Twenty years ago, if you had about $121,500 to spare and were in the mood to buy a sporty two-door, you could buy five Honda Accord LX coupes – one for every workday of the week. Or you could get yourself into just one Mercedes-Benz SL55. At the time, the Benz was one of the world’s most technologically advanced (and performance-oriented) vehicles on the planet.
Featured on AutoHunter is this 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG. It is being offered by a private seller in Patterson, California, and the auction will end Thursday.
It is hard to believe the car is 20 years old. Showing just 63,525 miles on the odometer, it has enjoyed a pampered life, according to the CARFAX report. With residence spanning the states of Texas, Colorado and California, it has received over 40 services – many of which were performed at Mercedes dealerships. The most recent record on the report was for an emissions inspection (which it passed, of course) in December 2024.
The 2005 SL was part of the SL-Class’ “R230” generation. It was first unveiled as a grand-touring successor to the “R129” during the 2001 Frankfurt Auto Show and went on to be sold from 2002 through 2011. As a high-performance luxury roadster, it was largely in a class of its own. Among the car’s many innovative features were a retractable hardtop (called a “Vario Roof”), an Active Body Control (ABC) suspension, a COMAND infotainment system, bi-xenon headlights, and multi-contour heated and ventilated seats. Oh yeah, and it could do 0 to 60 in around 4.5 seconds.
That capability for speed came thanks to a supercharged 5.5-liter SOHC V8 that was rated at 493 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque when new. An AMG Speedshift five-speed automatic transmission sent power to the rear wheels. The listing for this SL55 outlines various service items that were carried out over the last couple of years, including replacement of the serpentine belts, thermostat element, crankshaft pulley, fan belt motor assembly, spark plugs and injectors.
A magazine advertisement for the R230 said, “Style. Unlike any other.” The car was touted for its ability to blend form and function seamlessly. Even after 20 years, its design and reputation have both held up. Although, any car would be hard-pressed to hold up longer than five Honda Accord coupes.
The auction for this 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG ends Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. (MST)
Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery