As R129 values continue to rise, low mileage and rare spec examples are now commanding very strong premiums. Today's feature is one of those cars with some interesting and somewhat unknown history to boot. This 1992 500SL 6.0 AMG is listed with Bramley Motor Cars in the UK and reportedly has only 14k kms (9k miles). This R129 is unique as it comes modified by AMG, prior to their acquisition by Mercedes-Benz. These cars have been deemed "pre merger AMGs" and authentic examples of any chassis are difficult to find.
This pre merger R129 has been equipped with a full Generation 1 AMG body kit featuring front and rear bumpers, side skirts, spoiler, and multi-piece OZ Racing wheels.
These body kits alone are very valuable as they've become increasingly more rare with time. This car was for sale relatively recently in London with only 7k miles and the car wore the same wheels but with paint matched faces. Information from this listing along with photos can be found here. For any pre merger AMG, each car was built per order, a la carte. Therefore, some examples on the market are solely kit cars wearing AMG aesthetics. Others focused primarily on mechanical modifications although there are some that received both.
The seller states this car was originally purchased and ordered by the Sultan of Brunei. It's reported that the car was then immediately sent to AMG to have the performance and aesthetic modifications performed. Documentation around these claims would be nice to have and the seller may in fact have something to show to support these claims.
Mechanically, AMG performed a 6.0L engine conversion on the standard 5.0L M119, increasing horsepower to 389. Unfortunately, the dealer did not provide pictures of the radiator support stickers denoting the AMG engine although the previous listing we found for this car does (link here). Along with the engine, AMG also installed stiffer springs and exhaust. The seller claims the brakes were also upgraded although no photos are provided. We recommend interested parties request photos from underneath to verify the springs, exhaust, and brakes. It's worth noting that 1992 is the first year of the dreaded biodegradable wiring harnesses so ensuring that has been replaced could be a strong negotiating tool. The seller states the car recently underwent nearly $8k in maintenance and work. Unfortunately, no receipts are provided in the listing nor are details around what that $8k was spent on. Again, this should be no issue for the selling dealer to provide upon request for serious buyers.
One of our favorite features of the 90's are the vibrant color pallets from which automakers picked from for their exteriors and interiors. This R129 is the perfect example finished in Beryl Blue over Deep Green Leather interior. Personally, we love the outrageous color combination and miss the daring hues of the 90's. It appears the only AMG touch inside is the instrument cluster which was swapped to a 300km/h version. An aftermarket headunit can be seen in the photos which desperately needs to be returned to stock, or at least a more fitting unit. There is notable wear on the driver's seat back bolster, especially for a car with only 9k miles. The rear jump seats are very rare and despite being almost useless, they look great and that's what's important here.
Perhaps the biggest value killer for this example is that it's a right-hand-drive version. RHD Mercedes trade hands are considerably lower figures that their LHD equals. While this is typically the opposite for many JDM cars, Mercedes values don't follow suite. Still, the car has a lot going for it between the low mileage, interesting history, and hopefully documented maintenance. The selling dealer is now asking $106k for this pre merger R129. If documentation checks out, that's honestly a fair shake for a car of this stature. True 6.0L AMGs always command premiums and this one is no exception.
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