03 Mercedes-benz SLC

With neither the open-topped appeal of the R107 SLS nor the rarity and elegance of the ‘stacked headlight’ coupés they replaced, the SLCS were for a long time something of a Cinderella model in classic terms, fashionable though they were in period.

Buyers are taking a little more notice now, however, and there’s a feeling that the 450SLC 5.0 may one day do justice to its ‘homologation special’ credentials in the same way as the BMW 3.0 CSL. The twin-cam 280SLC is not to be despised, or you might like the idea of an early 350 on hubcaps, but most are 4.5-litre 450SLCS. That said, this is a car to buy very much on condition rather than get to obsessed with engines and specifications – and you’d better get your skates on, too: there are still plenty of nice cars for £10-15k, but dealers are now asking well over £20,000 for the best, so they’re definitely on the rise.