A Mercedes SL73 AMG with a naturally aspirated V12 engine that once belonged to the Sultan of Brunei has sold at auction for 400,000 euros.
The Sultan of Brunei is a great collector of sports cars. He used to order several examples of the same model.
Such is the case with the Mercedes SL73 AMG, the Sultan of Brunei ordered no less than 25 examples of this top roadster. AMG produced only 85 Mercedes SL 73 AMGs, and the exclusive model is not listed in the official price list.
With a price tag of around 350,000 DM, the car was far too expensive for many potential customers but not for the Sultan of Brunei. The example offered on the auction website www.Collecting cars.com is one of 25 commissioned by the Sultan of Brunei, is painted in Diamond Black Metallic, and has only 3027 km on board. This color is not the original because the car has been repainted.
As can be seen in the photos, the car has a right-hand drive, and of the 85 examples produced, only two had a right-hand drive. This particularity increases its collector’s value and explains the final sale price of 340,000 pounds, equivalent to almost 400,000 euros.
The Mercedes SL73 AMG is powered by a 7.3-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine, developing 525 PS and 750 Nm. The 7.3-liter engine was not fitted from the factory. The car left the Bremen plant as the SL 600 model with a V12 engine and AMG Styling package. Then AMG engineers and mechanics modified the V12 engine codenamed M120 by fitting a completely new crankshaft, titanium pistons, new cylinder heads, larger valves, and a sports exhaust.
The same engine was later used in the Italian supersport model Pagani Zonda.
The car has a lower sports suspension and 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, shod with Goodyear Eagle F1 tires. Standard equipment includes heated and electrically adjustable multi-contour front seats with three-position memory, cruise control, climate control, an electrically deployable rollover bar, height-adjustable suspension with switchable dampers, and a CD stereo.
After being owned by the Sultan of Brunei, the example sold at auction arrived in the UK in 2017. The car was repaired by Mercedes-Benz specialist NJS Solutions in Brands Hatch during the five years it was owned by the current vendor. Service work included repainting the bodywork, overhauling the interior and electric roof, repairing the on-board computers and wiring, fitting new brake discs and pads, replacing the suspension, reconditioning the wheels, and fitting new tires.
