This 1979 Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 was bought new through Martin AMC out of Warren, Ohio. The previous owner took stewardship of the car for 15 years out of Georgia and owned it until 2025 when the current owner purchased the vehicle who now keeps the vehicle in Marietta, Georgia. 1,839 units were produced worldwide in 1979 and this example is finished in Astral Silver Metallic (735) over Blue Leather (232) and it shows just under 103k miles. Power is provided by a 6.8-liter V8 paired with a three-speed automatic transmission. Amenities include a limited-slip differential, a power sunroof, ACC II automatic climate control, factory green tinted heat rejecting glass, European glass headlights with European slim bumpers, bluetooth headunit, and 14″ alloy wheels. Recent services under the current owner include an oil service, new water pump, accessory belts, brake lines, antenna rebuild, brake fluid flush, custom Coco-Mats, four new rebuilt hydro-pneumatic shocks, e-brake cable, rebuilt cruise control amplifier, and tires. This 450SEL 6.9 is now offered on behalf of the current owner out of Marietta, Georgia and includes recent service records, custom Coco-Mats, 1 key, and a clean Georgia title.
The body is finished in Astral Silver Metallic (735) and is accented by original brightwork and black body trim. Front and rear bumpers are slim European market parts along with the glass European headlights. All glass shows the original green tint from the factory and has no damage. Close ups of the windows, window trim, brightwork, and lighting can be seen in the gallery below. This example carries original glass as shown in the gallery with the white Sekurit decals and a Pilkington from MB windshield. Exterior features include a fully operating power sliding sunroof, a rebuilt Hirschmann antenna, and independently adjustable rear view mirrors. The car received a repaint in the factory color at some point during the previous ownership and presents well. Some areas of bubbling paint are noted in the door jambs, sunroof opening, and below the battery in the engine bay.
14” Fuchs manufactured light-alloy Bundt wheels are mounted with 205/70 Michelin XWX tires that show 2024 date codes which were mounted in the summer of 2025 and have a few hundred miles logged. The car was equipped at the factory with a hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension in addition to four-wheel disc brakes with ventilated front rotors. Four rebuilt struts were installed by a 6.9 specialty shop. Pictures from the seller show new brake calipers for the front and rear have been installed at some point recently and brake pads and rotors show virtually no wear. Rear rotors were installed under the current ownership along with front brake lines, driver side emergency brake cable, and an ATE DOT4 fluid flush.
The interior is trimmed in Blue Leather (232) with blue carpets and blue plastics along the interior pillars, dashboard, and center console. The ivory perforated headliner shows in excellent condition without tears or stains typical in W116s. The blue carpets show virtually no UV damage and the dashboard does not exhibit any cracks. Burl Walnut was standard on the 6.9 and is seen on the dashboard and center console along with a shifter knob. Two small hairline cracks are shown around the climate control panel. GAHH reupholstered front seats and arm rest were done by the previous owner while the rear seats remain in good original condition. The long wheelbase W116 provides 4” of additional rear leg room and offers working reading lights integrated into the C-pillar. ACC II climate control blows cold air, a Bluetooth-capable Pyle head unit provides audio, the retractable antenna has been rebuilt by the current owner, and the cruise control amplifier was sent out for service and now functions. Custom made Black & Blue Coco-mats were installed by the current owner. The front passenger window is inoperative.
The four-spoke steering wheel frames a 170-mph speedometer as well as a tachometer, an analog clock, and gauges for oil pressure, coolant temperature, and fuel level. The six-digit odometer shows just under 103k miles, ~700 of which were added under current ownership.
Power is provided by a dry-sump 6,834cc M100 V8 which was factory rated at 250 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque which is sent to the rear wheels through a strengthened three-speed 722.0 automatic transmission and a limited-slip differential. The 6.9 was hailed as the fastest production sedan in the world and could reach a top speed of 145-mph with a 0-60 time of 7-seconds. Mechanical work done through the current owner in preparation for the sale was a water pump, all new accessory belts, oil service with OEM filter, new hoses in the engine compartment, and shifter bushings.
This W116 450SEL 6.9 now shows just under 103k miles and is offered on behalf of the current owner with recent suspension services, new Michelin tires, Coco-Mats, spare parts, recent service records, and a clean Georgia title.
A detailed walk-around and driving video is provided by the seller.
