Photos courtesy of Barrett-Jackson
In the 2004 movie “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” the title character, played by Will Ferrell, tells his love interest, “I’m kind of a big deal.” So is the 1976 Mercedes-Benz 450SL you see here. Not only does it belong to Will Ferrell, but it’s a product of the R107 generation of the SL that brought important safety and performance upgrades to the model. You can become its next owner by bidding on it at the Barrett-Jackson 2026 Palm Beach Auction, April 16-18.
The first two iterations of the SL were significant in their own ways. In the 1950s, the W198 generation’s 300SL combined distinctive “gullwing” doors with a fuel-injected straight-six engine. Its successor, the W113, took the SL through most of the 1960s and into the early 1970s, and offered the first automatic available in the model line and a hardtop that gave the W113 SL an enduring nickname: “Pagoda.” In the spring of 1971, Mercedes launched the R107 version of the SL. Designed to be “a more comfortable yet powerful luxury two-seater,” it incorporated several safety updates. The A-pillars served as drainage rails during heavy rain, helping maintain visibility through the windows. The ribbed surface of the taillights deterred the build-up of obscuring debris, according to the Mercedes-Benz Corporate Archive. Engineers moved the fuel tank above the rear axle to protect it — and passengers, of course — during rear-end collisions. Even the dashboard, switches and buttons, and steering wheel were engineered for greater occupant safety.
Perhaps the biggest change to the R107 SL was under the hood. The introductory model, the 350SL, was the first SL with a V-8, courtesy of the 280 SE 3.5 family of vehicles. In the early 1970s, Mercedes launched the 450SL, which was powered by a larger 4.5-liter V-8 paired with a three-speed automatic. Between November 1975 and February 1976, Mercedes replaced its engine lineup’s Bosch electronic D-Jetronic fuel injection with Bosch’s mechanical K-Jetronic setup.
Mercedes updated the R107 several more times before finally discontinuing it at the end of the 1989 model year. I’ve seen several variants of the SL from this long model run, but I’ve never seen one in this color combination. The dreamy Silver Green finish (which was also applied to the covers for the 14-inch wheels) and the Dark Green leather interior would be fantastic individually, but they’re paired together on this car, making it an absolute head-turner. A brown soft top (the perfect color to go with all the green) covers the cabin, which is furnished with bucket seats, power steering and disc brakes, power windows, central locking, air conditioning, and Becker Mexico AM/FM/cassette stereo. A body-color hardtop also comes with the car to provide maximum weather protection and sound insulation.
Service history is also a big deal — and this SL has it. The oil, coolant, and transmission fluid were recently changed. In addition to those important fluids, various parts were replaced, including the air and fuel filters, brake master cylinder, and steering coupler.
Look for Will Ferrell’s 1976 Mercedes-Benz 450SL to cross the block at the Barrett-Jackson 2026 Palm Beach Auction on Friday, April 17. In the meantime, you can buy tickets to the event, register to bid, consign your vehicle, and sign up for one of the Barrett-Jackson VIP Experiences.
