On the cusp of the nineties, Mercedes introduced the newest heir to their SL sports car ancestry – the R129. Brimming with enhanced performance, safety, and style the brand-new SL was a worthy successor to the lineage, but in 1995, it was time for a refreshment. The bodywork was smoothed over, the interior updated, and the engine and transmission saw revisions that augmented power and speed. First available in 1996, Mercedes elected to premiere the new SL to the public as a parade car during the US Grand Prix races. Forty SL500s were selected from the assembly line and painted in red, white, or blue, fitted with select options, and christened with limited edition US 500 badging. Soon to seat itself on our auction block is likely the finest example of this unique edition offering.
Colored in Imperial Red, this SL500 was sold at a Roger Penske Mercedes dealership to Roger Penske himself. He kept the car in a collection from new until 2006, accruing only 300 miles during those ten years. From the factory, each USGP SL500 was fitted with the SL1 package that included AMG revised bumpers and side skirts, AMG 18” monoblock alloy wheels with high-performance tires, projector-beam front fog lights, and specifically for the USGP cars – unique exterior badging. Accompanying the sale is the originally supplied body-color matching removable hardtop roof with a new headliner that sits above the black fabric top.
Inside the cabin, tan Parchment leather surfaces the electrically adjustable sports seats, center console, door panels, and steering wheel. Elsewhere, burl walnut trims the door panels, steering wheel, gear lever, and center stack. Below, plush tan carpeting covers the floorboards and atop those rest custom US 500/Mercedes-Benz branded floor mats. A 6-speaker Bose stereo system, automatic climate control, remote alarm system, and an automatically dimming rearview mirror are just some of the standard options supplied on the nearly $90,000 when-new Mercedes. The five-gauge instrument cluster has a 160mph central speedometer, and the digital odometer reports only a few miles over 6,000 have been driven.
Larger brakes, new engines, and a better suspension arrangement with electronic aids were all developed when the R129 first launched. In 1995, the motor saw further renovations push the performance even higher. In total, 315-horsepower and 347 lb-ft of torque were produced from the 5.0-liter V8 engine and maintenance records indicate that it has been well cared for over the years. The transmission, also during the 1995 refresh, received another gear (now five) and updated electronic management software. This change made gear shifts more responsive, more intuitive, and provided better fuel control.
Supplementing the sale are the original owner’s manuals and window sticker. A certificate signed by several prominent Grand Prix race car drivers verifies the authenticity of this SL500 as a pace car and several other pieces of Grand Prix memorabilia are included along with it. A clean Carfax report and clean Montana title are assured.
