This 1972 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL 4.5 is a running project that is said to have been purchased from the original owner by the seller’s father in 1985, and ownership was transferred to the seller in California in 2025. Powered by a 4.5-liter V8 mated to a three-speed automatic transmission, the car is finished in Dark Red over Cognac leather upholstery. Equipment includes 14″ steel wheels, a self-leveling air suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, a sunroof, stacked quad headlights, wrap-around bumpers, front bucket seats, a Becker Europa AM/FM stereo, air conditioning, and power windows. This W109 is now offered at no reserve by the seller on behalf of their spouse with a service manual, service record copies, and a clean California title in the owner’s name.
The car is finished in Dark Red, and equipment includes a sunroof, stacked quad headlights, wrap-around bumpers, a left door mirror, front vent windows, “4.5” decklid badging, a Standing Star hood ornament, a power antenna, tinted rear side windows, and butterfly-style windshield wipers. There is rust on the lower portion of the left fender, corrosion is noted on the trunk lid, and additional photos of exterior imperfections are viewable in the gallery below.
The 14″ steel wheels wear bright-finished covers with body-color centers and are mounted with Michelin Energy MXV4 tires. The car was equipped from the factory with a self-leveling suspension with front and rear air-spring bellows and torsion bar stabilizers. Stopping power is provided by power-assisted disc brakes at all four corners. Rear suspension air bags were installed in 2018, according to the seller, and the brake master cylinder and booster were replaced in 2019. The brake fluid was flushed in January 2026.
The cabin features front bucket seats and a rear bench trimmed in Cognac leather upholstery. Wood trim accents the door panels and dashboard, and additional interior appointments include driver’s seat-height adjustment, power windows, central locking, a Becker Europa AM/FM stereo, a heated rear window, and air conditioning. The right front window regulator was replaced in 2021, and the air conditioning system has been converted to R134a refrigerant.
The two-spoke steering wheel has been fitted with a leather wrap, and it frames VDO instrumentation consisting of a 160-mph speedometer, an analog clock, and a combination gauge for coolant temperature, fuel level, and oil pressure. The five-digit odometer shows 20k miles. The seller states that the odometer reading is inaccurate, and the total mileage is unknown. A Dash Designs upper dashboard pad has been installed, and a photo of the dashboard with the pad removed is shown in the gallery.
The 4.5-liter M117 V8 features Bosch mechanical fuel injection and was rated at 198 horsepower and 264 lb-ft of torque when new. The fuel pump was replaced in 2019, and work in 2021 reportedly included a valve adjustment, along with replacing the thermal fan control switch, spark plugs, and fuel lines. The oil was changed in January 2026, and the air filter, ignition points, and vacuum advance were replaced at that time. The car idles roughly and stalls, and the seller tells us that the idle control valve will need to be replaced.
Power is sent to the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic transmission. The transmission was serviced, and the torque converter and shifter bushings were replaced in 2021, according to the seller. The differential fluid was changed in January 2026. Additional photos of the underside condition are viewable in the gallery.