It’s an acquired taste, to put it politely.
After a long life span of 18 years, the R107-generation Mercedes SL Roadster is still a stunning sight. What car is this? You’ll have to decide. The Sport Leicht, once owned by Wayne Newton, aka “Mr. Las Vegas”, was created by Niko Sokol, a Long Island coachbuilder. It is quite a sight to behold.
How do I begin? The gold accents give the 1981 380SL a very flashy appearance. The convertible’s gold accents include the XXL three-pointed Star badge and the 16-inch BBS wheels. The factory soft roof has been replaced with a two-piece retractable hardtop.
When folded, the manually retractable roof can be hidden completely from view. This meant that the coachbuilder had the task of moving the spare wheel in order to make space for the top. As a throwback, the roof is now on the rear decklid. However, we aren’t sure if this retro design suits the third-generation SL.
The roadster’s eccentric design features large headlights that are moved inboard, while the front fenders have cooling vents. This serves a practical purpose. The custom door handles were repositioned below the beltline to make way for a trim piece made of gold-plated metal that runs from the front to the rear. These changes have resulted in a SL that is barely recognisable, for better and for worse. The engine and interior remain unchanged.
It has less than 2,000 miles and was on display at Wayne Newton’s museum in Las Vegas for a while. It was purchased by him in the 1990s. Now it is yours, if you are interested in odd-looking SLs. Barrett-Jackson will offer it for sale with no reserve during its Las Vegas auction, June 17-19.