Luxury trucks are all the rage these days, and most people don’t need the capabilities of a one-ton pickup. That makes this 1983 Mercedes-Benz 500SEL pickup conversion on Fourbie Exchange the perfect choice for all the luxury truck stuff you’ll actually do in the real world. It may not be able to carry 8,000 pounds like a 2026 Ford F-350, but with a 5.0-liter V8, S-Class luxury inside, and a good-sized bed, this truck (or technically a ute, since it’s based on a car) can do all the truck things most people need in a stylish German package.
From the listing:
This German market S-Class pickup was converted under the direction and commission of SGS’ founder Chris Hahn to fulfil needed daily tasks in the company as delivery and utilitarian vehicle and it is believed to be the only one he built. Extensive coachwork includes the high-quality level of engineering expected from SGS, going beyond the practical use, to structural stability and reinforcement for safety, durability and to meet strict German TüV requirements for road use.
TüV inspection is no joke, as we learned the hard way with a diesel Chrysler Voyager that was not chopped into a cute little ute (though admittedly, that would be awesome). Cutting one quarter of the car off significantly affects its structural integrity, something TüV takes quite seriously. The fact that the result satisfies these high standards says a lot about the quality of the conversion.Â
The sides of the body have visible lines where the back doors used to be, which are likely welded shut at this point. The back part of the trunk lid has been incorporated into the tailgate, a nice touch to preserve the Mercedes look.
German engineering
The only part that looks a bit odd is the enlarged B-pillar and the flat rear panel behind what is now the cab. These are parts that never came on a standard S-Class, because there are no other S-Class utes (at least, that we know of), so they had to be fabricated. Their thickness gives them strength, which was probably necessary to meet TüV standards. I once cut up a VW Jetta to turn it into a Smyth Performance Ute, so I know that a lot of design work and extra metal go into reinforcing the area where the bed meets the B-pillar, specifically to regain the rigidity lost when cutting off the back half of the roof. Fortunately, German cars are typically built like tanks, especially Mercedes of this era, so this ute won’t be flopping and flexing down the road like some midwestern rustbucket.
Every proper pickup truck deserves a V8 under the hood. This Mercedes delivers in pure S-Class fashion with a Euro-spec M117 5.0-liter V8. It’s rear-wheel drive, which is fine because you probably won’t be taking this Merc off-roading (it’s not a G-Class), but a limited-slip differential will help if the going gets slick.
Inside is what you’d expect from the front half of an S-Class. Much of the luxury was in the back, where cargo now replaces wealthy businessmen, but the front is even more plush than the original, with upgraded leather seats. The wood trim is in good shape, a reminder that you’re in a top-tier luxury vehicle despite the single row of seating.
Best of all, the asking price for this luxury ute is just $39,000. That’s a Mercedes-Benz 500SEL with truck bits for less money than the most basic Ford F-150, including destination charges. Sure, parts for the Mercedes will be more expensive and harder to find, but you’ll have the coolest car truck ute on the block for chump change compared to a King Ranch, and that’s arguably priceless.
