70 years of the Mercedes-Benz SL

Seven decades of style

The Mercedes-Benz SL marks its 70th anniversary in 2024, which makes this famous name one of the longest-running models in automotive history.

Starting out as a barely disguised racing car with few concessions to creature comforts, the SL has evolved into the seminal luxury, high-performance roadster.

Across the decades, there have been four-, six-, eight- and 12-cylinder engines, all the way to the latest hybrid-powered generation.

What they all have in common is an ability to deliver rapid performance in an effortless, stylish manner.

We hope you enjoy our celebration, via 25 models, presented in chronological order.

1. 1952 Mercedes-Benz W194 300SL

Before the first roadgoing version of Mercedes’ long-running SL line arrived, the company built the W194, which was also known as the 300SL and intended for endurance racing.

It was the first all-new car designed and made by Mercedes after the Second World War, so it was a real statement of intent.

The SL name came from ‘Super Light’, which was clear in its spaceframe chassis that weighed just 50kg (110lb).

Into this was mounted a 3-litre straight-six engine based on the 300 saloon’s, while the body used the famous gullwing doors that gave rise to the nickname.

From the start, the W194 proved very effective. In 1952, examples took 1-2 finishes at Le Mans, the Jubilee Grand Prix at the Nürburgring and the Carrera Panamericana.

2. 1954 Mercedes-Benz 300SL

Clearly inspired by the W154 Le Mans race car of 1952, Mercedes-Benz introduced its roadgoing 300SL in 1954.

Its top speed of up to 155mph, depending on gearing, was not just the stuff of supercars, but barely conceivable at the time.

To achieve this performance, Mercedes used a 3-litre, six-cylinder engine derived from its saloon range.

However, for the sleek SL, the engine was canted over to sit under that low bonnet, and it was fuel injected and used dry-sump lubrication. Along with other modifications, it produced 212bhp.

All of this sat in an equally exotic spaceframe chassis, which necessitated the car’s trademark gullwing doors to clear the high side sills.

It all added up to a supremely fast and agile coupé, but the cost of the SL meant Mercedes only made 1400 all told, including 29 alloy-bodied cars.

3. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 190SL

The second car to bear the SL name was a clear move by Mercedes-Benz to democratise the moniker to some degree: the car was the 190SL.

Its looks were toned down from the 300SL’s and this smaller car was a drop-top rather than a coupé.

Under the 190SL’s shorter nose sat a 104bhp 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine, though it could still top 100mph flat out.

Even so, its handling was more cruiser than bruiser, because it was based on a modified 190 Ponton saloon platform.

However, the 190SL showed there was an appetite for a relatively affordable two-seat Mercedes sports car by selling 25,881 cars up to 1963.

4. 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR

Despite its name, the 300SLR was not based on Mercedes’ exclusive production model 300SL.

Instead, the SLR had much more in common with the company’s W196 Formula One car, but with the engine increased to 3 litres for sports-car racing. The ‘R’ in the SLR’s name also noted its racing intentions.

It proved supremely able, winning five races from six starts, including Stirling Moss’ dominant win in the 1955 Mille Miglia, with Denis Jenkinson alongside.

Mercedes withdrew its cars from the 1955 Le Mans after the tragic accident when Pierre Levegh was driving.

Two roadgoing 300SLRs were built, known as Ulenhaut Coupés (pictured) after the company’s motorsport chief Rudolf Ulenhaut.

These coupés could reach 180mph and on 5 May 2022, one changed hands for €135 million (c£114m/$142m) to make it the most expensive car ever sold.

5. 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster

Following the sensation of the 300SL Gullwing coupé, Mercedes was posed with the challenge of following its headline sports car.

Enter the 300SL Roadster, which offered slightly more power from the 3-litre engine and an open-top design.

The chassis was changed to give the Roadster traditional front-hinged doors for easier access, while the fold-down fabric roof was supplemented with an optional hardtop from 1958.

Revised rear suspension also meant the Roadster handled more benignly than the Gullwing, which needed care when pushing hard in corners. Disc brakes became standard in 1961.

