For sale! You’ve never heard of this strange, rare Mercedes
If you look at the registration papers of this strange coupe-convertible, you will see that it is a Mercedes-Benz SL 550 of the R230 generation. But from the outside you can only tell by the contours of the roof. Because this is no longer a Mercedes, but a Fisker.
You know the Danish designer Henrik Fisker from the BMW Z8 and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, among others. He had always dreamed of having his own car brand, so he left Aston Martin in 2005 to found Fisker Coachbuild and later Fisker Automotive (known for the Karma).
Mercedes-Benz SL 550 with trailer
This first company only existed for two years and only built a handful of cars in that time. There were two models: the Fisker Latigo CS, a camouflaged BMW 645Ci, and this Fisker Tramonto.
This example dates from 2007 and was built as a fifth. Above the infotainment screen it says optimistically: “No.” 005 or 150′ engraved, but Fisker Coachbuild never got further than the alleged fifteen pieces. And even that is uncertain…
Hardly recognizable and not in good condition
As you can see, Fisker took special care of the appearance. Behind the low, wide radiator grille and the pointed headlights, the Mercedes SL is hardly recognizable. The rear is also completely different.
The 20-inch wheels are of the Autostyle type and don’t quite match the roadster’s exclusive character. What is remarkable about this particular car – for sale on Bringatrailer.com – is the poor condition it is in. And that after only 50,000 kilometers.
The interior is heavily worn, Fisker badging is weathered, trim materials are loose, and the body has dents and scratches, as do the wheels. As if this Tramonto had had a pretty rough life.
Rear-wheel drive and a 5.5-liter V8 with 388 hp
The body panels that Fisker added to the SL, like the nose and tail, are made of aluminum and carbon fiber. Under the skin, the technology still comes from Mercedes. The 5.5-liter V8 produces 388 hp and drives the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission.