Tag Archives: Used Cars

Rare Rides: The 2000 Mercedes-Benz CL 500, a Finale Called Final Edition

Large, luxurious, and very serious, the first generation CL was also an SEC and S during its life. While Mercedes-Benz played the Nineties naming games with its lineup, the W140 soldiered on in two-door format as a last-of for a top-tier Mercedes coupe.

The W140 500 SEC and 600 SEC were introduced in 1992 globally as successor to the C126 (that’s coupe) variant of the legendary W126 S-Class. We’ve covered C126 previously in both standard and cocaine-inspired AMG variants, but never a W126. Look for it in a future Rare Rides Icons.

Both versions of the W140 were penned by Bruno Sacco late in 1987, during the middle of his career at Mercedes. Sacco was lead designer at Benz between 1975 and 1999. With the W140, he brilliantly continued the pillarless hardtop styling of the C126. Two models of SEC were initially available: The 500 used a 5.0-liter V8 that produced 320 horsepower, while the top-drawer 600 SEC had a V12. The most expensive car Mercedes produced at the time, it used a 6.0-liter engine that produced 394 horsepower and rocketed the coupe to 60 in 6.1 seconds. The 600 SEC was incredibly exclusive, and fittingly asked $132,000 in 1992. Adjusted for inflation that figure comes to an eye-watering $262,000. V12 models were identifiable almost solely via their V12 badges on the C-pillar and the 600 on the back.

The range expanded into other models over the years, as a less expensive 4.2-liter V8 was an option in some markets. On the other end of the spectrum, AMG models used larger and more powerful V12 engines of 6.0, 6.9, and even 7.3 liters. That largest engine allowed the CL 73 AMG a top speed of 199 miles per hour and was the engine Pagani chose to power the Zonda of the 2000s. Standard Mercedes-issued coupes were all limited by German tradition to 155 mph. A considerable number of horses were required to motivate the CL, since in any trim it weighed at least 4,500 pounds, and weighed about 4,900 pounds with a 12-cylinder lump upfront. All cars used a four- or five-speed automatic dependent on model year.

In 1994 the SEC moniker that Mercedes used for decades was replaced by an S, as the S 500 Coupe and S 600 Coupe more closely identified with their sedan sibling. It was a temporary measure though, as for the model year 1997 in Europe and 1998 in North America the S was swapped for CL, and the CL-Class was born. Models were then CL 500, CL 600, and so on. The car underneath changed little over the years, as Mercedes used their best build quality, materials, and technology in their halo coupe.

The W140 coupe was offered through 1999 in Europe and 2000 in North America, at which point it was replaced by the W215 CL-Class. The second CL was based upon the new W220 S-Class sedan. The W215 was noteworthy, as it was Bruno Sacco’s final design for Mercedes. Both the W215 and its 2007 successor (C216) were more modern, full of even more technology, much more complicated, and as a consequence has aged more poorly over the years. Both second and third-gen CLs can be found commonly on high-quality internet content like “You Can Get All This $200,000 Mercedes Coupe For $15,000 You Guys Like and Subscribe,” but the W140 SEC and CL have escaped such an undignified fate. Their quality, non-bling appearance, and limited production (26,022 total) have kept them under the radar.

Shortly before the end of its production, Mercedes offered a final run trim on the W140 CL which they creatively called Final Edition. Said special edition seems to be an “all options as standard” version of the CL 500, and in this instance pairs a nice navy metallic paint to a black interior, with sporty AMG-adjacent monoblock wheels. A testament to its build quality, today’s CL has traveled over 164,000 miles and looks brand new. Located in Spain, the future classic asks $15,235.

[Images: Mercedes-Benz]

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Buy/Drive/Burn: Economical American Compacts From 1982

Our recent Rare Rides coverage of the Chevrolet Citation made one thing very clear: We need more Citation content. Today’s 1982 Buy/Drive/Burn lineup was suggested by commenter eng_alvarado90, who would like to see all of you struggle. Citation, Aries, Escort, all in their most utilitarian formats. Let’s go.

Chevrolet Citation

The Citation is in its third model year for 1982, and sales have already fallen far from their initial peak of 800,000. The bloom is off this rose, but GM is still on track for six-digit sales this year. Sticking firmly to economy and utility, today’s Citation is a five-door hatchback equipped with the 2.5-liter Iron Duke inline-four and paired to a four-speed manual. Throttle-body injection is new this year and means 90 horses are underfoot. There’s also a new horizontal slats grille.

Dodge Aries K

The Dodge Aries is still new and is in its second model year for 1982. Chrysler started out strong last year with over 300,000 sales, and will likely reach that number again in ’82. Today’s Aries is the four-door wagon, as Chrysler does not offer a hatchback K-car at this level. Underhood is the base 2.2-liter Chrysler inline-four, which uses a two-barrel carb. Eighty-four horses are at the driver’s command, shifted through a four-speed manual. New this year: rear windows roll down on sedans and wagons, replacing the fixed glass.

Ford Escort

Ford’s Escort is also in its second model year for 1982. The American market Escort was supposed to be very similar to the European one for parts sharing purposes. However the respective design teams each headed their own direction, and the two cars share only an engine and transmission. Today’s five-door Escort hatchback is new for ’82, along with a new grille and presence of the familiar Ford Blue Oval. The base 1.6-liter CVH engine gets a high output version this year, which increases power by about 10 horses, to 80. Power is delivered to the front via a four-speed Ford MTX manual.

Economy and cheap driving are available to you, and they’ll probably hold up for at least three years before falling apart. Which gets the Buy?

