Driving Nigel Mansell's Mercedes 560 SEC 

What I love about old cars is big windows and loads of light coming in

Bit of trivia, I live in Mr Mansells sisters old house. Hes probably took a dump on my bog!🤭😂😂

Each of Nigel Mansell's eyebrows are the same scale as his moustache!!!! I'm NOT kidding!!!

Laughing within 26 seconds. Thanks guys. Cheered me up.

Excuse me while I socially distance myself for the 26 minutes.

Never knew about Brian Sewell, what a fascinating character. Thank you for the revelation.

Excellent 26 minutes of content guys. I can vouch that these indeed do 150 mph, a mates dad, a well heeled real estate developer had 2 of these, both Nautic blue? with oxblood interior when they were new, one 1989 and one 1990 model. My mate, with a fresh licence at 18 years old drove them like he had stolen them, pegged the speedo atleast once a day.

Thanks for your videos - always good fun. Take care chaps.

What a beautiful & elegant car even now. So much want

Worked for MB 1987-99. Model for model they were the best high end motor car manufacturer in the world. The reason is because they were magnificently over engineered. The only real scare we received was BMW's E38 which is in the top ten for sure. For reasons that are tinged with a little sadness they are now a completely different animal.

Gearbox talk. It always pulls away in 2nd unless you slide it down to B and back to D. The E mode gets rid of kickdown so you only get partial kickdown I believe. I have a 1988 560 SEC in smoke silver the same colour scheme, although I think that car looks a bit goldy to be smoke silver? Great video

Not only are no body panels shared between the C126 and W126, the sunroof panel is different, and all the glass is different too! I own a W126, and once lost my wallet in the door pocket. I put it in the door pocket when cleaning the car, and as you said, the pocket is very long and tall... I couldn't see it in there and only found it months later when the sun hit the door just right. That car actually has the anti-squat rear suspension - compare it to the 6 cylinder sedans and the difference is quite dramatic.

I'm 47, I'm starting to really love the SEC

This was such a quality time in Mercedes history. When comfort and reliability were more important than lap times. Its proper. I'd have it.

@ 10:18 - *B* is for (engine) Braking - downhill towing for example. It restrains the car to second gear; also allows it to start in first (from < 5 km/h).

A key feature of this model is the pillarless window, such a joy to drive with the windows down. Fun Fact; When Roadhouse was produced they bought two 560 SECs, One was distroyed the other was purchased by Swayze which he drove for the rest of his days.

I imported a number of 126 coupes and sedans into Canada from Japan in the mid-2000s. These cars were not built to a price. The 140 that followed were built the same way but were hideous to look at. Then came the Lexus LS. You chaps should review an LS of the period through today's eyes as well. Love the vids Cheers.

You two are a riot in that car, it makes me miss the 80’s, if only just for the cars! Well done, Cheers!

Those cars are epic. Effortless driving with immense power. So cool to drive. They were made to old school Mercedes standards without the plastic nonsense of today.

Interesting, the first car that I remember 'rearing up' is the Audi 100 from 1987. I think we had a 2.3, front wheel drive, still did that somehow. I love how the Mercedes interiors are always sort fo the same. Nothing flashy, just solidly made. Makes you feel like whether you had an S-Class or a 190E, you'd have a quality product. You pay extra for speed and sound dampening and gimmicks, but not for quality.

I remember reading an Autocar interview way back in 1981 with 1980 F1 champion Alan Jones were he was speccing up a new 500SEL. So cool.

absolutely love this era benz

Great seeing another show filmed around my area. You could have popped in to see Stella McCartney

blimey last time i saw that was back in 2014 at wimbledon race track brian loved banger racing and would come to every banger race there.he was a real enthusiast and came and talked to all the drivers and mechanics it was so bizzare.

Never will cars be made this good again

Audi Coupé is exactly what I was thinking! Nice set o' wheels the SEC!

I think Brian Sewell had a column in one of newspapers writing about cars, he knew his stuff.

Oh nice! I have an 1991 560 SEC also, but in black and palomino interior. God I miss to drive my car, but restrictions now with all the coronavirus going on don't allow me 😪😓

I love the sec. The clicky steering wheel ring brings back loads of memories. However I'm still managing to block out the timing chain, valve guides and valve seals. I would love one of these

Grew up with the 1989 model. What a car It was the cutting edge of cars. 2500 rpm at 160kmh. The tech was beyond all cars at the time. Memories!

