Nine Mercedes-Benz SL sports cars on a serpentine loop, including the oldest existing SL, as well as numerous other exhibits and elements: This is how the new special exhibition "Fascination SL - a dream car for 70 years" at the Mercedes-Benz Museum welcomes visitors. It opens on October 22, 2021 and is expected to run until May 15, 2022.
In March 1952, almost 70 years ago, Mercedes-Benz presented the 300 SL. The thoroughbred racing sports car took four victories in five races in the same year. Calls for a series-production version became loud. Mercedes-Benz responded and presented the 300 SL Coupé and the comfortable 190 SL roadster in 1954. Since then, there has been an unbroken tradition of production vehicles with the famous two letters: The "S" stands for "Super" and the "L" for "Light". Mercedes-Benz will continue to write the success story of the SL in the future.
The complete story
The special exhibition at the Mercedes-Benz Museum tells the complete story of the SL sports car. The 300 SL racing sports car with chassis number 2 was the initial spark in 1952: it is the oldest existing SL and has been in factory ownership without interruption. The first production SL was the 300 SL Coupé from 1954.
This famous "Gullwing" and all other SL model series up to the present day can be seen in the special exhibition. A display case presents the SL technology innovations since 1952. Not only the serpentine loop provides travel flair, but also a colorful wall design with vacation postcards from all over the world with the Mercedes-Benz SL.
300 SL racing sports car (W 194), chassis number 2, 1952
Success at the first attempt: with the 300 SL racing sports car (W 194), Mercedes-Benz returned to international racing for the first time after the Second World War. The result: triple victory in Bern, double victories at Le Mans and at the Carrera Panamericana in Mexico, quadruple victory at the Nürburgring.
The exhibited vehicle with chassis number 194 010 00002/52 is the oldest existing SL in the world - in factory ownership since 1952.
300 SL Coupé (W 198), 1955
Dream sports car to this day: design and technology are what make the 300 SL presented in New York in February 1954 so fascinating. "It is known as the "Gullwing" or "Papillon" (butterfly).
However, the doors hinged to the roof are not an aesthetic end in themselves, but a technical necessity. This is because the tubular lattice frame is so high at the sides that conventional door designs cannot be realized.
190 SL (W 121), 1959
Comfortable, sporty open-top driving: These have been core features of the Mercedes-Benz SL since the 190 SL. It was presented together with the 300 SL Coupé in New York in 1954 and perfectly complemented the model portfolio as an open-top roadster from its market launch in 1955.
Both vehicles and the 300 SL Roadster are the result of an initiative by US importer Maximilian E. Hoffman. A total of 25,881 examples of the 190 SL were built.
300 SL Roadster (W 198), 1961
The racing genes and glamor of an open-top sports car: the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster combines both perfectly. It was presented in Geneva in March 1957 as the successor to the Coupé. It had a further developed chassis, and was later fitted with disc brakes and a cast aluminum engine block.
With the 300 SLS derived from the production version, Paul O'Shea becomes US sports car champion in category D in 1957.
230 SL (W 113), 1965
The "Pagoda": At the Geneva Motor Show in 1963, Mercedes-Benz presents the 230 SL of the W 113 model series. It is designed as a comfortable two-seater touring car with high performance and simultaneously replaces the 190 SL (W 121) and the 300 SL Roadster (W 198).
The shape of the optional hardtop is reminiscent of Asian temples and earned it the nickname "Pagoda". It is the world's first open-top passenger car with a safety body.
500 SL (R 107), 1982
Elegance and solidity: this is what the SL of the R 107 series exudes. It premiered 50 years ago in spring 1971. For the first time in the history of the Mercedes-Benz SL, eight-cylinder engines also worked under the hood.
With more than 18 years of production, the R 107 series sets a record within the brand that is hard to beat. Accordingly, there is a very wide range of engine variants over its lifetime.
SL 500 "SL Edition" (R 129), 2000
Innovation leader: Mercedes-Benz presents the SL of the R 129 model series at the Geneva Motor Show in 1989. The stylish design with its extremely harmonious overall effect is regarded as one of the bravura pieces of design under the direction of Bruno Sacco at the time.
This SL also set new standards in terms of safety: important components include the automatic roll bar and the force-absorbing integral seats. The vehicle on display is an "SL Edition" from the year 2000.
SL 500 (R 230), 2001
The SL generation R 230 premiered in 2001. Its most striking innovation is the vario-roof, a folding top made of solid sheet steel: within just 16 seconds, the vehicle becomes a roadster - and vice versa, a coupé.
The design combines tradition and future, for example through the air openings in the front fenders and the narrow, wing-like profiles on them. They are reminiscent of the legendary 300 SL from the W 198 series.
SL 500 "Mille Miglia 417" (R 231), 2015
In January 2012, Mercedes-Benz presented the R 231 model series to mark the 60th anniversary of the SL. One focus of the new design was on reducing the weight of the sports car. It has an aluminum bodyshell, the trunk lid is made of steel and plastic, and magnesium and plastic are used in the roof system. Numerous systems for active safety and comfort are standard or available on request.
The Mercedes-Benz Museum is open daily from Tuesday to Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm. The ticket office always closes at 5 pm.
Further information can be found on the Mercedes-Benz Museum website.
