1995 Mercedes-Benz SL72 AMG For Sale With 42,000 Miles: A 7.2-Liter V12 That Pagani Fell In Love With

"They just don't make 'em like they used to." It's an expression that is oft overused, but it certainly applies in the case of this 1995 Mercedes-Benz SL72 AMG, currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer. Just 35 of these were built under the guidance of legendary engineer and designer Bruno Sacco, widely regarded as the man responsible for turning Mercedes into a powerhouse of innovation excellence, and this example has only around 42,000 miles on the clock. Well, technically, it's racked up 67,867 kilometers, because this example was originally sold new through ART Sports in Tokyo, Japan. Now available in the U.S., this presents a rare opportunity to own something that is equally at home at a cars & coffee event as it would be in a museum, thanks in no small part to the 7.2-liter V12 engine that would later find its way into the Pagani Zonda.
Subtle AMG Elements Make This A Classy Beast

Finished in Brilliant Silver Metallic (and resprayed in 2003), this SL72 comes with a pristine removable body-color hardtop, with the power-operated black soft top in equally excellent condition, and to the uninitiated, it looks like just another Mercedes roadster from the 1990s, but to those who know, the AMG body kit, sports exhaust, wood trims, 300km/h speedometer, and 17-inch OZ Racing Aero III split wheels are telltale signs of the menacing motor. The next owner should be comfortable exploring the performance, with new Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires having been fitted in August of this year, at which time a suspension alignment was also performed. In other words, revving each gear on the four-speed automatic transmission all the way out to 7,000 rpm will be a pleasure.
The SL72 Isn't Cheap

With an immaculate Exclusive Black leather interior and almost no signs of wear throughout the vehicle (including the undercarriage), this example is ready to fetch a substantial sum. With two days to go on the auction, the current highest bid is at $280,000. That's an immense chunk of change, especially when you consider that no contemporary Mercedes SL comes close to that price; the SL 63 S E Performance starts at $207,900, and it would take a lot of options to rival this classic's current bid. But as noted at the outset, this SL72 represents a bygone era that will never be repeated - even if the retro-loving Mercedes-Benz Vision Iconic comes to life as a production car. This is a relic, but also a monument to the technological war between Mercedes and BMW that sprouted some of the finest tourers ever made, and the bragging rights of having a 7.2-liter V12 at your behest are surely worth the extraordinary price.
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