It was a sweet ride turned sour: a €1.35 million Mercedes roadster that died after cruising 10 blocks. That works out at €135,000 a corner - perhaps the most expensive test drive on record, writes Ronald White in Los Angeles
Last week, a Los Angeles car dealer sued Mercedes-Benz and DaimlerChrysler, saying they sold him a silver, two-door lemon. "It's the mother of all lemons," said Mark Johnston, co-owner of Grand Prix Motors.
The roadster was one of only six produced since 2002. Designed to safely travel at 322km/h, the 12-cylinder, 612bhp car was out for its first spin with a prospective buyer in 2004 when the oil light came on, the gears wouldn't shift properly and the car shuddered so violently that the windows came unglued, Johnston said.
Subsequent appeals to Mercedes-Benz and affiliate HWA produced a mechanic who examined the vehicle. He took oil samples and parts back to Germany, never to return, according to the complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Next came a trip to a Mercedes repair facility in Florida, where technicians determined that a new engine was required; Mercedes and HWA wouldn't pay for it, the suit says. Mercedes-Benz USA denied responsibility.
"The customer bought the vehicle directly from Germany. He imported it himself. It's not certified for sale here. It's a race car, period," Mercedes spokeswoman Donna Boland said.
Despite its alleged misadventures, the car was polished to perfection last week as it starred in a news conference flanked by lemon trees and an attorney from a New York law firm. He had hoped to sell the car for more than $2.5 million.
"It's still a piece of art," Johnston said. "It's just a piece of art that doesn't run."