Lost keys set record

Losing the keys to their 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL500 brought a hefty pay day for a British driver, whose car – with only 129km on the odometer – sold at action for a record $101,800. Experts estimated the car would sell between $80,000-$98,000. The sole owner received the roadster as a birthday present in Mayfair and stored it in an underground garage shortly afterwards. The keys were then lost and the car was never driven again. The SL500 was rediscovered earlier this year and sold by Coys auction house at their Spring Classics auction in London. “This is a fantastic price bearing in mind that a normal version of this car, with reasonable mileage, would probably be worth 20 per cent of what this SL500 made today,” said Coys CEO Chris Routledge. The Mercedes-Benz SL500 R129 roadster was produced from 1989 to 2002 and was a high-tech vehicle at the time, featuring electronically controlled damping, electric windows and mirrors and an extending roll-over bar. The model sold at auction contained more factory extras, including heated seats and a six-CD multi-changer. A new set of keys were included with the sale.