1978 | Mercedes-Benz 450 SEL 6,9

So very happy to have this beast back with us again - we previously kept for about 6 months and enjoyed every minute with her - she quite liked visiting her friends at the fuel stations, and quite often, even though we had only visited them only a few days earlier, she insisted on seeing them again!!

To be fair when she was born in the late seventies, times were very different and super saloons with enormous engine capacities where the norm - Jaguar had their V12 with 5.3 litres (same horse power as the Merc 6.9), but the Germans out stretched everyone in Europe with the nearly 7.0 litre V8 big block motor

Stacked with every conceivable extra (well except the electric seats of the Rolls & Bentley - who were vastly more expensive) she was the European businessman Bahnstormer Express

Since we sold her 5 years ago, she has been looked after by our friends at Thornley Kelham for normal fettling and servicing, (bills on file for £ 12K - thank you), she has been treated to a full interior re-trim with front seat heating (nice idea), all veneers have been re-polished and a modern / traditional looking stereo fitted (looking for that bill - but it'll be eye watering, I'm sure)

She is a crackerjack of a super saloon and not many 6.9's are in this amazing condition

Here is what we said when we sold her 5 years ago - all of which stands to this very day (note the change of interior from factory velour to factory MB Tex):-

This was the top of the line Mercedes in her day, and these 'super saloons' were more than low key

Only the tiniest badge on the rear deck of the boot lid gave away the game - but those magic numbers were all you looked for at the back of any Mercedes saloon in period - 6.9 was the rarest of all

Sadly as they were soooo expensive, and looked exactly the same as the normal 280SE, 350SE 450SE or SEL so many potential owners would shy away just because of this

At least with a Bentley / Rolls-Royce there was no mistaking what you were driving - no matter how fast the 6.9 was

Most German cars in period, in fact until the early nineties, didn't even come with a radio, let alone an electric sunroof, windows or heaven forbid air conditioning

Whilst at least when you coughed up your cheque for a new 6.9, she came with all of the above and more too

Our example was supplied by Normand (Mayfair) Ltd of Park Lane, London - I suppose they were the 'go to' garage in period

All of the original services were carried by them for the first 6 years (the original service voucher booklet handily is still in the raft of paperwork in the huge history folder) there are 17 stamps in the booklet backed up with MoT's and invoices from well renowned service specialists like John Haynes (1990 - 2008) and our chum Steve Redfearn (2012 - 2018)

The original mileage is just over 100.000 now and the last journey undertaken by our intredip owner was a trip to Stuttgart in the Autumn of 2018

He has just spent a small fortune sorting out the suspension (phew so that's OK now for a few years again) and she does drive quite swimmingly

We took her up to Hertfordshire for a run here and there and she really does feel like a car which has been properly looked after - so many of these 6.9 or even 6.3's are a real disappointment when left unattended for too long

Cosmetically she is sharp outside and in too - she, unusually retains her lovely velour interior, which is in magnificent condition and makes the interior much quieter than the alternative leather (much more comfortable too)

Not many 6.9's in RHD either, and even less in such original and unmolested condition

We're smitten and think you will be too