Mercedes-Benz 560 Johnny Carson The Most Stylish Ways

If you’re familiar with late-night talk shows or TV in general, you’ll undoubtedly have heard of Johnny Carson. A former WWII Navy veteran, Carson was the host of NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years, from 1962 to 1992, and received numerous awards for his contributions to television, including six Primetime Emmy Awards. What does this have to do with cars, you ask? Well, you can buy his 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC on Bring a Trailer.
 

This Benz has lived a storied life
This 560SEC was sold new by Mercedes-Benz of Beverly Hills to Johnny Carson, who reportedly kept the car until 2003. It’s finished in a snazzy shade of 80s white dubbed Arctic White over Anthracite leather with 15″ Gullideckel alloy wheels.
 
This Merc is powered by a 5.5-liter M117 V8 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission and a limited-slip differential that produces 238 horsepower and 287 lb-ft of torque. Its previous owner bought it in February 2017 and treated it to paint repairs, a suspension overhaul, some needed engine servicing, and an air conditioning flush and refill.
 
If the Johnny Carson fame wasn’t enough, this 560SEC was also featured in the January-February 2022 issue of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America’s “The Star” magazine.
 

You’ll be driving this 560SEC in the lap of luxury
The interior is classy Mercedes-Benz, with plenty of wood on the dashboard, heated and power-adjustable front seats, a car phone, and the all-too-appropriate Coco Mats. Best of all, the odometer only shows 87,000 miles, so this German cruiser is ready to soak up a lot more miles for years to come.
 
One thing to note is that if you’ve followed this year’s auctions so far, then you’ll know that this 560SEC just sold at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction a few days ago. If the comments are anything to go by, then the seller listed it on Bring a Trailer before they even got the car shipped from the auction. Hopefully, its next buyer can appreciate it for what it is.
 

Final thoughts
To put it properly, Johnny Carson was one cool cat, and this classic Mercedes-Benz was absolutely a fitting car for him. There are a lot more service records in the listing that I didn’t mention here, but judging from those, I’d say this car is ready for the road with little if any, further servicing needed.
 
Included in the sale are the window sticker, manufacturer’s literature, service records, accessories, and a lot of Johnny Carson memorabilia for future owners to properly display the car at car shows.
 
At the time of writing this, there are 4 days left in the auction with a bid of $15,000. If you play your cards right, this could be a bargain of a buy. Just make sure you have someone to announce your arrival with, “Heeeeeeeere’s Johnny!”