This car belonged to famous comedian Red Skelton and his wife, undergoing a complete inspection and overhaul by Bruce Canepa in recent years. It is a beautifully preserved, well-maintained and rare piece of automobile history – and could be yours now. If you can afford it.
The 500E was the result of a limited collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, with the latter building the car off the former’s original design. This one was sold as new in 1993 to a Los Angeles supermodel and passed on to the Skeltons in 1997. Even before that, it was a very special car, and not just because only some 1,500 units like it were ever made for the U.S.
The color specification on this one, black on black, can only be found on two other 500Es, the listing over at DuPont Registry notes. Color options for this model included silver and dark gray metallic, with the occasional Spruce Green metallic thrown in between. To get black on black, you’d have to have connections inside Mercedes-Benz, which would explain why only three cars like this were ever made. Skelton’s comes with all-original factory paint.
“A stunning example, it only adds to its Q-ship status and retains an aggressive presence that is lacking from the rest,” the listing says. “Pair that with the visceral exhaust note that encourages you to mash the throttle at all times, this unique Mercedes-Benz 500E is the one to have.”
With 68,465 miles (110,183 km) on the clock, the car was hardly taken out over the past two decades, being kept at the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Palm Springs, California.
Before deciding to sell it, Skelton’s widow took it to Bruce Canepa, where it received $80,000 worth of upgrades with the Canape Difference package. This includes a thorough inspection and replacing of some parts, and concours-style detailing, but also BBS Aero II wheels and some cosmetic enhancements that bring this classic into the modern era.
The listing comes with the “call for price” note, which is one-percenter fancy-speak for “if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it.”
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