A classic Mercedes-Benz coupe with an incredible backstory is currently being offered for sale.
Advertised by the Hairpin Company in Compton Bassett, Wiltshire, this 1988 560 SEC boasts not one, but two former celebrity owners.
Taken from what was a high-point for Mercedes-Benz in terms of brand cachet and build quality, the 560 SEC is already a hugely desirable car.
However, the ownership story will likely be an equally great part of the classic Benz’s appeal.
The true flagship Mercedes
First launched in 1981, the SEC was the coupe version of the second-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class. With more than 74,000 examples sold until 1991, it proved a popular choice with wealthy executives and VIPs.
Following a mid-life update in late 1985, the S-Class coupe gained a new range-topping model: the 560 SEC.
Its 5.5-litre V8 was the most powerful engine fitted to an S-Class thus far, serving up 300hp and 339lb ft of torque. The flagship SEC’s top speed was 155mph.
Although this was still slower than the ‘company car’ of the SEC’s first owner, it was very impressive performance in the late 1980s.
From motorsport to high society
Mercedes-Benz had a reputation for supplying Formula One high-flyers with vehicles, and this 560 SEC was first presented to Nigel Mansell CBE.
Ordered in UK specification, but with left-hand drive due to Mansell living in Monaco at the time, the 560 SEC was used extensively by the 1992 Formula One World Champion.
Later registered in the UK, the Mercedes became part of the Patrick Collection, before being sold in 2002 to the outspoken art critic, Brian Sewell.
An interview with The Telegraph newspaper in 2002 revealed that Sewell preferred driving the big SEC barefoot. He sold the car in 2010, swapping it for a new A-Class that seemed better suited to narrow country roads.
However, such significant provenance led to the car being bought back by Mercedes-Benz UK for its heritage collection.
A moving masterpiece
Even though it had just 40,000 miles on the clock when purchased in 2010, Mercedes-Benz subjected the 560 SEC to an exhaustive overhaul – as evidenced by its large history file.
Owned by the marque until 2023, the 560 SEC was displayed at Brooklands Mercedes-Benz World centre, plus used at product launches and heritage events.
The Hairpin Company has not provided a price for the 560 SEC. However, there are unlikely to be another example with such an incredible story to tell.
With acres of leather and wood trim, a smooth V8 and prodigious provenance, this is a very special classic Mercedes-Benz indeed.
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