1979 Mercedes-benz 450sel 6.9: Exceptional, One Owner, 42k Mi, Entirely Original on 2040-cars

Offered for sale is a truly exceptional, low mileage, one owner, completely documented, entirely original 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9, finished in factory original and ever-popular Astral Silver Metallic (DB 735) over Black leather seats. Sporting only 42k original miles and correspondingly negligible wear, this W116 6.9 is arguably the finest available on the market today, the very best of Mercedes’ very best. Sporting the fabled M100 6.9L V8 engine, a hydro-pneumatic self-leveling suspension and more technological advancements than any other car available at the time, owning this wolf in sheep’s clothing new was reserved for only the most discriminating and (at a sticker price of more than $52k), moneyed buyers. Unfortunately the cars were also comparably expensive to maintain, causing a vast majority of them to fall into disrepair in their secondary or tertiary owners’ care. Finding exceptionally clean, well-maintained, original and low mileage examples is virtually impossible, and for this reason their popularity with collectors has realized a significant resurgence.

Consequently we feel fortunate to have come across this example, one that would be entirely at home in either a serious Mercedes collection or the garage of a weekend enthusiast. Sold new by Murray Motor Imports of Denver, CO to its first and only owner, the car comes with its original window sticker, denoting a fully loaded example (including optional sunroof) delivered in July of 1979 with a sales price of $52,025.00. A wealthy Denver area businessman, the original owner always had the car serviced at either Murray Motor Imports (the Mercedes dealership there at the time), Mercedes-Benz of Littleton, CO or Star Tech of Denver, a highline independent Mercedes specialist.

Accompanying the car is a thick stack of service receipts for all the work ever performed throughout his 35 years of ownership, providing both evidence of the high level of maintenance the car has received, as well as a chain of paperwork that confirms that the 42k miles showing on the odometer are entirely original. Used sparingly throughout the years but always kept up, garaged and used only in suitable weather, the car is in fantastic original condition throughout, including an accident and rust-free history and completely original paint.

The factory original Astral Silver finish is entirely consistent, deep and lustrous, marred only by the most insignificant of imperfections, none of which appear in any of the pictures. The body is entirely straight, free of any evidence of accident repairs and with consistent, correct gaps and panel fits. The chrome is in excellent original condition, as is the glass and rubber, and the light alloy wheels are flawless and wrapped in tires with plenty of remaining tread. The car’s undercarriage is original and entirely solid, never subjected to the elements and free of cancerous corrosion. The car’s interior is equally as clean, the black leather seats showing only minimal wear with flawless carpets, interior panels and headliner. Everything works, including the original Becker radio and cassette player, air conditioning system (which blows cold) and all of the power windows and sunroof. The glovebox houses the original owner’s manual, spare keys and all of the car’s service records, including the original window sticker and an original 6.9 sales brochure also accompanies the sale. The trunk is clean and correct and the only thing on the car that’s not original is a car-phone added by the owner at some point in the 1990s, however we can also remove the system entirely upon request.

The car is fantastic mechanically, its massive V8 starting easily, idling consistently and pulling strongly and smoothly through each of the gears. Compression is excellent, allowing this German muscle car to accelerate with robust, stable force. As with all Mercedes models of this generation, tank-like build quality and a devotion to over-engineering – especially coupled with the hydro-pneumatic suspension – creates a ride quality that was second to none at the time and is still astonishing today. The suspension was recently comprehensively serviced and car is entirely road-ready and a joy to drive, whether tooling through town or bombing down the highway.

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire what is undoubtedly one of the finest, lowest mileage, most original examples of the legendary 6.9 available on the market. As rare and iconic Mercedes models continue to appreciate at dizzying rates, this is assuredly one of the models to have, one of the last true Mercedes classics in hard-to-find, stellar, completely original condition. Please bid accordingly.

We want this car to go to great home and would be happy to further discuss it and answer any questions, so please feel free to email us or call us at 805-202-4557. You can also visit us online at GoodmanReed.

Goodman Reed Motorcars 

We’ve always had an appreciation for classic European cars and over the years have created an eclectic personal collection. We only buy cars that we’d personally be interested in owning and generally only sell them to make room for other acquisitions. That time has come for this Mercedes (if the price is right, of course – this isn’t a fire sale). We try to give accurate descriptions of the cars we’re selling, but we’re enthusiasts, not experts, and we encourage and are happy to help facilitate personal or professional inspections. But please do so before bidding, as the alternative harms our ability to make sales to other interested parties who have done their proper due diligence before bidding. 

For U.S. buyers a 10% non-refundable deposit is required within 3 days of the auction’s end, the balance to be paid within 7 days of the auction’s end. Foreign buyers must pay in full within 7 business days of the auction’s end. Buyer is responsible for shipping, however we’d be more that happy to help with recommendations and arrangements. The car is listed locally and we reserve the right to end the auction at any time should it sell prior to auction’s end. Thanks for your interest.