Britons Refuse to Sell a 43-Year-Old ‘New’ Mercedes-Benz: 500 SL Heads to a Museum Instead
A British classic car specialist has decided not to sell what might be the most perfectly preserved Mercedes-Benz 500 SL in existence. The SL Shop, the UK’s leading restorer of classic Mercedes models, announced that a 1982 500 SL with just 67 kilometres on the clock will not go under the hammer but instead become a permanent museum exhibit.
The story began in 1982, when a gentleman from Staffordshire, Mr Hough, ordered a brand-new Mercedes-Benz 500 SL, ticking every available option box. Upon delivery, the car was transported directly from the dealership to his private garage. It was never registered, never driven.
Mr Hough treated his car like a work of art rather than a machine. His garage was equipped with climate control and a dehumidifier, maintaining perfect temperature and humidity levels for more than four decades. The result is a car that looks as though it rolled off the production line yesterday.
Still Factory Fresh After Four Decades
After 43 years, the odometer reads just 42 miles (67.5 kilometres). The paint gleams as if freshly polished in Stuttgart, the leather interior still carries that unmistakable new-car scent, and even the factory protective coatings remain visible in places. When the SL Shop team inspected the vehicle, they found it in astonishingly original condition, a true automotive time capsule.
Beyond Price
When Mr Hough recently approached the SL Shop to find a new custodian for his beloved 500 SL, the company faced a difficult choice. Experts estimated that the car could fetch over 250,000 US dollars (about 235,000 euros) at auction, yet the team decided against selling it. Instead, they chose to preserve it as a tribute to its owner’s care and dedication, displaying it permanently at their headquarters.
The chrome still shines, the engine still waits, and time, it seems, has politely stopped — exactly as Mr Hough intended.
