The Mercedes-Benz 350 SL for special applications
Summary
The R107 was a great success for Mercedes-Benz in 1971, and the comfortable touring sports car was ultimately produced until 1989. More comfort and more safety were at the top of the engineers' list of priorities. These qualities also convinced a certain Nicolae Ceaușescu, the supreme ruler of Romania at the time. This very car will now be auctioned in Stuttgart on March 19, 2016. This report describes the characteristics of the first R107 models and shows the Ceaușescu-350 SL in many pictures.
This article contains the following chapters
- Designed for safety
- Not an ecomobile
- Quieter and more comfortable
- A good choice
- Further information
Estimated reading time: 5min
Preview (beginning of the article)
In April 1971, Mercedes-Benz presented a new touring sports car that was to follow in the footsteps of the popular 280 SL, known as the Pagoda. The new model was significantly larger, with a 6 cm longer wheelbase, 8.5 cm longer and 3 cm wider. The additional weight of almost 200 kg was compensated for by a now 3.5-liter V8 engine, which could be shifted with a four-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission, as in its predecessor. Back then, the technology was mainly based on the Stroke Eight, at least the front and rear suspensions came from there. The lines had been stretched, the radiator in particular appeared significantly wider and the whole car was flatter. Horizontally arranged rectangular headlights were used at the front, while the rear lights were fitted with ribbed glass to effectively reduce soiling.
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