Classic Mercedes-Benz SL owned by Stirling Moss heads to auction

A 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500SL, originally owned by Sir Stirling Moss CBE, is set to be auctioned later this month.

Although the late Stirling Moss never became a Formula One World Champion, he is still regarded as one of the greatest drivers in motorsport history.

During his career, Moss built a lasting partnership with Mercedes-Benz, which saw him own numerous road cars from the German marque. 

Those include the 500SL seen here, built to order especially for Sir Stirling, which goes under the hammer soon with H&H Classics.

An iconic combination

Produced between 1989 and 2002, the fourth-generation Mercedes-Benz SL was one of the best-selling examples of the iconic roadster.

This ‘R129’ SL pioneered features such as a pop-up roll bar and adaptive suspension damping, and featured a host of powerful engine options. 

Sir Stirling Moss placed an order for his 500SL directly with Mercedes-Benz, and collected the car personally from Bremen in July 1992. 

Moss picked a combination of Brilliant Silver metallic paint with grey leather upholstery. Under the bonnet was a 326hp 5.0-litre V8 engine, with ADS (adaptive suspension), heated seats and climate control all chosen as options.

Direct from Deutschland

After registering the car in the UK, Moss had his ‘7 SM’ number plate applied to the 500SL. He owned the car until April 1996, when it was purchased for £54,000 with 25,602 miles on the odometer. At this point, it switched to the current ‘B2 GAM’ number plate.

The 500SL was bought by its current owner in 2006, with an extensive service history included. Some 12 main dealership stamps are included in the service book, along with three from Mercedes-Benz specialists.

Recent work has included new distributor caps, an overhaul of the cylinder heads and a gearbox oil change, with 89,900 miles now recorded.

The original owner’s wallet, handbook and service book will all accompany the car, along with a letter from Sir Stirling himself.

Link to a racing legend

“Sir Stirling Moss has often been described as the greatest Formula One driver never to have won a world championship, so we’re honoured to offer one of his personal cars,” said James McWilliam of H&H Classics. 

“Any car with a connection to the racing great is sure to fire up widespread interest, and this 500SL is certainly expected to do that.”

Despite its association with a genuine motorsport hero, the Mercedes-Benz 500SL comes with a modest pre-auction estimate of £10,000 to £12,000. The 500SL will cross the block at the H&H Classics Duxford auction on 19 June 2024.

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