A Mercedes-Benz stolen 27 years ago recovered in mint condition
A mint condition Mercedes stolen over 27 years ago has been recovered.
The dated ‘stylish’ Mercedes-Benz SL500 was stolen back in 1991 but it has now been recovered in almost showroom condition and is ready to go for a huge price at auction.
At the time of auction, the top bid online was at US$25,500 (€22,400), which is about double its estimated value in the US.
The 1991 Merc went to auction in Pennsylvania in the United States with hopes of setting a record price. The recovered stolen car has travelled just 1909km in 27 years.
According to the auction house, Copart, the SL500 sports car was stolen from the dealership in 1991 and was not recovered until late 2018.
The metallic teal convertible has a 5.0-litre V8 engine with only 1186 miles (1909 km) on the clock since it left the production line in Stuttgart in October 1991. It was discovered that the car had been stored inside for almost the full 27 years.
The pictures of the vintage Merc show it to be in almost pristine condition. The only damage seems to be a minor dent and some scratches. The auctioneer says it “has a key, runs and drives and is being sold on a clean title”.
The Mercedes-Benz SL500 was an innovative car in its day, with a pop-up rollover bar to protect occupants in a crash but it is outclassed by even the most basic cars today. Back in 1991 though, the SL500’s most hi-tech features were cruise control, anti-lock brakes and a single airbag,
This is not the first time a similar low mileage Mercedes went to auction. In 2017 a 1996 version of the same Mercedes-Benz SL was auctioned with just 81 miles on the clock. It was given as a present to a wealthy owner as a birthday present in 1996 but he lost the keys and so it was never driven. It was locked in a central London garage for over twenty years before the keys were finally discovered and the car sent for sale. The car sold at auction for €56,640 euros.
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