I'm sorry, & maybe it's the lock down, but, that car is glorious.

I had an aging Audi coupe and it is still my favourite, cracking exhaust note. Mine was the classic sage green metallic. My step dad has a version of this merc too, great show boys, thanks.

Liking the step up in quality here, better interior camera and more external shots. Not gone unnoticed!

Lads. That’s was great chat, I loved it.

lovely cars, i have to make do with a c124 which is a great car as well. Excellent video,, thanks.

I think the correct name for that paint colour is Jewish Racing Gold.

What a car. Bruno Sacco was the greatest car designer ever.

I did a driving job in 2008 and had to deliver to Mansell Racing Dunkerswell aerodrome in Devon and I knocked on the door and Nigel took the package, he was a really nice bloke.

This film about this car would be utterly incomplete without the satisfying crunch of gravel at 23.15

bloody marvelous.... mansewell...

Yep I visited Mansell’s house regularly in jersey for my job

My father had one of these in Saudi Arabia. It was also Gold/Tan interior. The side mirrors were all the way out on the fenders. Very comfortable and ARCTIC AC in it.

I had one of these owned by James "the shunt" Hunt once! It sold at auction a couple of years back for not a lot of money... Awesome cars :)

lovely old thing. Straight over to Car and classic to see a few

After watching Brian Sewell drive it all over Europe, it so fascinating to see it in all the details

I owned both a 500 SE and a 500 SEL, W126. I still think that the 500 SE was one of the best looking Mercedes ever made.

I remember trying to race a SEC 500 back in the mid eighties with my dad’s Saab 99 Ems and being astounded by two things, firstly the way the Merc launched and pulled three car lengths before I’d got into second and also as you said how much it’s nose lifted, actually thought it was going to wheelie

Walking down Leeds city centre as a young lad in the 80’s there was this brand new 560SEC in bright red with the full 80’s AMG kit and those awful but probably stupidly expensive wheels (like a weird inset 5 spoke) Absolutely blew my tiny little mind. WOW

I wanted a 560SEC when I was young but by the time I could afford one I couldn’t find a decent example. The W215 CL500 I ended up with has been a wonderful consolation. I’ve always liked large coupes.

I owned one of these for a few years. They say never drive your heros, but this was everything that I expected it to be. My word did it rust though.

So much love for the W126.

Brigel Mansewel

I watched Roadhouse for the first time at Xmas. I don't know where I was when it came out!!

I'm down with SEC

Started watching, but I've saved this to my 'Insomnia' playlist. Christ almighty.

Citroen BX was like a plane taking off in terms of squat angle.

bobby brown, "Dont be cruel" and "every little step" references this car!

Richards most recumbent video ever lol

Richard, you missed the best line from that Independent article... "it will most assuredly outlast me" IIRC! He wasn't wrong...

Lot of design features also seen in Bentley Continental R - 2 horn choice, seating for 4 adults; large rear ashtray; 4 speed auto with winter setting; rears up and squats under acceleration.

E Type Jag was the first car I saw sink into the tarmac upon heavy acceleration (Phil - Standish)

Beautiful car! I remember being 16 in '96 and landing at the old airport in Hong Kong getting picked up in an S-Class saloon of this vintage by a man of illegitimate business, smoking a long cigarette in a cigarette holder and being transported to a Thai restaurant in a rainstorm with a red Countach LP5000S (with wing) parked outside, and thinking ... bugger me, I need to live here.

Motor racing's Nigel Mansell? You mean there's a possibility for an artistic swimming's Nigel Mansell too?

Mansell was/is a true British hero. His struggle and sacrifices to get into F1 and how hard he worked to achieve was beyond admirable. The only driver I ever saw who was clearly respected by Senna ... on the track! Unless news of the all too frequent Fake variety, Senna accused Mansell of being a tad "mental" on track. Yeah .. pot kettle etc. I cannot remember any other driver so highly "praised" by the Brasilian. "Our Nige" turned up at one of the British GPs in a humble MG Montego Turbo. Tru-Brit class at all levels.

My neighbour had a late version 1989 560 SEC with factory BBS wheels, i nearly wet myself in excitement when the son (same age as me) showed me how the rear windows would come down! It just didnt seem possible to me at the time!