[Images: GM, Chrysler, Ford]

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Rare Rides: The Saudi King’s 1984 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit Cabriolet, a White Whale

The Rare Rides series has featured five Rolls–Royce premium vehicles in past editions, yet none of them had more than two doors. We remedy this oversight today with a four-door Rolls commissioned and owned by the king of Saudi Arabia.

It’s not what you’d call subtle.

Much like the Camargue linked above, the Silver Spirit was one of the few models to carry Rolls-Royce into its more modern era. The Spirit lived a very long life, in its standard wheelbase guise from 1980 to 1997, and long-wheelbase Silver Spur format from 1980 to 2000. The Silver Spirit sustained Rolls through the end of its Vickers ownership and into the VW Group era. It would see replacement by the Silver Seraph, a car full of BMW parts but sold by Volkswagen. A different Rare Rides entry for sure.

The Spirit was the “volume” Rolls-Royce model, and at the time was also marketed as several Bentley models. All of those Bentleys were an Eight but had various trims, engines, and names. The Spirit and Spur were sold through four different series, all bearing a Mark I-IV title as typical with British cars that see updates. Mark I carried the Spirit through 1988 with its traditional 6.75-liter V8 and a sturdy three-speed GM THM400 transmission. Mark II was an important modernization point and included Automatic Ride Control which adjusted the dampers, ABS, and fuel injection. All those modern trappings so foreign to Rolls-Royce traditionalists. 1991 saw the introduction of a four-speed 4L80 transmission used in the civilian Hummer.

Mark III arrived in 1993, and included visual updates like new bumpers and flush composite headlamps, alongside airbags. In addition to the Spirit and Spur, two limited-run models appeared at this time. The Flying Spur had the turbocharged V8 from the Bentley Turbo R and was limited to 134 examples. There was also a high-zoot Silver Dawn, which had electric traction control and heated rear seats. Considered a more subtle car, the front radiator grille height was reduced two inches, and there was a smaller Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament. She’d had her wings clipped.

The Mark IV was renamed New Silver Spirit and New Silver Spur, and introduced in 1996. This final revision was not marketed with any IV branding, as fear of the number is common in China, Japan, and Taiwan. All Mark IV cars were turbocharged, and bumpers became integrated and color-matched. But by then the Spirit and Spur were long due for their BMW-adjacent replacement, and everything looked a bit too gingerbread.

Today’s Rare Ride is one of three custom commissions by Saudi Arabia’s king. Part of the original Mark I run of cars, the king ordered three Spirit cabriolets all at once. The white one was for him, a yellow example was for his eldest daughter, and the third one (with Bentley branding instead) was for a good friend. Interestingly, the customizations were not completed by Rolls-Royce in-house but rather at a Rolls-Royce dealer in Milan, Italy. Checking the result, one might conclude why Rolls didn’t want to do the edits at Crewe. The king didn’t keep his white Spur for long, as it was sold to an owner in France in 1990. It’s in Monaco now and will be auctioned in a couple of weeks where it’s expected to fetch between $60,000 and $90,000.

[Images: Rolls-Royce]

Rare Rides: A 1976 Pontiac Sunbird, Practical Malaise Luxury

Today’s Rare Ride marks the third time we’ve featured a Pontiac Sunbird in this series. The first Sunbird was from 1978 and presented itself as the Safari Wagon. But that was just a renamed Astre and not a real Sunbird. The second Sunbird we saw was a convertible with a 2000 in its name, a J-body from a time of naming turmoil at Pontiac.

In contrast, the Sunbird we have here is the original: An economical and optionally luxurious car that debuted in the Seventies without a confused identity. Your author’s never seen one in real life.

Sunbird debuted in 1976 as a replacement for the Vega-adjacent Astre. The Astre and Sunbird coexisted for a couple of years, as seen above in the confused wagon from 1978. Though a new car, the Sunbird remained on the same H-body Vega platform as its Astre predecessor. Available only with two doors, the subcompact was presented only as a two-door sedan for 1976. The following model year added a more aggressive hatchback. For 1978 and 1979, the Astre wagon was refreshed visually joined the lineup as the Sunbird Safari Wagon. The first Sunbird continued through the 1980 model year but was limited to two body styles in its final offering.

The rear-drive 1976 Sunbird was equipped with a base engine from the Vega, a 2.3-liter inline-four known as the 2300 (78 hp). The next year customers were rewarded with a new base engine: the powerful 2.5-liter Iron Duke. It produced between 84 and 90 horsepower dependent upon model year. Big spenders selected the Buick 3.8 V6 and its 110 horses, or the Chevrolet 305 (5.0L) as an option in 1978 and 1979. Transmissions on offer were a four-speed manual or three-speed automatic.

Customers could option their Sunbird with different packages to emphasize a luxury or sports personality. The Formula package was popular and included upgraded handling, spoiler, and decals. A quick seller, the Sunbird proved popular and GM sold nearly 480,000 Sunbirds over five model years. 1980 was a long-run year, as dealers needed inventory to hold them over until the ’82 arrival of the front-drive J platform J2000. It debuted at the start of Pontiac’s branding experimentation.

Today’s Rare Ride is firmly on the luxury end of the Sunbird spectrum. Dark red with a white vinyl coach roof, it’s got alloy wheels, whitewalls, a plush velour interior, and an automatic transmission. There’s even V6 power and air conditioning. It’s traveled 17,000 miles since 1976 and is in spectacular condition. The price is also spectacular: $29,000.

[Images: Pontiac]