Tuesday 17th December 2013

Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9: Spotted

Big V8, big saloon, big want

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To the mild annoyance of Dan, occupier of the Mercedes-Benz Enthusiast editor's seat for a few years, I would always have classed myself as a BMW kind of guy. M3 over C-Class AMG, Z4 over SLK, 7 Series over S-Class and so on. However, with a few tactical bum-on-seat placements including the SLS GT3, C63 507 and A45 AMG, I'm coming round to his way of thinking. Perhaps.

Milan Brown perfectly 70s

Mention the 450SEL 6.9 in the PH office and a chorus of reverential 'oohs' and 'lovely car, that' will reply. It's just one of those cars that, regardless of your motoring preferences or biases, seems to garner a positive reception. Cue a negative response to this SEL then...

You just know cars like the 450 6.9 are for Very Important People. And not some foppish darling of the charts but the kind of individual that never has to introduce themselves anywhere. This car spent 28 years with the Qatari Embassy in London from new which seems wholly appropriate given the car's stature. British fuel prices must have come as a shock...

Can you imagine a V8 Merc with 'Beige Velour' and not leather in 2013? Funnily enough, despite the lack of leather and comically bulbous 215/70/VR14 tyres, it still exudes luxury in a world of 22-inch rims and hide-covered everything. It's probably timeless in that respect, in the same way a Caterham Seven will always look sporty.

It's that badge on the right that's vital

As you'll now from our PH Heroes feature last year, there's one stat that defines the SEL driving experience; the torque. The modern cliche of having so much torque that any gear will do actually applies in the SEL's case as it only has three but 405lb ft. The 286hp peak power seems largely irrelevant.

Dan's story will fill you in more on driving the SEL but, as this is a classifieds-based feature, seeking out some other £25K pluto-barges would seem apposite. Its Rolls-Royce contemporary, the Silver Shadow, is available at the same price, and this Bentley Arnage T offers an intriguing modern alternative for a couple of thousand more. For a BMW-based wildcard, how about an Alpina 8 Series? It too is rare, distinctive, powerful... you want the Merc though, don't you?

Mercedes is gradually phasing out its mighty V8s as emissions regs become more stringent. If the slightly in-yer-face style of some modern AMGs doesn't appeal, there can't be many cooler ways to get a Mercedes V8 fix.

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MERCEDES-BENZ 450SEL 6.9
Engine: 6,834cc V8
Transmission: 3-speed, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 286@4,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 405@3,000rpm
MPG: You have to ask?
CO2: See above
Recorded mileage: 96,500
First registered: 1979
Price new: £21,995
Yours for: £24,995

See the original advert here

[405dogvan]

That 8 Series is "still under warranty from BMW" - erm - it's 22 years old, I don't think it's BMW who's warranting it surely!?

The MB is lovely but I think it might be just a BIT too much in this age - just a bit TOO retro!?

[jamespink]

Just can't see me being happy shelling out £25k to sit in a big brown car with velour seats, however supportive they may be. Doubtless its well built but it will be wallowy, bouncy under steary and just not that much fun. By comparison, the BMW 8 series Alpina (linked in the article) will feel very rapid, will corner and be a far more engaging drive (it will also not look like it was designed in the sixties. SEC yes, not this...

[WMP]

No Ronin reference?

[vixen1700]

It's nice, but the 300 SEL 6.3 would be my big engined Merc of choice.

[300bhp/ton]

It's nice, but maybe I'm out of touch, I was thinking more like £5k, not £25k.

[only1ian]

That Alpina is worth every penny. Would love some details of that BMW warrenty though!

[monthefish]

"Yours for: £24,995"

[Devil2575]

405dogvan said:

That 8 Series is "still under warranty from BMW" - erm - it's 22 years old, I don't think it's BMW who's warranting it surely!?

The MB is lovely but I think it might be just a BIT too much in this age - just a bit TOO retro!?

You can pay to extend the warranty on any BMW up to 100k.

https://www.bmw-warranty.co.uk/Home/Content/Compre...

A car that is 22 years old and still covered under the BMW warranty is a sign of a "money no object" owner.

I'd take the Alpina 850 over that Merc any day of the week,

[APOLO1]

I had one of these when I was 20, Company car...In Dark Green. Think there were only a hand full around at the time.....Proper weapon...

[Mavican]

WMP said:

No Ronin reference?

