The 1993 Mercedes SL600 With The Zonda's V12 Is Still Amazing

It cost $153,395 when new, 30% more than the V8-powered SL500. Today, it's yours for less than $8,000 and everything works after 140K miles. Overengineering at its best with the smoothest V12 ever up front.

The SL600 is an amazing piece of equipment. When launched in 1993, it was Mercedes-Benz's flagship just like the 600 was three decades earlier. Instead of the 7.3 AMG, it has the 6.0 M120 V12 which also made it into the first Zonda, the C12.

It's an engine you don't really have to rev above 2,000 rpm but even if you do, a coin will still stand on its edge on top of it thanks to how smooth it is after covering more than 140,000 miles.

Everything is electric on an SL600, even things that shouldn't be like the rear-view mirror. You could also do without the extra LEDs on the trunk telling you when it's opened, since you just pressed the button and are clearly aware that it's open. Whatever. All the gadgets Mercedes had in '93 had to be fitted in this car, and the remarkable thing is that if you find a well kept example, everything will work too after 21 years of cruising on the road.

Mercedes wanted to show off with this one, and it certainly shows.