4:00 somehow I don't think continental driving was the only reason Mansell requested a left-hand drive car. The 560 models (SEL, SEC, SL) were built specifically for the US market, as an answer to the strict emissions laws which meant the 5 litre engines (500 series cars) were choked and starved into confirming, and thus only provided lacklustre performance. The 5.6 brought power back up to acceptable levels, and then some; they ended up being the most brisk ones. Lots of Europeans, and I feel Mansell as well, tried to get their hands on the rare US spec cars, which naturally were left-hand drive only.

11:10 wow "Town and Country Horn" is the most-70s (or 30s?) sounding car feature ever...even though this car was from the 80s.

Richard was soooo on Form

Top stuff chaps!

Mercedes has a history of "doing things their own way" when it comes to colours. My Grandad had a burnt orange W115 when I was a kid that Mercedes called English red.

I remember this car from Bryan Sewell's Grand Tour TV show. It featured a lot.

"I can't get a signal because we're in the sticks". You're not in the sticks, you're in the Lenches. That's full on Nimbyshire, no aerials, no wind turbines, not in *our* back yard.

I was on the Isle of Man a couple of years back and bumped in to mansell in a spar store his g wagon was outside with the plate man 5el

A brilliant 26 minutes distraction from the world. Then I realised that the prerecorded shows are going to start running out. Come on science, get your finger out and save my Fridays.

Near zero road noise. Lovely!

I drove our w123 when I was still 14.

Nigel Mansewell, brilliant :)

You can't fathom how many of these cars were in Hong Kong in the 90's. Almost literally every 10th car you saw if you include the saloon too. Utterly mental.

Cheers chaps, a most pleasant cruise, very relaxing. Candidate for an EV conversion?

They're a bit steeper than 15, on Car & Classic at least. More like £20-40k. Gonna have to have up a bit more before living out my newfound Brigel Mansewell fantasies...

Very good, really enjoyed that. As a young man reading Autocar was a 560SEC faster than the same age 911?

You guys were driving just north of Evesham and through Norton, weren't you?

Where have they recorded this, I love the location and the chat also.

I just realised that this is Worcestershire and that is the B&Ms at Evesham! You guys missed a trick. If you had headed in the other direction at the round-a-bout for about 20 mins you could have ended up in Upton-upon-Severn which, of course, is where Mr Nigel Mansell was born.

Just sold my w124 coupe already regretting it maybe a sec should replace it

E is same as w.and does set off in second ....b is 1st gear so you can hold it in first if needed .....

Great seeing you on the roads I cut my teeth on - out in the sticks. You could go for many a 'commited' mile and not see another car for miles.

The car features in Brian Sewell’s Grand Tour (yes before the three stooges used that title) TV doco series.

Kelly Lynch was the archetypal 80's blonde in Roadhouse

Most autos pull away in second, surely? Always loved these.

It's not Smoke Silver 702, this is Champagne 473. [Anorak Mode off]

Benz UK didn't appear to think it was silver either when they registered it as it shows as Bronze on the DVLA records. Surprisingly low mileage- approx 44k at last MOT.

Old money?

Richard's got a cough. Anyone seen him in person recently?

A friend of my grandparents got a black Audi Quattro (full fat one!) for a company car back when they were new. It got stolen off him 5 times before he decided he was sick of it and I believe he traded it for an Audi 100 Quattro

that's one hell of a grab handle....

Roadhouse is a fantastic film with one of the funniest sex scenes ever made. When Kelly Lynch is receiving the attention of the late Mr Swayze, her waist is about nipple-height with ol' Patrick. I wondered if the implication was that he was hung like an mid-sized whale...

I own 2 x C126 Gen2 Euro coupes (1black & 1 white AMG spec) & an 89 midnight blue Euro 560SEL full spec/hydro version (no springs) also in AMG spec & all running wide AMG 3 piece forged 17" wheels. www.flickr.com/photos/krh2013 The 560SEL is a big car but it a still quick and so solid on the road and super comfortable and ideal for those countryside drives. You feel like you are stepping into an 80's time-warp when you drive these cars and a feeling so hard to explain unless you own one and certanly very addictive. By the way besides George Harrison driving a Black 560SEL in the UK also Robert Plant (Led Zepp) owned a nice Green AMG C126 coupe back in the day . Clint Eastwood still drives a nice white C126 coupe . The pinnacle is the widebody coupe especailly in black and in high demand today from collectors. By the way that shifter bottom gate gets you into 1st gear and will easily smoke up the wide rear tyres

I had a 500 for a long time when they were peanuts and a 560 for a while that was a bit disappointing to be honest. Is there any mention of how astonishingly expensive they were new?

When luxury was simplicity, space and leather.