Mentioning Ronin in a post was what I was exactly thinking.

[rtz62]

jamespink said:

Just can't see me being happy shelling out £25k to sit in a big brown car with velour seats, however supportive they may be. Doubtless its well built but it will be wallowy, bouncy under steary and just not that much fun. By comparison, the BMW 8 series Alpina (linked in the article) will feel very rapid, will corner and be a far more engaging drive (it will also not look like it was designed in the sixties. SEC yes, not this...

Hmmmmn. Try telling that to Elizabeth Windsor; unless I am sadly mistaken, the Royal Throne cushion is covered in cloth, rather than leather, and if cloth is good enough for Her Royal Highness......
I've never been sure what the modern preoccupation with cow-skin is, apart from a way for manufacturers to con punters into paying even more for a car.

Every time I see one of these my mind goes back to the sad picture of one parked up, on bricks, on James Hunts drive, as his divorce virtually bankrupted him and he couldn't afford to run it. NLT 935W iirc.

Hydropneumatic suspension, dry sump, and a 1st gear that reaches to 65mph, with second letting it romp to over 100mph; what's not to like? (And then whispers softly "fuel consumption).

[PatrickOUFC]

One of these at 20 as a company car!?

[rtz62]

jamespink said:

Just can't see me being happy shelling out £25k to sit in a big brown car with velour seats, however supportive they may be. Doubtless its well built but it will be wallowy, bouncy under steary and just not that much fun. By comparison, the BMW 8 series Alpina (linked in the article) will feel very rapid, will corner and be a far more engaging drive (it will also not look like it was designed in the sixties. SEC yes, not this...

Hmmmmn. Try telling that to Elizabeth Windsor; unless I am sadly mistaken, the Royal Throne cushion is covered in cloth, rather than leather, and if cloth is good enough for Her Royal Highness......
I've never been sure what the modern preoccupation with cow-skin is, apart from a way for manufacturers to con punters into paying even more for a car.

Every time I see one of these my mind goes back to the sad picture of one parked up, on bricks, on James Hunts drive, as his divorce virtually bankrupted him and he couldn't afford to run it. NLT 935W iirc.

Hydropneumatic suspension, dry sump, and a 1st gear that reaches to 65mph, with second letting it romp to over 100mph; what's not to like? (And then whispers softly "fuel consumption).

[j_s14a]

Utterly gorgeous car, but a frankly ridiculous price.

[TIGA84]

Bargain.

Considering these are now THIS MUCH MONEY!!!!!!

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...

buy one now - they'll be 100k in a couple of years.

[rtz62]

Strange how much the 'face' of the car changed when the yanks fitted the twin headlights per side;
You can legislate for safety but you can't legislate for appearance, apparently.

[jdcampbell]

TIGA84 said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...

I positively hate it when, as in this advert, the vendor states " the finest colour combination of ................"

This is a matter of personal opinion and not fact so */@##'/*+- stop telling me what to think.

I know, I know, I'm just a grumpy old man - I just felt like having a rant!

[Wolands Advocate]

vixen1700 said:

It's nice, but the 300 SEL 6.3 would be my big engined Merc of choice.

Me too.

I watched "Frost Nixon" the other day and noted Frost spends the film tooling around in a Fed-spec 6.9.

[APOLO1]

PatrickOUFC said:

One of these at 20 as a company car!?

Yep.....I was the top sales person....they could not afford to pay me more due to making the much older guys look daft.... I had over 250 active accounts at any time....this was before the WWW we had telex back then....So we agreed as to what car I could have....we had 2 6.9, a brown and met green one...I then went on to a 78 Blk Porsche Turbo.....at 21 and a bit...

[only1ian]

Devil2575 said:

405dogvan said:

That 8 Series is "still under warranty from BMW" - erm - it's 22 years old, I don't think it's BMW who's warranting it surely!?

The MB is lovely but I think it might be just a BIT too much in this age - just a bit TOO retro!?

You can pay to extend the warranty on any BMW up to 100k.

https://www.bmw-warranty.co.uk/Home/Content/Compre...

A car that is 22 years old and still covered under the BMW warranty is a sign of a "money no object" owner.

I'd take the Alpina 850 over that Merc any day of the week,

Thats interesting to know! Wonder how much a comprehensive warranty is on a 22 year old handbuilt car with a 5.0 engine that had custom Alpina bits