The 450SEL 6.9 quite honestly shouldn’t exist. The Fuel Crisis was at full surge and Mercedes-Benz decided to make a nearly 7-liter four door super saloon to usurp the venerable 300SEL 6.3. Using the same engine from the 6.3, they upped displacement which was needed to get similar power figures as the 6.3 in an age where emissions restrictions ruled everything. Mercedes-Benz replaced the air suspension for a hydro-pneumatic, Citroën derived suspension system that was timing chain driven and then gave it a blistering top speed of over 140-mph. This is when the Cadillac Deville had a 7-liter engine that made only 180-horsepower and 320 ft/lbs. It just goes to show how far ahead Mercedes-Benz was compared to the U.S. flagship brand. The dry sump M100 engine was so big it needed to be lowered to fit under the newly Geiger designed M116 aerodynamic hood. This 6.9 appears to be a great survivor that has been maintained and cosmetically improved over the years. It’s important to note that 6.9 with some miles is a huge green flag. These cars can become ferocious projects when they sit. The new suspension is a huge plus paired with the period correct new Michelins on the right wheels. We’re happy to see Euro bumpers and head lights complete with a stunning interior color that makes this an exciting and enticing car. The seller said this was a daily driven car around Marietta, Georgia over the summer after it got a clean bill of health by Atlanta’s local 6.9 whisperer. Along with the lengthy driving video, what other proof do you need to show this was the best sedan in the late ‘70s?
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32 Comments
@Us_Gulf_Cars Congratulations! Well fought. I’ll be emailing you here shortly.$26,500 bid placed by @Us_Gulf_Cars
Hoovie is a time traveler and bidding after the auction ends. I’m here for it.$26,000 bid placed by @HooviesGarage
$25,500 bid placed by @Us_Gulf_Cars
Reserve is lifted, the car is selling today!$25,000 bid placed by @AthensCarGuy
Hoovie! This car is too nice for you — you won’t get any good content on it lmao$24,069 bid placed by @HooviesGarage
$23,500 bid placed by @AthensCarGuy
$23,069 bid placed by @HooviesGarage
$22,750 bid placed by @RyburnMD
$22,500 bid placed by @100to1
$22,000 bid placed by @Us_Gulf_Cars
$21,750 bid placed by @RyburnMD
$21,500 bid placed by @Us_Gulf_Cars
$21,250 bid placed by @shoeshine
Some closing comments and reminders on this lovely W116. -Very good paint! 99% of Silver cars have clear coat issues if they’re original. MB Metallics of this era are weak because of EPA changes to the chemical makeup of paint forced by the government -Euro bumpers and headlights! All self explanatory as far as aesthetics go. Plus you can actually see at night with the upgraded lights -All new hydraulic suspension. These are the weak points of the car and this has been totally overhauled by DC MotorWerks -The M100 is dialed in on this car. New oil change and some other nick-knacks to dial it in Good luck to everyone! This is a very good driver and presents exactly as its pictured. It’s a very nice car.$21,000 bid placed by @RyburnMD
$20,750 bid placed by @AthensCarGuy
Hah I was gonna say something similar.@AthensCarGuy it all hangs on you to keep it in GA :-)$19,750 bid placed by @Us_Gulf_Cars
$19,500 bid placed by @AthensCarGuy
@JackRC Thank you. I take reconditioning seriously. I also ordered a new regulator arm assembly since the gears were a little wonky from years of tension and use. I’ll include the original with the car just in case. It’s in good shape just bent. Good use of “while I’m in there…”@Stuttgart_Steel Good update and stand-up commitment as always.Okay so window regulator motor has retired from regulating. Disassembled the motor to see if it needed a service and it just doesn’t want to spin anymore. Parts are ordered and the front passenger window will be working upon delivery of the car if we get it sold today! I had a nice look inside and he door as well and there’s lots of factory cosmoline and wax coating inside. The regulator arm and plastic guides are super nice too. I’ll be greasing everything with white lithium grease upon reassembly. There’s the window update for those wondering.$18,500 bid placed by @shoeshine
Hey everyone, I’m going to be spending the next few hours hanging out with the 6.9 working on the window, so if you have any questions that require hands on the car I’m here for you.$17,500 bid placed by @AthensCarGuy
@DCMotorWerks Would love to see it stay local too.I’m truly sad to see this one go. Out of the many 6.9’s I get to see through my addiction, this is one of my favorites. The interior is even nicer than my personal car. So clean, rich wood trim and the seats aren’t fully collapsed! With the fresh HPF servicing done by us and proper XWX Michelins, it also drives as proper as it looks. I just hope the winning bidder doesn’t take it too far away from us!@Terra @300GWRO We are going to have the window fixed. I can hear the regulator trying to move, so I'll be disassembling it and servicing the unit.Will you, or can you have the passenger side window regulator repaired prior to transport? What do you anticipate the cost to be?I went over to the warehouse earlier to start the car and just double check everything. Car starts right up and it's as happy as can be. If you look at the undersides, you'll see all the new accumulators and shocks that DC MotorWerks installed. They're one of the very few 6.9 specialists in the Atlanta area as the shop owner has three of them in his personal collection and wins Cannonball races with one of them. With Cameron and Paul having their hands on this car, I'm happy to have it on my profile as is has a clean bill of health. Reminder that the owner approached me a few months ago wanting my help selling it. I agreed under one stipulation: he needed to daily drive the thing to make sure it didn't do any 6.9 shenanigans before I helped broker it. I wanted to make sure the car was ready for market, so he drove it through the summer to prove the car was rock solid... at which point I agreed to help him! I've owned a number of W116s and have also driven a nut/bolt restored one that sold privately for close to six-figures during COVID and this one really is the best driving one I've dealt with. The new Michelins really help with that as most are rolling around on old Khumos at this point. The Michelin XWX is so good and retains that period correct look. I also did some mechanical and cosmetic work on this one when the owner bought it initially and was just really impressed with it. Please comment below if you have any other questions for me. Thank you so much everyone.$15,000 bid placed by @obeckmann
