2006 Mercedes-Benz SL500 AMG Sport (R230)

Highlights

• Under 2,500 miles per year from new

• Post-facelift 5.5-litre M273 V8 with 383bhp

• Sienna Brown leather interior in excellent condition

• Recently main dealer service

• Retractable metal hardtop - two cars in one

Overview

The R230 SL arrived in 2002 and quickly made its mark as one of the great open-top grand tourers. For 2006, Mercedes-Benz introduced the revised 5.5-litre M273 V8, a smooth and refined unit producing 383bhp through a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Paired with the retractable metal hardtop that transforms from coupe to convertible in 16 seconds, it's a car that does the work of two with genuine year-round usability.

This particular SL500 wears the AMG Sport Package, bringing purposeful body styling, sportier wheels and exhaust, and a firmer suspension setup. Finished in black over Sienna Brown leather, it's a combination that still looks properly elegant 20 years on. The car has covered just 48,148 miles since November 2006, averaging fewer than 2,500 miles a year. That's the kind of mileage that suggests weekends, sunny days and the occasional proper drive, lovely.

For anyone after a well-specified R230 that's been gently used and not just hidden away, this one makes a strong case. The 5.5-litre V8 is a wonderfully understated powerplant, quiet at a cruise and properly muscular when you ask it. Combined with the AMG Sport Package and that remarkably low mileage, it's a lot of grand tourer for the money.

History and Documentation

• First registered 30 November 2006; first keeper held the car for nearly 11 years, current owner since July 2022

• Service records show services as follows: PDI (Mercedes-Benz Park Lane), Nov 2007 @ 5,126 miles (Mercedes-Benz Hampstead – Service A), Nov 2008 @ 9,211 miles (Mercedes-Benz Hampstead – Service B), Nov 2009 @ 11,544 miles (Mercedes-Benz Temple Fortune – Service A), Dec 2010 @ 13,365 miles (Mercedes-Benz Temple Fortune – Service A), Dec 2011 @ 14,538 miles (Mercedes-Benz Temple Fortune – Service A), Dec 2012 @ 16,286 miles (Mercedes-Benz Temple Fortune – Service B), Mar 2015 @ 20,938 miles (C.D. Carriage, St John's Wood – Rolls-Royce specialist – Service B), Apr 2017 @ 25,600 miles (Oslo Court, St John's Wood – Rolls-Royce specialist – Service B), Apr 2018 @ 29,253 miles (Mercedes-Benz Cambridge – Service A), Apr 2019 @ 38,043 miles (Griffon Garage, Colchester – specialist – Service B, new MOT), Jun 2020 @ 40,327 miles (Alresford Garage), Jun 2022 @ 43,721 miles (Classic Chrome), Sep 2023 @ 46,472 miles (Mercedes Brighton), Nov 2024 @ 47,771 miles (Mercedes, Service A), Jun 2026 @ 48,148 miles (Mercedes Brighton, Service B)

• HPI clear

• Current MOT expires 29 Jun 2027 

• Private registration B17EAA is not included in the sale - car will revert to an age-appropriate plate

Interior

• Sienna Brown perforated leather upholstery in excellent condition with no tears, cracking or fading

• Dashboard, COMAND system and door cards all in very good order

• Three-spoke multifunction heated steering wheel; light sheen visible on the wheel rim

• Proximity-controlled cruise control

• Parktronic

• Electric folding mirrors

• Centre armrest lid shows minor surface scuffs

• Driver's seat bolster shows light creasing consistent with mileage

• Wood veneer trim presents with age-appropriate patina

• Boot space clean and tidy; minor grubbiness noted in the boot sub-floor area

• Mercedes-Benz carpet mats fitted, carpets clean throughout

• Service/engine warning light illuminated on the dashboard

Exterior

• Obsidian Black paintwork in excellent condition with good depth and gloss, no colour mismatch between panels

• AMG Sport body styling including front and rear bumpers, side skirts and badges

• Five-spoke AMG alloy wheels with twin oval exhaust tips

• Chrome grille bright and free from pitting

• Panoramic glass roof panel in good order

• Headlamps clear with no hazing

• Light stone-chipping on the front bumper leading edge

• Minor scuff above the offside front wheel arch

Mechanical

• 5,461cc M273 V8 producing 383bhp

• Seven-speed automatic gearbox

• All standard, with no aftermarket modifications visible

• Recent major service at a main dealer

• The seller reports that the car “Starts very well and runs perfectly”

Summary

With fewer than 48,200 miles on the clock and a condition to match, this AMG Sport-equipped SL500 is a genuinely well-preserved example of the post-facelift R230. The 5.5-litre V8, seven-speed automatic and retractable hardtop make it a proper all-season grand tourer, and the AMG Sport Package adds just enough visual sharpness without shouting about it. Although there is an engine management light to check out, with a recent main dealer service, it should be just about ready to go.

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Brighton.