Photo: Unique Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL to be sold at auction (https://rmsothebys.com) Author: Konstantin Shirokun
A unique Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL of the director of the American division of AMG will be sold at Sotheby's auction. The sedan nicknamed Blueberry was built for the founder of AMG North America Richard Buxbaum.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine with reference to the Sotheby's website.
The Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL 5.0 AMG sedan nicknamed Blueberry was a gift from AMG co-founder Hans-Werner Aufrecht to his American colleague from AMG North America Richard Buxbaum. The car got its name for its original color – Lapis Blue Metallic. Mercedes-Benzes were painted in it for only four years – from 1980 to 1984.
The idea to paint the 500 SEL blue came to Aufrecht after a conversation with Buxbaum, who complained about the impossibility of finding a car in a bright color. And since it was a Christmas present from AMG, the repainting was not limited to that. The velour interior was replaced with leather in Orion Gray, and the door panels were made by the Gemballa studio. AMG specialists also installed a four-spoke Italvolanti Corsa steering wheel, branded instruments and seats from the S-Class coupe.
The aerodynamic body kit, the wheels – all of this was also new. The sedan's suspension now features Bilstein shock absorbers, but the brakes remain standard. As did the 5.0-liter gasoline V8 with a capacity of 269 hp, which was given a custom-made sports exhaust system.
In 1986, Blueberry was bought by billionaire Rick Cohen. The car then briefly returned to Buxbaum, but the final reunion did not occur until 2022. No time or money was spared in restoring the sedan. The mechanics were handled by Chicago workshop The Last Detail, and the cosmetics by Drycenation. In total, more than $100,000 was spent on the work.
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