A 42-Year-Old Mercedes-Benz with Only 42 Miles: A Time Capsule on Wheels​​

SLSHOP​​, a UK-based specialist in Mercedes SL models, recently unveiled an astonishingly rare 500 SL. Its rarity lies not in the model itself, but in its mind-boggling mileage: after 42 years, the car has covered only ​​42 miles​​.

The original owner, a Mr. Hough, purchased the car in 1982 from a dealership in Wolverhampton. He specified it with every available optional extra, spending approximately £33,000 at the time. However, after driving it home, Mr. Hough placed the car in a climate-controlled garage—and it never left. The car was never even registered for the road.

For reasons unknown, Mr. Hough and his family recently entrusted the car to SLSHOP. After a thorough inspection, SLSHOP confirmed that this 500 SL requires no servicing whatsoever. Even the factory-applied Waxoyl protective coating remains on the exhaust system, serving as proof that the car has never been genuinely driven.

The paintwork, having never been exposed to direct sunlight, retains its original, showroom-fresh lustre. The interior leather and wood still emit that distinctive "new car" smell. Interestingly, Mr. Hough himself crafted a custom bonnet star for the car from solid silver.

When asked about the car's potential value, SLSHOP drew a comparison to the closest equivalent: a 1989 560 SL with 122 miles, which sold at auction last year for ​​$260,400​​.

However, SLSHOP has stated they will ​​never sell this car​​. Instead, they are building a dedicated climate-controlled display space for it in Stratford-upon-Avon, as a tribute to both Mr. Hough's incredible preservation and the classic car itself.