For sale is a 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL600 (no title).
It's not often that a car goes unsold for years, but every once in a while it happens, as in the case of this 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL600 found by Motor1. This V12-powered convertible was never registered and was offered for sale through Mercedes' Classic Center in Irvine, California.
It was one of the last SL generation R129 models built by Mercedes; its successor, the R230 SL, went into production in 2001.The R129 was a long-running model, launched in 1989. The 6.0-liter V12 engine was introduced in 1992 as the 600SL. In 1993, the name was changed to SL600 and the engine was modified with a fuel injection system to reduce emissions.
The improved V12 engine developed 394 hp and, according to Mercedes, accelerated from 0 to 62 mph in 6.1 seconds. Top speed was electronically limited at 155 mph.
Since the car was built after 1995, a five-speed automatic was used as the transmission. This gearbox was quite advanced for its time and had its own electronic control unit, which could adapt gear shifts to different driving conditions and interact with the engine management system.
The car is equipped with an optional AMG styling package including a front spoiler, side skirts and AMG wheels. It has only 427 miles on the odometer.
The price for originality is $135,000. This is about $10,000 more than the price of the 2001 and $20,000 more than the price of the 2020 SL550 (the current top-of-the-line SL). However, buyers seem willing to pay big bucks for collectibles like time capsules: a 2017 1996 SL500 with only 80 miles on the odometer sold for $73,000, a tidy sum for this junior R129 model.
