Mercedes Benz 300SEL 6.3 – the Banker’s Hot Rod is Moving in the Market
From time to time I notice common threads popping up during conversations with SL Market Letter subscribers, search and sale clients as well as friends and acquaintances at auctions and concours events around the country.
A topic that’s come up regularly this year has been the Mercedes 6.3 sedan. Collectors are looking for good examples, but long term owners don’t seem to want to part with their cars for the money being offered. When demand is greater than supply, prices can only (continue) to go up.
Four door sedans usually get a luke warm reception from collectors, the 6.3 bucks this trend. Why? The 6.3 was the first in a long line of high powered sedans that Mercedes continues to develop to this day. They were the most expensive, range topping model when new with great performance.
The AMG 300SEL 6.3 M100 (bored to 6.8L) at the 24 hours of Spa, Belgium,1971.
They have period racing history, while not extensive, it’s much storied in MB lore. Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher thought enough of the 6.3 to turn one into AMG’s first racing car, boring the motor to 6.8 liters and taking 2nd at the 1971 24 Hours of Spa. They also built a number of customer ordered 6.3 racing cars in period.
Total production between 1968 and 1972 was 6,526 units w/ just 1,840 examples sold the U.S & Canada. How many survive today, maybe half? Of those, how many low mile, original paint, preservation class examples exist? Not many.
The heart of the beast, originally fitted to the larger 600 series cars, the M100 6.3 liter engine was fitted to the smaller sedan and introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in March, 1968.
And the air suspension; parts and know how is readily available if the system needs work. When properly maintained it’s comfortable and well mannered. They make good event and touring cars for 2 or 4. Find a good one soon, before long it will be better to be on the supply side than the demand side of the 6.3 curve.
*This article originally appeared in the November / December 2014 issue of the printed SL Market Letter – Vol. 29 – #1 – Learn how to subscribe to the printed SL Market Letter to get all of the exclusive collectible Mercedes-Benz content within.