Classic Classified: 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster

From: Car Classics

Date: December 1978

Price then: $25,000 ($89,600 adjusted for inflation – about the cost of a new 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 3LZ)

Price now: $1,100,000 – $1,800,000

Approximate dollar difference: $1,560,000 (assuming #2 condition)

Approximate annual rate of return: 8.1%

1960 Mercedes 300SL coupe/roadster. New paint, silver, Medium blue leather restored to original color – 95% perfect. Mechanically excellent. 31,450 miles. Both tops. $25,000.

If this asking price isn’t motivation forsomeone to finish their DeLorean time machine, I don’t know what is. Compared to today’s 300SL prices, this looks like the deal of the century – even if it was expensive by 1978 stanards – if the new owner hung on to her for another 37 years. Granted, the 300SL has only recently begun to explode in value, but anyone out there who may have passed up this car because “it’s just another old Mercedes” is probably kicking himself right about now.