Formula One Boss Selling His Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series

Jul. 09, 2021 5:06 PM ET by Jay Traugott For Sale / 17 Comments

Complete with a mystery price tag.

Mercedes rolls out crazy creations from time to time. The AMG-One is its latest hardcore masterpiece, but back in the Naughties, it revealed the equally-insane R230 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series at the 2008 Paris Motor Show.

A direct ancestor to the also-now discontinued R231 generation Mercedes-AMG SL65, the older Black Series variant has gone on to become a highly sought-after ultra-high-performance luxury coupe. Compared to the "standard" SL65 at the time, the Black Series' turbochargers were bigger and engineers further modified the exhaust and air intake systems to better handle the additional power. They also remapped the ECU.

Under the hood lies the 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 with 670 horsepower. Zero to 60 mph takes just 3.8 seconds and top speed reaches an electronically limited 199 mph. A five-speed automatic distributes power to the rear wheels. Numerous weight-saving measures were incorporated too, specifically a carbon fiber spoiler and a fixed roof. The retractable folding hardtop was eliminated outright because it's a heavy sucker. This all contributed to a total of 551 pounds being shaved off compared to the SL65.

Production was very limited (about 350 examples) and having money was only one qualification to gain ownership. Mercedes wanted the right people to own and drive this thing, so it makes perfect sense Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team boss Toto Wolff snagged one.

And now he's selling it. Tom Hartley JNR has the listing and the photos hardly do this car justice. It has only 3,204 miles on its clock and is currently located in Switzerland. Wolff has paid the car's taxes in full making it ready for its next owner. The sale also includes notable items like the owner's handbook, spare key, and full vehicle history. The original sale agreement even has Wolff's name on it.

No pricing information is available. Interested buyers are asked to directly contact the seller for that information. Obviously, only serious individuals need inquire.