1985 Mercedes-Benz 380-Class 380 SL

1985 Mercedes-Benz 380 SL Convertible Personal luxury sports car. If there is such a category, the Mercedes SL class which has an enduring design that in the R107 generation, lasted nearly 20 years virtually unchanged. It was that good, and associated with a level of affluence once reserved for top earners, but now is more affordable with the iconic engineering and comfort Mercedes is renowned for.    For consignment, a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 380SL convertible with a title verified 10,508 actual miles. The astounding mileage was kept low by our consignor who has owned the car for nearly 30 years, putting just 5,000 miles on it during that time. This two owner car has never seen rain or snow and has been stored in a climate controlled environment for the past 30 years.   Exterior Cabernet Red Metallic presents as a warm shade of brown and in this case, a bit of flair is added with a double pinstripe in orange and tan. Not that flair is needed, the style of the car says it all. Low and wide, its long hood leading a sizable cab forward with large front fenders and shorter wheel openings in back give the car a laid back profile that is magnified when the top is down, or off, in the case of the accessory hardtop. The windshield is raked but not radically, and the shoulder line is straight terminating in sharp vertical angles in the front and back. The unmistakable tail lights are quintessential Mercedes from this era, a continuous bar of alternating colors with the marker light at the corner, covering the back and the side. The chrome bumpers are in very good condition as is the grille surround and iconic Mercedes three point star on the nose. The black canvas top and its trio of plastic windows are in great shape, with some ever so slight cloudiness on the plastic. The color keyed hard top is about as mint as we've seen. In fact, we could find no major exterior imperfection in paint, metal, or body. Interior Solid heavy doors, a Mercedes mainstay, are lined with a wonderful stretch of beige leather with perforated panels and a robust door pull and armrest. Inside, the robust bucket seats, also in beige leather, show no wear and the carpeted rear shelf is spotless. In true Benz fashion, from the steering wheel forward is a compilation of nice materials and design, resilient in their tendency to age or loosen, a solid collection of gauges, lights, and switches that still look and feel fresh. A strip of wood separates the black dash top from the beige lower and the wood is prominent in the center stack and console. A Becker AM/FM/Cassette player is in the top center with a myriad of heater and AC buttons in the burl panel below. The shifter and more buttons reside in the center console, backed by an armrest, all in spectacular condition with one faded spot in the wood veneer. Tan carpet below is plush and clean, protected by MB woven mats, while the trunk is lined in the carpet end to end.  Drivetrain Under the long hood, we find a clean engine bay housing a 3.8 liter V8, fuel injected and rated at 155 horsepower. A 4-speed automatic transmission sends power to the rear wheels and 2.47 gears, while power disc brakes on all four wheels assure when it's time to exit the Autobahn, the brakes will be up for the task. We note the insulation pad is a bit detached from the underside of the hood.   Undercarriage Another feature that is as clean as we've seen on the make and model, there's an overall lack of surface rust and any dampness as all. Components are free of grease and minor dust from the road is the only thing that's here added after the factory. The single exhaust flows into an original equipment muffler, then exists as two tips on the left rear of the car. Coil spring suspension is found on the front and back, both independent.    Drive-Ability You don't have to twist my arm to take a classic Mercedes onto the test loop. Thud goes the door and with a turn of the key, we're test loop bound. The 380