Mercedes-Benz SL R107
(1971 - 1993)
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Germany
All 18 Mercedes-Benz SL R107 models
Car articles about Mercedes-Benz SL R107 by year
Car fans once dreamed of top-of-the-range or super sports cars. Since the turn of the millennium, however, hypercars have been regarded as the ultimate in automotive transportation. But whether they offer real driving pleasure is doubtful. To prove this thesis, this article takes you through the development of the sports car up to the present day and shows many of the cars mentioned in pictures.
A new era began with the Mercedes-Benz 350 SL. The successor to the Pagoda had been developed with the American market in mind as a safety sports car and was significantly heavier with an eight-cylinder engine and larger dimensions. But that wasn't the only reason why people were skeptical at first; critics also didn't like its looks. Almost 50 years have passed since then and the R107 is one of the most popular classics of all time. This report goes back to the beginnings and portrays a 350 SL from 1971, tells the history of the model series and shows the vehicles in current and historical pictures, supplemented by sales literature and sound samples.
In the summer of 1971, Automobil-Revue tested the new Mercedes-Benz 350 SL (R107) with automatic and manual transmission. The summary shows the positive experiences of the test drivers: "Although fundamentally different from its predecessor 280 SL in terms of engine, chassis and body, the 350 SL is not really a new design, but a successful synthesis of elements that have been selected from the entire Mercedes-Benz production program and have already proven themselves in the various models. The latest two-seater from Untertürkheim is therefore inherently mature. As a sporty, luxurious touring car, it comes up against formidable competition in the price range of around 40,000 francs - the additional price of around 5,000 francs compared to the basic version of the 280 SL is more than justified by the technical improvements - from equally renowned manufacturers, some of which are superior in terms of performance. The strengths of the latest Mercedes offspring lie in the design, which is geared towards safety down to the last detail, in the quality of workmanship, which can hardly be surpassed, and not least in the unusual limousine comfort. The 350 SL in no way encourages an extremely sporty driving style, although the rev-happy engine and unproblematic handling would lead one to expect the opposite. With this car, however, you can be sure of reaching even distant destinations effortlessly, comfortably, quickly and safely."
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.
Externally, there were only minimal distinguishing features, but when connoisseurs spotted a Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC coupé with a rubber lip on the trunk lid and the number "5.0" on the right-hand side of the rear in 1978, the driver was sure to receive an appreciative nod. After all, this Mercedes-Benz was the fastest car from Sindelfingen at the time and quite expensive too. Only 1977 of the lightweight coupé were built between 1978 and 1980, a good reason to dedicate a detailed report with many photos to the SLC 5.0.
Between 1971 and 1989, Mercedes built the R107 and the coupé variant C107 as the 280 SL to 560 SL and 280 SLC to 500 SLC respectively. Commercially, the model series was a great success and the R107 was the longest-built SL ever; the predecessors W198, W113 and the successors were all built over much shorter periods of time. The last examples of the R107 series became classics from the assembly line and today, together with their older brothers, enjoy a large fan community.
Almost 40 years and several model series lie between the first open-top 300 SL and the last. Technically and conceptually, the W 198 and R 129 series are far apart. But both offered pleasurable open-top driving and superior performance, i.e. the same thing, albeit nowadays at a price that differs by a factor of 50. This report compares the first and last bearers of the 300 SL name and shows both in historical and contemporary pictures.
When Mercedes-Benz introduced the 600 SL in 1992, a twelve-cylinder engine was the order of the day in the top class. With 395 hp and six liters of displacement, the 600 SL easily eclipsed the already very agile 500 SL, but also cost the equivalent of a simple detached house. "Luxury is what you don't necessarily need," wrote one tester at the time. This driving report describes the Mercedes-Benz 600 SL, showing it in many photos from then and now, as well as in the sales brochure. Of course, you can also listen to the sound of the engine.
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All 18 Mercedes-Benz SL R107 models
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