I've been lusting after an SEC for years. Like most of you it's an appearance and image thing. I think the SEC is probably the best looking coup? the company ever made. The only thing that I don't like about it are the tail lights, which look like they came straight off the W116, predecessor of the W126, making them look 70's as opposed to the rest of the car which looks 80's.
Mainly I like it because it's the only Mercedes coup? in this price range that's V8 powered but has looks that make me want to drive it as a DD. As opposed to other classic Mercs which merely look good as classic Mercs. However, I'll come to the V8 thing later.
I like the low stance, even though a bone stock SEC doesn't actually look that low, but that's fixable without making it appear boyracerish. I like the clean forward-attacking rear section of the roof, which is also found on my car:
When I see that roofline in the flesh I always think of my all-time favorite muscle car, the charger
The roofline achieves a sleek look that isn't immediately apparent from pics but is very noticeable and cool in the flesh.
I also like the huge star in front of the SEC radiator grille, it looks horrible in the W124 and pretty much any pre-2000s Merc, but on the W126 it looks
so right. It fits the styling exactly and it's just the right size as well. Even the upright stance of the front itself makes the star look right, and justifies the "in your face" look of it.
I like big cars, and the SEC is just about as big as coup?s come. It's half a meter longer than my car and that's some serious percentage bigger than a car that already feels pretty large.
Also, whenever they needed wheels for a wealthy criminal on Miami Vice, they often went with a SEC... I can see why
After nearly writing off my E Coupe last month, and before I knew it was to be repaired, I started following the "SEC scene" closely in order to know the ins and outs of the car and hopefully find a nice example to buy.
Most SEC's that are in daily use in this country seem to be driven by boyracers and slightly older young adults. This is probably because the SEC is in fact one of the cheapest cars on the used car market with a huge V8 (you want a 560, right?). Obviously most of the accessories and interior on the cheap ones will break, or be broken already, but the engine will still be there.
Cars that have been owned by those people will most likely be spoiled with horrible looking tuning... Interior details that don't fit, like one guy who glued chrome tape all over the wood trim and said it looked good, big shiny wheels, overlowered suspension, tinted windows because AFAIK you aren't allowed to tint
all windows in this country which leaves the car looking ridiculous if you tint just the back ones, blacking out the chrome or other trim, ill-fitting lights, horrible paint / color, etc, etc...
Then again the rest of the cars are driven by genuine Mercedes enthusiasts who will most likely keep them stock and in immaculate condition, as befits a Merc fan.
However, even among those ones some might consider clean only a few are actually desirable. Most have one or more of the following which I don't like: non-body colored plastic side panels, cloth interior, shiny wood steering wheel, chrome mirrors and US-spec bumpers.
I haven't done enough research to know if there was ever an equivalent to the sportline option with the W126, that would make subtle changes to the overall style of the car to make it look sportier back in the day, which translates to a more modern look today. Stuff like wider sills, longer skirts, lower suspension, etc. The AMG ones are tuned like that for sure.
So I'd like one that looks like that, with no irreversible boyracer tuning, and none of the sucky properties I listed above, and with a healthy drivetrain and chassis. And that combination makes what I want bleeding rare and most likely damn expensive. Needless to say there were none in our local dominating car trading website and only 20 % of the SEC's listed there ticked enough boxes for me to consider buying. A true dream car, then... Unattainable because there aren't enough of them around.
The XJS doesn't really have the appeal of the SEC. A few years ago I actually hated the looks but I've warmed to them, now I sort of get it. In fact I nearly like the convertible version May drove in the wine show, season 1. Still, I prefer a V8 to a V12 and since I don't actually lust after one, I'm drawn to thinking about the wonky electronics and the fact it spills oil everywhere and it'll be fantastically expensive to maintain, let alone repair. And the image of an XJS is that of a classy old guy and as such, I couldn't really feel comfortable driving one every day.
So the SEC it is
