Mercedes-Benz SLC (1971 – 1980) Review

Item: Mercedes-Benz SLC (1971 – 1980) Review 2024
Author: Administrator

Mercedes-Benz 500 SLC '81

£38,094

View more cars for sale

Mercedes-Benz SLC (1971 – 1980) At A Glance

Pillarless and offered with some great V8 engines

Awkward stretched-SL looks

Some say that Mercedes-Benz took the easy way out when it came to developing its large coupe to accompany the W116 S-Class on the market. Effectively it took the R107 roadster and added 14 inches to its wheelbase, added a fixed roof and a pair of rear seats.

The car was a mere 70kg heavier than the SL it was based upon, which is no mean feat, given the engineering changes needed to beef-up the car's structure to become a four-seater coupe. the SLC was launched in 1971 with a 3.5-litre V8, and it was joined the following year by a 4.5-litre version that outsold the smaller engine by more than two to one.

Elegant and well detailed, but oddly proportioned.

Ask Honest John

What's the value of a classic Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC that has been written off and restored?

"I have been looking for a classic Mercedes-Benz and have come across a beautiful Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC. Trouble is, an HPI check shows that it was written off, but was not a total loss. It seems someone has carefully restored it over the years and it has been well maintained. How would I know if it's good value?"

Get it professionally inspected. But it will always have this stigma attached so it will never be worth anything like as much as one without this blot in its history. If all you want is the car at a very good price and have no intention of making an investment of it, then it might be okay to buy it. But it will always be difficult to sell.

Answered by Honest John