TOP＞Stock List＞1985model Mercedes-Benz R107 380SL
1985model
Mercedes-Benz R107 380SL
The detailed condition of the vehicle is described in each photo.
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One owner car with Gunma 33 plates.... The current owner has inherited from the previous generation and remains in full original condition. The last model R107 380SL from 1985 with the signature V8 M116 engine was the coolest classic Mercedes ever. It was a classic Mercedes...!
Driving on today’s roads filled with eco-cars, hybrids, and electric cars, I am sure that I am not the only one who is involuntarily “thrilled” by the appearance of classic cars that sometimes change the air around them. The elegant and truly graceful style that the later SLs such as the R230 and R129 could never match, and the signature engine of Mercedes at the time, the Pagoda roof, which was inherited from the previous generation (W113), instantly caught my attention. The M116 V8, Mercedes’ signature engine at the time, was installed like a hot rod, and just imagining it running luxuriously with its dynamic torque is enough to make you feel as if you are about to ascend to heaven….
The R107 series debuted in 1971 as the successor to the previous generation SL with the W113 pagoda roof, and during its 18 years of production, a total of 300,175 units were manufactured, 68% of which were exported to the main market of the United States…. It was a car that truly symbolized the American dream of the 1980s.
The 380SL in particular, equipped with the “signature” M116 V8 engine, was comparable to the 500SL in both driving performance and economy, and captured the hearts of people as the ideal SL of its era…. It perfectly embodied the Mercedes-Benz principles of sleek and solid design, state-of-the-art safety, and sophisticated engineering, and boasted a level of perfection that no other manufacturer could match….
Nearly 40 years have passed since the SL was discontinued.
Today, the R107, which stands out as a classic car with a strong presence, has slowly lost its fat and its original dignity has become even more prominent with the passage of time.
It would be so cool to be able to ride in such a nice SL without any hesitation after having enough experience in life…! I am not the only one who thinks so…!
In the U.S., the largest export market at that time, the SL was still very popular, and a wide variety of parts including aftermarket parts were available. According to European Classic Data, the price of these cars has increased by more than 50% in the last 10 years…!
85 Mercedes-Benz R107 380SL... The value of being a special car that has been cherished like a family member....
Today, I would like to introduce to you the last model R107 380SL from 1985, owned by the owner and his wife, to whom I am personally indebted.
I have known this car for more than 20 years, and I would like to introduce some episodes that I have heard about….
After that, he always took the car to Yanase where he bought it for inspection and maintenance, and it always appeared at family events, creating many memories. After the previous father, the car was left with a relative for a period of time, but then the current owner, who is the son of the previous father, took it back and passed it on to his family. 37 years have passed since then, and the car is still being driven occasionally for ongoing maintenance, keeping it in excellent original condition since it was a new car. The car has been carefully maintained as a “symbol of the family”.
The current owner told us about the episode of picking up his wife in this car shortly before his marriage and the episode of having the car parked like a painting in the valet parking lot with a special view when he stayed at a famous hotel on a trip. When we heard about the various dramas that were woven between the car and the family at each stage of their lives, we could clearly feel the feelings of the owner and his wife who cherished the car as a member of the family….
The family basically leaves everything about the car to Yanase. They basically leave everything to Yanase.
Although they do not keep any record books at hand, they have all the records in Yanase’s ledger…. When we asked him about the details of his maintenance, he told us that he has been replacing the consumable parts such as shock absorbers, bushings, window moldings, rubber parts of the opening and closing parts, mufflers, etc., every time at the suggestion of the dealer, and that he replaces the tires every time the car is inspected, regardless of the mileage. The tires were replaced every time the car was inspected, regardless of the mileage.
The owner pointed out to me that the tires had been replaced regardless of the mileage, and I finally noticed it. There is one minor dent on the trunk lid, but the car has no history of accidents, and the original silver exterior has been garage kept since purchase, so it is hard to believe that this is a 35 year old car.
The Panasonic Strada navigation system, which can be said to be the standard for luxury cars, was installed about 20 years ago.
The crash pad, typical of Mercedes cars of this age, was in good condition with only minor cracking at an inconspicuous spot where it borders the instrument panel.
The hard top has not been removed for years…. The soft top, which is stored inside the car, has never been replaced, so it is in its original condition from when the car was new, but we could not confirm its current condition when we visited the car.
It was a hot and humid day after the rain, but the air conditioner works fine, but the gas is refilled regularly. Of course the autocruise works, but only the clock was not working….
The owner of the R107 380SL has kindly allowed us to take a passenger seat test ride! Design, functionality, safety... Please take a look at all the great points of this car...!
Inheriting the classic and beautiful curved lines of the previous W113 by French designer Paul Bracq, veteran Mercedes-Benz stylist Friedrich Geiger created the R107, which inherited the traditional pagoda roof from the previous generation, but moved to a more austere and modern straight line. The body design of the R107 inherited the traditional pagoda roof from the previous generation, but moved to a more austere and modern straight line….
The R107’s design features are very deep and distinct from its predecessors, with beautifully curved surfaces delicately expressed in a straight line design.
For example, the gentle lines of the engine hood and front edge, the gentle concave of the trunk lid…. Also, the lower part of the body side is fluted into a magnificent cylindrical shape, which seems to have been the inspiration for the later Sacco plate, giving the straight silhouette a truly graceful and gorgeous appearance.
Opening the long, thick, massive doors and sitting in the driver’s seat, the relatively high eye point, the large, classical steering wheel, and the SL’s long engine hood give a really old-school impression that is really innovative and very uplifting today…!
I immediately twist the key and fire up the signature aluminum block M116 V8 engine….
156hp at 4,750 rpm, 27.1kg at 2,750 rpm, and a compression ratio of 8.3:1… The V8 engine, with its torque that starts welling up at low speeds, is the last model of the two-row timing chain that solved the chain failure problem of the single-row timing chain models until 1983 and was improved to a two-row timing chain. The V8 engine is from the last model year of the V8 series.
The engine starts very well and runs dynamically, but the only sound coming from the muffler end at idle is silence…. R107″ is not the kind of car that you can drive with your eyes raised, but the kind of car that you can enjoy the sweet and rich time driving it….
Sitting on the blue combination seats, which are in excellent condition with no scuffs or tears, I take a closer look at the interior, which has a nostalgic feel to it. Then…you can see the splendor of the world’s highest level of safety standards in every part of the SL…!
The R107’s crushable chassis, which provides maximum safety for the rider despite being a convertible, deforms in predictable directions in the event of a collision, significantly reducing the forces transmitted to the occupants…. In addition, the most important factor was the strength of the innovative windshield structure…. The A-pillars were significantly reinforced and the windshield was glued to the A-pillar to ensure that it would be rigid enough to withstand the weight of the car in the event of an overturn.
The R107’s fuel tank is located under the luggage space behind the two seats, so that in the event of a rear-end collision, the fuel tank will not be stressed.
The main controls and switches are located in a secluded area, which was also an innovative idea at the time to ensure safety…. It is surprising that these safety measures were an idea more than 10 years before the current airbags were introduced….
The distortion-free wood panels, the various resin parts, the chrome parts, etc., are all in front of your eyes, all wonderfully crafted as only they could be at that time…! It is incomparable to the modern machine-made ones…. Once you get to know this wonderful build, you will never be able to leave classic Mercedes…. It has such a wonderful charm…!
The last R107 380SL from 1985 is still in its original condition.
Please take a look at the video to see how it runs gracefully and with plenty of torque…!
1985 Mercedes-Benz R107 380SL, post interview...
It was such a wonderful car that the owner and his wife waited for a long time in the weather after the rain, and I was so absorbed in the interview….
In my mind, the SL is the car that symbolizes the American dream of the 80’s….
With its aggressive appearance and performance, the SL quickly became a myth…. It was the object of such great admiration that everyone could imagine themselves in this car.
In 1989, the model was changed to the R129 series, the successor to the SL, ending 18 years of production, the longest for Mercedes-Benz. 300,175 units were produced during that time, making it the most successful passenger car ever made by Daimler-Benz….
Today, nearly 40 years have passed since the last production, and it is a fact that the number of good condition cars in Japan has been decreasing, and the discerning buyers in Japan are returning to their home countries and selling them with words such as “a car that was in Japan in the past…” because Japan has the most strict car inspection system in the world. It is also a fact that they are sold with words such as “a car that used to be in Japan in the past….
Therefore, it is very difficult to find a good car. The ideal way to find a good R107 is to wait for an encounter.
This is a one-owner car with Gunma 33 license plate number. The current owner inherited the last R107 380SL in full original condition from the previous owner, and it was the coolest classic Mercedes with the signature V8 M116 engine…!
Please come to Gunma to see the car and enjoy the owner’s story….
The original "1985 Mercedes-Benz" with this clear history R107 380SL" is currently located in Gunma, Japan.
Since this vehicle is being offered for sale by a private individual, no consumption tax or other fees will be charged, but the monthly auto tax and recycling deposit will be required separately.
The buyer will be responsible for the transportation of the car, but I am also in charge of classic car transportation. If you have any requests, please feel free to contact us.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
The vehicles on this page were listed on “Estate Sale®︎Supremacy”, a cross-border e-commerce site for classic and collectible cars.
What is the Supreme and Best (Supremacy) Estate Sale…?
Estate Sale®︎Spremacy is the Japanese version of the North American cultural estate sale, which introduces cars that are full of the owner’s thoughts and feelings through manuscript preparation based on interviews, and organizes goods and minds.
Unlike a cheap purchase that leaves nothing behind, we guide and mediate the owner to honestly express his/her feelings and ensure that the memories are passed on to the next generation, while keeping the memories firmly in the hearts.
We conduct detailed interviews with the current owner, including past maintenance records and repair history, and cover whether or not the vehicle has been in an accident. If there is a history of major accidents, or if the current owner’s ownership history is extremely short and we do not know the details, we will decline the interview.
This article was written based on an interview with the owner, materials received, and a test drive experience during a 3-hour interview starting at 1:00 p.m. on July 30, 2022.
Please be aware that this may not be a 100% accurate description of the condition of the car due to the limited time available.
The content of the original manuscripts is based on careful research in Japan and overseas, but is not backed up by any on-site inspection or other verification. Please be aware that comments on the condition of the vehicles are based on the weather and conditions at the time of the interview, as well as the author’s own subjective opinion.
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SPEC
Length
4370mm
Width
1790mm
Height
1300mm
Weight
1580kg
Displacement
3832cc
Location
Gunma,Japan
