1986 Mercedes-Benz 500SEC

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

When Mercedes-Benz launched the C126 coupe in 1981, the goal was simple: build the best personal luxury car on the planet. Designer Bruno Sacco gave the SEC a pillarless, elegant profile on top of the W126's solid engineering, and the 500 SEC sat at the top of the lineup. Its 5.0-liter M117 V8 made cruising feel effortless, whether you were flying down the autobahn or rolling through town.

The '80s also had a wilder side. Independent tuners across West Germany treated the S-Class coupe like a blank canvas for excess, and ABC-Exclusive, founded in Bonn in 1983 by Wolfgang Fraedrich, went all in with its wide-body C126. As an official Gotti dealer, it finished the look with matching multi-piece wheels, a style that was a huge hit in Japan. ABC-Exclusive shut down in 1993, so surviving cars are highly prized.

This 500SEC was ordered new through Mercedes-Benz Mainz in Germany in Blue-Black Metallic with a Black Amaretta interior. It came well equipped, with a limited-slip differential, self-leveling suspension, cruise control, air conditioning, a power sunroof, heated front seats, and factory wiring for a Becker or Tekade phone. The ABC-Exclusive conversion came later, along with Gotti five-spoke wheels (black centers, polished lips) and AMG exhaust tips.