Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Cars

About SL Class

From the iconic 1952 W198 300SL Gullwing coupe to the W113 1960s roadster, to the safe and stately R107 coupe of the 1970s and 1980s, to the super-luxe AMG neck-snappers of the 1990s and 2000s, the Mercedes-Benz SL "Sport Light" series has meant something different in each of its many incarnations, all the while signifying taste, class, and old money in a way few other sports cars can claim.

For build quality and reliability, few auto-makers are represented on the road as well as Mercedes-Benz, whose cars from 30 and 40 years ago remain a common sight—as daily drivers far beyond their quarter-millionth mile.

Following the racing success of the 1952-1953 W198 300SLR Gullwing, the 1954 300SL production model was the fastest car on the American road. For its racing heritage, technological innovations, distinctive style, and small production numbers, Gullwing cars (available through 1957) remain über-collectible. The 300SL roadster that arrived in 1958 used the same fuel-injected inline-six (133-ci, 219-hp) as the Gullwing, with some added comfort and practicality; a carbureted four-cylinder powered the more attainable 190SL. Both models sold well and received continual refinements over the next five years.

By 1963, the SL series showed clear signs of a new direction towards sports touring. Even with alloy hoods and trunk lids, the "Pagodas" (nicknamed for their pagoda-like removable hard tops) were notably heavier than their competition, but the straight-six provided adequate power with vastly improved reliability. As the engines grew—from 2.3- liters for the 230SL (1963-1967), to 2.5-liters for the 250SL (1966-1968), to almost 2.8-liters for the 280SL (1967-1971)—so did collectability.

Mercedes-Benz played directly to American buyers with the third-generation SLs. Gone were the aluminum panels and any notion of weight saving. German engineers dubbed the super safe R107 "der Panzerwagen" (the armored car), pairing the venerable 2-seater with the 276-ci V8 (230-hp) from the full-size S class. This winning ratio of quality, safety, comfort, and luxury kept the R107 in production for an astounding 18 years. Superb paint and build quality means that well-maintained cars can be expected to continue running reliably for decades.

The 18-year-old R107 was retired in 1990, and the new R129 ushered in the next chapter in the SL's grand touring legacy. Mercedes-Benz added high-tech features to the smoothed, rounded, aerodynamic SL line, such as electronic suspension damping (starting in 1991), a hidden flip-up roll bar, and automatic rain-sensing wipers. Of course, the weight of all that technology added up, but Mercedes-Benz kept it cruising with a 5.0-liter, 322-hp V8 for the 1990-1992 500 SL, and an outrageous 408-hp V12 for the 1992-2002 600SL/SL600 (the Mercedes-Benz naming system was flipped in late 1993).

In 2001 the SL was new again. The rounded body of the 1990s took on a lower, sharper, more aggressive shape, and AMG details signaled a sportier, performance-minded attitude for the storied grand tourer. A 3.7-liter, 242-hp V6 (Mercedes' first) powered the SL350 (2003-2006), a 5-liter, 302-hp V8 pushed the SL 500 (2001-2006), and the SL600's 5.5-liter, 493-hp V12 (2002-2006) was now turbocharged. The SL55 AMG (5.5-liter, 469-hp) was released in 2002, and the SL65 AMG (6-liter, 604-hp) in 2004. Engines and appearance were sharpened again in a 2006 facelift: the SL350's 3.5-liter V6 was bumped to 268-hp; the SL500's 5.5-liter V8 to 383-hp; the SL600's 5.5-liter V12 BiTurbo to 510-hp; the SL55 AMG to 510-hp (5.5-liter); and the SL65 AMG to 604-hp (6-liter).

The 2008 SL line paid homage to its genetic forebears with a new grille styled after the R109 platform of the 1970s and 1980s. Engine size and outputs did not change much, but a new SL, the 280, was introduced, and the SL55 AMG was replaced with the SL63 AMG. The SL65 AMG Black Series (6-liter, 2008-) achieved 661-hp and did 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds.