• A hard to find very honest example with low mileage for the year having averaged less than 5K miles per year

• Presents in an original and unmarked condition with a host of premium features

• Considered by those in the know as the pick of the range with the V6 3.5L engine providing a winning combination of power, refinement and economy

The R230 SL series first appeared in 2001 to replace the venerable R129 model. Like most new iterations of Mercedes Benz, the R230 was a technical tour-de-force and certainly excelled in terms of the acronym count - ABC, SBC, ABS, BAS, ESP, ASR to name a few.

SBC or Sensonic Brake Control, for example, was a world first. The brake pedal is not mechanically connected to the brake servo. Instead, it merely feeds messages to a control box which sends electronic signals to the microprocessor which organises the braking. It feels exactly like conventional braking, until you do something stupid, at which point the SBC and all the other control systems save your life.

This car appears to have had a well-cared for, even pampered, past given the condition and originality of it. The V5 details eight owners but the current owner believes that this actually reflects the number of cherished plates that have been fitted to the car by, possibly, only four owners.

What is for certain is the great maintenance, car and consideration that has been lavished on this car in the past. The way it presents can only be the result of careful and considerate previous owners, regardless of their number.

There is a good level of paperwork to accompany this SL350.  A mixture of dealer stamped service history and independent specialist notated maintenance is included in the original service book. There are also a number of past MOT’s verifying the low, original mileage and a number of other invoices and, of course, V5 log book.

The grey perforated leather seats are not only in fine condition but are fully electrically controlled and heated ensuring a comfortable environment, roof up or down, regardless of the outside temperature.

The colour combination of contrasting greys and blacks in the interior give this SL its signature combination of comfort for the transcontinental road trip and support for the twisty bits. The deeply raked dash houses a satellite navigation system and a host of other premium refinements such as air conditioning and quality, original fit stereo system.

Net pockets on the transmission tunnel, under-seat storage and lidded door pockets provide a surprising amount of practical storage for an iconic sports-tourer of this type. The electro-hydraulic hard top retracts at the push of a button and stows away under a neat mechanical tonneau cover.

Our photographic package backs up how well presented the silver painted bodywork presents. The bodywork is free from obvious dings or dents and the panel gaps are narrow and symmetrical on all panels. The paintwork is deep and lustrous with no obvious areas lacquer peel or flaking.

The 18” Mercedes Benz five-spoke alloys are shod with premium Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres, another sign that this car has been cherished by previous owners.

As you would expect from a low-mileage Mercedes Benz with a comprehensive service history the mechanical systems on this car are all reported to be in excellent condition. The 3.5L V6 engine is considered as a sweet-spot of the range being lighter and more eager than the bigger engines yet not much less powerful. The lighter weight in the nose of the car also greatly aids the agility and sporting pretensions of the SL350.

Mated to the excellent 5G-tronic automatic gearbox this is a car that is equally at home on a fast cross-country cruise as it is on the twisty backroads.

For many years the Mercedes Benz SL range of cars provided an unmatched combination of prestige, comfort and performance that has made it very much a car for all seasons and circumstances. This SL350 is certainly no exception to that rule.

This example is so original and lightly used that you can be sure you are bidding on one of the best examples available of one of the best all-round cars ever built. Given that, the R230 cars represent phenomenal value for money currently too.

Notice to bidders