as you would expect. Theres no theatrics. A Mercedes-Benz 380SL is best described as a refined, relaxed grand tourer rather than a sharp sports car. It is a well mannered car that does exactly what you expect it to do in that very typical Germanic way. It just goes about its business and it is a car that makes every journey feel unrushed and special. The engine feels strong, the gearchanges are smooth and the car handles, steers and stops as it should. The brakes pull the car up quickly though we did notice they do pull to the right when braking hard.

The Mercedes-Benz 380SL blends classic Mercedes-Benz quality and durability with understated elegance through its long bonnet, clean lines and a confident, stance. Built to cruise effortlessly, the 380SL offers smooth V8 power, a comfortable ride and the kind of engineering that feels reassuringly uncompromised.

When driving a 380 SL it is easy to forget that you are driving a 40 year old car. Sure it doesnt have all the modern electronic gadgets but it is still a very comfortable and enjoyable car to drive. Its a car designed for covering distance in comfort, with the roof down and no sense of hurry. Even today, it is still a very usable car that could comfortably serve as a daily driver. That said it is most likely that this car will serve as a great weekend driver which would be a welcome appearance at any cars and coffee or Mercedes-Benz club event. You can use and enjoy the car as it is, or if you choose to do so take it up to the next level.

There is no doubt that the R107 model range has aged very well. It is still a very elegant and sophisticated open top Mercedes-Benz. We think they are good value, particularly the 380SL when compared to its big brother the 560SL.

Accompanying this car is a history file, owners manual, a new spare (black) soft top, a wind deflector, the original steering wheel, a spare wheel, a jack and an emergency triangle

Highlights:

- Australian delivered factory RHD example.
- Presented in the most elegant and sophisticated colour combination.
- Relatively low mileage compared to most of this era R107s
- Great value two door open top Mercedes-Benz.
- Use and enjoy as is, or easy to take up to the next level.

Price $52,950


Background

Following the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Europes car industry was decimated. In Germany both Daimler and Benz went back to producing cars post-war, however, times were tough. A merger between Daimler and Benz would ensure that both companies survived and following a technical co-operation agreement in 1924, the companies formally merged on the 1st July 1926. Mercedes-Benz was born!

Subsequently, Mercedes-Benz went on to build some of the greatest cars of all time. The cars from Stuttgart bearing the three-pointed star all had one thing in common . . . they were renowned for their technical innovation, build quality, luxury and performance.

In the 1950s Mercedes-Benz produced one of the greatest cars of all time the iconic 300 SL Gullwing and 300 SL Roadster. Whilst fabulous cars, they were very expensive and generally sold to the rich and famous. Mercedes wanted to build a sporting luxury car that still looked classical in the mould of the 300 SL, but it had to be affordable and the plan was to build such a car in far greater numbers than the exclusive 300 SLs. Enter the Type W121 or 190 SL as it became known in the mid 1950s. This model was an outstanding success and circa 25,000 cars were built over the next 8 years of production. The formula worked and Mercedes-Benz carried it on with great success in the 1960s with the Type W113 230 SL / 250 SL / 280 SL models. This evolved into the Type R107/C107 280 SL(C) / 350 SL(C) / 380 SL(C) / 450 SL(C) / 500 SL(C) and 560 SL models built throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

In recent years the demand for these cars has skyrocketed, though the later cars have remained relatively affordable compared to the Type W113 models and present an excellent buying opportunity in todays market.