@dpchamp87 Undersides were added.An additional 34 photos have been added to the gallery.$12,000 bid placed by @RyburnMD
Undersides submitted. I'll tag you guys when they get uploaded. Thanks for your patience! In the meantime, if you want the gallery without compressed imaged to zoom in and break the car down with higher res photos, DM me you email and I'll send them to you.My lift will be freed up tomorrow, so I’ll will get proper undersides uploaded then. You should see them up tomorrow evening. Thanks for being patient. I’m back in the country and will be a bit more attentive. Thanks everyone!An additional service invoice has been added to the gallery.$10,069 bid placed by @happyhour
@Atatexan I also had a 350SE about 10 years ago! One of my favorite cars and that M116 was a sweetheart. Great story. Luckily I did an oil change a few months ago to get it ready for sale (12.5 quarts!). The previous owner also did an oil change a little over a year ago so it's good to go. That's why I like these things to have miles on them. Like you said, they hate to sit. When my friend bought this car, I told him congratulations and then I said he MUST drive it weekly. He heeded my warnings and it's been great so far.$6,750 bid placed by @Dailydrivenlotus
The W116’s are fabulous cars. I recently sold my Euro 350SE to a big MB collector. It never gave me any trouble on many long distance drives. It was definitely not a garage queen. This car has all the main maintenance things attended to and cosmetically very nice. A word of warning. A friend with a 6.9 let his sit too long with not so fresh oil in the sump. He decided to see how fast he could get from Dallas to Houston. The old sludgy oil had the consistency of a scab and when heated at over 100mph, the “scab” let loose causing all sorts of internal engine damage.$6,500 bid placed by @mdrei
$5,000 bid placed by @BD450SL
My father had a brown 6.9 and it was an absolute beast. If I didn't live on the northeast coast, I would be all over this. GLWTA$250 bid placed by @Babyhani1
@300GWRO Yes, I'm going to say the padding was also redone since they used untreated horsehair pre 1981 and most have turned into dust by now. These are firm and supportive.@ Seller....Front seats "restored" with GAAH products? Thank you, JN@Allmercs For whatever reason, blue interiors just age faster than other colors. Not sure if its the dye they used for the plastics or what, but especially blue dashboards nowadays just look like the salt flats. This one is is such good shape. Same with the wood. You can tell this car was garaged its whole life. W116s, especially with sunroofs, just leak as well. Trunks and rear wheel wells like to rot out. You can tell when one sits outside. It's kind of why they're getting harder and harder to find in nice shape. Thanks for the comment.That interior is impressively clean! Hard to find them that nice anymore@300GWRO We don't have the original headlights or bumpers. You can probably find them for basically free online however. The 6.9 came with the Bundt alloy wheels from the factory since it was the flagship. I wish we had more service records, but what we have listed is what came with it plus all the work we did to it. I need to grab the invoice from DC MotorWerks actually since I don't see it here. I'll get on that!I would suggest seller address non-functioning window prior to final bid....just a thought.. BestDo you have original US components; headlight/bumpers, steel hubcaps/rims etc.. repainted, new front leather seat covers. Any further service records other than you have listed ? File/binder etc "thru the years"....nice car Thank you, JNWelcome to this special auction of the legendary 450SEL 6.9! I got to spend a lot of time helping my friend and owner dial this one in along with the help of DC MotorWerks doing some work as well. The owner has actually been daily driving this car around Atlanta for months now to pressure test the rest of the systems and the repairs to make sure it is ready to hit the market. The 6.9 is a decently complicated car and if the difficult to service systems are not up to snuff, they can lead to hard ownership experiences. I’m happy to say we’re confident this car can hit the market and the next owner can regularly use this flagship Mercedes-Benz sedan. The ACC II climate control system works, the hydraulic suspension has four rebuilt struts, it drives wonderfully, new Michelin tires were installed on a beautiful set of Bundts I had stashed away for a special occasion, and the blue interior is complete and in great condition. Plus it has Euro bumpers and headlights! All of this means it drives really well. Please view everything in the gallery and watch my thorough driving video. I will be getting it up in the air for some undersides here in a few days, so stay tuned. If you have any questions, please let me know. I’m out of the country until Tuesday next week, so my responses will be met with a few hours of crickets until I can get back to my hotel to respond. Thank you and good luck!