When Mercedes redesigned its famed SL in 1971, there was a lot of equity behind it – after all, when the incomparable "Gullwing" 300 SL coupe was built less than 20 years before, it set the world on fire. The next-generation SL in 1963 brought Mercedes' sports car down to Earth, replacing both the incredible 300 SL and four-cylinder 190 SL.

For the next SL, Mercedes started with the chassis of the mid-size "W114/115" model and added the motors from the large "W116" S-Class. The result was a luxurious 3.5-liter V-8 convertible that ended up being the longest passenger car series ever produced by Mercedes.

By 1987, the SL in America was only available as the 560 SL. This was a car that had widespread appeal, including the affections of a 29 year-old Michigander named Madonna Ciccone. At that moment she was already on top of the world, having evolved from her "Material Girl" to the more mature "True Blue" phase. She owned this black/black SL, which was given to her by Oscar winner Sean Penn, until 1996, upon which an Oregon couple purchased it. The odometer indicates fewer than 50,000 miles. Owned by a prominent Texas collector since 2006, it's now your turn – a black V-8 Mercedes roadster equipped with the optional hardtop with celebrity provenance.

Without reserve