MERCEDES-BENZ SLC (1971-81)

WHY YOU’LL WANT ONE

It’s a Merc SL for MGB money – only more practical

The R107’s tin-top cousin is a bit of a bargain compared to the al fresco SLs of the same era - Anglia Car Auctions sold one for just £4240 back in January, and we’ve seen others popping up for sale at around the £5-6k mark, although really smart examples do admittedly sell for more than double that.

There isn’t much variation price-wise between the different models, so the key here is being patient and waiting for one in the right condition to come onto the market – proof that it’s been looked after by marque specialists is a must.

Choose carefully and you’ll be rewarded with restrained good looks, unburstable reliability, silky-smooth straight-six or V8 power and supple suspension that positively cossets your buttocks on longer journeys.

Alright, so you’ll be missing out on open-air thrills – but you get a refined and top-notch grand tourer instead – for a fraction of the money.

ENGINE 4250cc/V8/OHC POWER 195bhp@4500rpm TORQUE 259lb ft@3000rpm MAXIMUM SPEED 138mph 0-60MPH 9.3sec FUEL CONSUMPTION 16-20mpg TRANSMISSION RWD, three-speed automatic