40k-Mile 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560 SL

Description

In September 1985, the SL models received a major update and were unveiled at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. The refreshed lineup featured subtle exterior changes, improved front suspension, and, most notably, a new range of engines. The highlight was a 5.5-liter V8 engine, producing significantly more power by extending the stroke of the previous 5.0-liter unit. This engine was used in the S-Class sedans and coupes in the domestic market, while the 560 SL was exclusively exported to the USA, Australia, and Japan with a detuned version due to emissions regulations. Production of the 300 SL through 560 SL models ended in August 1989, concluding a series that began with the 350 SL more than 18 years earlier. 

Highlights 

• Offered with just under 40,000 miles at the time of listing 

• Retained by a single family since new 

• Finished in Signal Red (568) over a Cream Beige Leather interior 

• Powered by a 5.5-liter “M117” V8 rated at 227 horsepower 

• Four-speed automatic transmission 

• Black folding soft top 

• Chrome 15 inch “Gullideckel” aluminum alloy wheels with gold center caps 

• Eclipse AM/FM/CD radio 

• The options code plate reveals the following information: 

  • 442 – Airbag in steering wheel 

  • 494 – California market 

  • 551– Anti-theft warning system 

• Clean CARFAX Vehicle History Report 

Features 

• Limited slip differential 

• Aluminum rear trailing arms with anti-squat geometry 

• Automatic climate control 

• Power steering 

• Four-wheel power disc brakes 

• Cruise control 

• Power windows 

• Central locking 

• Door mounted map pockets 

• Lockable glove box 

• Fog lights 

• Outside temperature gauge 

• Leather wrapped steering wheel and gear knob 

• Carpeted trunk 

• Bucket seats 

• Electrically heated rear window in the hard top 

Known Imperfections 

• A minor battery drain is thought to stem from the Eclipse radio 

• Minor tears in the soft top, as pictured 

• The tires are reported to need replacement 

• Wear to the seals for the hardtop to the top of the windshield, as pictured 

Included 

• First aid kit 

• Owner’s manuals 

• Hard top stand 

• Car cover 

Ownership History 

The CARFAX Vehicle History Report for this 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560 SL starts in California in April 1991 at 10,819 miles. The consignor reports that in 1989 her husband first leased the car before purchasing it when it expired. She reports that the car was kept in their garage since it was new, with the registration having been updated to the consignor’s name in January 2020, upon her husband's passing in 2019.