One of the most enlightening trips I ever took in a classic car was a few years ago when I drove a Mercedes SEC from Chicago to the Amelia Island concours. I had test driven a number of these cars over the years and always though they were impressive, but that trip made me realize that the W126 Mercedes SEC is probably the best GT coupe of the 1980s and early 1990s. The drive was effortless, comfortable, and quick. The SEC was the very essence of the European luxury car experience. Our Pick of the Day is the final version of these amazing vehicles, a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Classic Mercedes-Benz cars from this era seem be a bit different than other classic cars. Mileage is not as important a factor to the condition of a car, with many higher-mileage Mercedes being in excellent condition. Some of this is to due to the types of owners these cars had when new, as this 560SEC had an MSRP of more than $82,000. Another factor is that these are considered by many enthusiasts to be the finest cars the company ever built.
The exterior of this car looks to be in nice original condition, with only a few slight flaws. As a bonus, this 560SEC is factory-painted in a rare color for an SEC: Cabernet Red Metallic. It is a color I have never seen before on this vehicle.
The interior also looks great, with tan leather seats in amazing condition, with little evidence of wear. The dash is either uncracked, has been replaced, or had a cover expertly installed, as it looks perfect. The burled trim is also in nice shape, though it shows cracking on the center console and doors. This looks like a fine driver-level example and, as-is, this interior would be great place to spend time while covering hundreds of miles at high speed.
Under the hood is a 5.5-liter Mercedes M117 SOHC V-8 that produces 238 horsepower and 287 lb-ft of torque. Those might not sound like big numbers today, but they were enough to cover the 0-60 sprint in 7 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. Back in the day, these were numbers that meant serious performance, especially for a 4,000-pound car.
The underside looks solid, though there is evidence of surface rust — something to be expected in a car from this era and mileage. That being said, it really appears that there is nothing that I would be too concerned about.
A very low mileage example of a 560SEC commands serious money today, sometimes as much as $100,000. But cars like this higher-mileage 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC seem to be overlooked despite being a great value — in this case, $23,400. For a 560SEC that looks well cared for, includes all its original books, and is painted in an unusual and rare color, this is a good find considering that its original MSRP translates as more than $200,000 today.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
