A kind of magic
Why rock star provenance made this Merc a great buy
CAR 2001 Mercedes-benz S600L SOLD £5040 ORIGINAL ESTIMATE No reserve, Historics, 12 March
This one had provenance counting in its favour.
For buyers considering the many elements that can contribute to a great value buy, this S600L had it by the bucketful. And, for anyone after a super-sized saloon, here was the just the ticket – and one owned from new by Queen drummer, Roger Taylor.
It stood out from the other luxury buys in the same sale.
This S600L was the top of the tree in the W220 S-class range and bar some small external details including badging and 600-exclusive wheels, it was indistinguishable from its smallerengined siblings, of which there was a selection in the same sale. Clearly Roger Taylor sought subtlety when he bought this 600; let’s not forget that it would have had a list price north of £100k.
The cosmetics were holding up well...
The bodywork, which can be a problem with these models, looked terrific with no sign of corrosion to the front wings or the rear wheel arches. Panel fit remained good, with neat shutlines to doors, bonnet and boot lid. The bumper corners were scuff-free, the 600-exclusive alloy wheels tidy and the original dealer registration plates still fitted in place.
...and it had stood the test of time inside.
Inside all was good but while this was clearly an Arnage/silver Seraph alternative, the interior was more workmanlike, although extremely well appointed. The black leather seats were in very good, wear-free order, as were the door panels. Woodwork, including picnic tables, was good and the impressively-proportioned dashboard remained in good condition. All was very clean and tidy under the bonnet.
It was a bargain at this price.
This 600 had much in its favour – highly expensive when new, one (celebrity) owner and plenty of service history, too – vital for one of these supersaloons. Being offered with no reserve was tempting but many would have preferred the less complicated, smallerengined models. But for those wanting one of the best big saloons ever built, this was exceptionally well bought.