Stratospheric SLS price rises are making me wince

Like most people who dispense advice, I’m never very good at taking it. I can’t believe I ran a white 2011 Mercedes SLS AMG coupé for two years, got back close to what it cost, thought I’d done jolly well and bought a Bentley GTC. If I’d listened to my own advice and kept it, the SLS it would be worth £50k more now.

SLS values have been climbing strongly even the stock versions like mine. For years, through clenched teeth, I’ve had to watch them climb steadily upwards. In 2016 Silverstone sold a 2010 car with 10,000 miles for £127,130. Then in 2019, Bonhams in London sold a 2010 with 7200 miles for £147,333. After that, in December last year Historics sold another 2010 with just 5000 miles for an astonishing £198,240. And a few weeks later Bonhams at Bond Street set a record by selling an unregistered 2011 lefthander with just 50km for £216,200. These were all standard SLS AMG coupés and not the much more exclusive Final Editions or Black Series. For me these numbers make uncomfortable reading.

And keeping an SLS would have been no hardship. By far one of the most dramatic and theatrical cars I’ve ever owned, every drive was like a carnival parade with people cheering and waving. Nobody ever showed me anything but warm, enthusiastic approval – quite a rare thing, as any supercar owner will tell you.

Fabulously fast and noisy, good for 196mph and sixty in 3.8 seconds with those showstopping Gullwings, the SLS AMG was always going to go up in value. You could have bought one for £130,000, owned it for free and sold it for £50k profit. Never mind. Move on...