The W126 Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan was the absolute best car of its era in the European luxury car segment. Typically, I am against black cars due to the care needed to keep them looking nice, but this is one of the few that I like in black. Our Pick of the Day is an excellent example of these amazing cars, a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Nashville, Tennessee.
The great Johnny Cash with his personal 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL
The fact that this car is black also intrigues me for another reason. You see, the last car owned and driven by the legendary Johnny Cash was a Mercedes W126 S-Class and, as you might have guessed, it was black. As a big Johnny Cash fan, I find this specific 500SEL even more alluring. J.C. was not the only notable owner of Mercedes’ top-line sedan, either. Other famous owners include The Beatles’ George Harrison and Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson, Lucille Ball, Malcolm McDowell, and Joe DiMaggio. The Mercedes SEL was THE sedan to own in the 1980s and ’90s. Note that this is not Johnny Cash’s Mercedes; his was actually a 560SEL, but this is a very nice 500SEL and in the same color scheme as his car.
The seller describes this 500SEL as being finished in its original black paint that looks to be in excellent condition. If I were to buy it, I would replace the base-model Mercedes steel wheels and hubcaps with a set of factory Bundt wheels. Some of my Mercedes collector friends disagree with this, but I really like the factory alloy wheels better. That being said, the current wheels are something seldom seen on a 1980s S-Class Mercedes.
The interior is finished in Palomino leather with Burl Walnut wood dash trim. The leather, wood, and carpets all look to be in extremely nice condition. As an added bonus, the dash top shows no cracks, which can plague these cars as they age.
Under the hood is the Mercedes 5.0-liter M117 V-8 that was rated at 184 horsepower and 247 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. Those might not sound like huge numbers, but they gave the 500SEL a 0-60 time of 7.8 seconds and a top speed of more than 140 mph, strong numbers for a German luxury sedan in 1985. Everything under the hood looks to be factory-correct and in excellent condition. Recent work includes an A/C service, oil change, and new brake fluid, tires, vacuum pump, and shifter bushings. The listing states the car needs nothing.
The condition of this stunning 500SEL should come as no surprise when you realize that total mileage is only 59,000-plus miles from new. This is what I would call a collector-grade Mercedes W126 sedan. Not only is it a car that you can show, but it is one of those collector cars that works effortlessly as a daily driver.
In 1985, when this 500SEL was new, it had a sticker price of more than $52,000, making it one of the most expensive cars in the world. That was for a reason: W126s are some of the finest sedans ever built by any company ever. The asking price for this 1985 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL — one of the best Mercedes W126 sedans I have seen for sale in years — is a very affordable $26,500.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