All of this endeared the Roadster to many wealthy buyers and it found 1858 eager customers.

6. 1963 Mercedes-Benz 230SL

The Paul Bracq-styled 230SL, or W113 in Mercedes speak, straddled the divide between the 300SL Roadster and the 190SL.

It could have ended up being perceived more at the 190’s budget end of the scale, but sublime looks made it a must-have roadster in the 1960s and beyond.

Based on the 220 saloon’s floorpan, the 230 became known as the ‘Pagoda’ thanks to its hardtop roof’s concave shape.

A four-speed manual gearbox was standard, and there was a five-speed manual option, too, though many chose the automatic four-speeder.

The 148bhp 230SL Pagoda could reach 120mph. Little wonder this delightful model sold 19,831 examples.

7. 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250SL

The rarest of the W113-generation SLs, the 250SL was only on sale between 1967 and 1968. As a result, a mere 5196 were sold.

It offered the same 148bhp as the 230SL and performance was pretty similar, but the 250’s engine was all-new and came with seven main bearings rather than the 230’s five.

This made the motor much smoother and it was in line with the company’s overall production plan across all its ranges.

8. 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

The 280SL was a logical and desirable progression for Mercedes’ SL roadster as the 1960s wore on.

It arrived with a 2.8-litre version of the 250SL’s straight-six engine and now produced 168bhp, which nudged the top speed to 124mph and lowered its 0-62mph time to 9 secs.

While the 280 is widely regarded as the pinnacle of this generation of SL, it also came with slightly softer suspension that made it more of a tourer than a sports car.

However, that didn’t prevent Mercedes-Benz from shifting 23,885 280SLs in four years.

9. 1971 Mercedes-Benz 350SL

The SL took a big step towards S-Class-style luxury when Mercedes-Benz launched its new generation of roadster in 1971.

This R107 model was some 76mm (3in) longer than the preceding W113, and 136kg (300lb) heavier thanks to its larger body, as well as the greater emphasis on safety and crash protection.

To counter this added weight, Mercedes launched the car with V8 engines – a first for an SL.

The 350SL was the initial V8 offering, followed by the torquier 450SL. While the 450 was not much quicker in a straight line, it was a more relaxed cruising machine and could reach 133mph.

Softer suspension suited this SL, which also came with a removable hardtop with a Pagoda-style dip in its roofline.

10. 1972 Mercedes-Benz SLC

Literally stretching the SL theme, Mercedes-Benz brought the SLC to market hot on the heels of its roadster sibling, but this coupé version came with a sizeable extra 356mm (14in) between the front and rear axles.

The extra length made the SLC into a four-seater, because all that extra distance was behind the door line, which also meant the fixed roof was not as elegant as the roadster’s hardtop.

The SLC shared the same engines as the open-top car and lasted until 1980 when the R107 SL was updated.

When SLC production ended, 56,330 had been sold, with the 450SLC by far the most popular version.

Mercedes also took this model rallying in 1978-1980, with the 450SLC, 450SLC 5.0 and 500SLC. Results included a 1-2-3-4 of 450SLC 5.0s on the 1979 Ivory Coast Rally, Hannu Mikkola and Arne Hertz, winning from Björn Waldegård and Hans Thorszelius, Andrew Cowan and Rolf Kaiser, and Vic Preston Jnr with co-driver Mike Doughty.

11. 1974 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

To broaden the SL’s appeal, Mercedes once again looked to a straight-six engine for its R107, as well as offering it in the SLC.

The twin-cam 2.8-litre engine from the 280E saloon came, at first, with 182bhp, which was not far short of the 350SL V8’s 197bhp.

The revvy, six-cylinder motor made the SL feel a bit more sporting to drive without undermining its refinement or long-legged cruising ability.

This engine went on to fly the flag for six-cylinder power in the SL for 11 years, but it was not offered to UK buyers, who had to wait for the 300SL of 1986 for a non-V8 option.

That didn’t harm 280SL sales, which notched up 25,436 in its lifetime, outselling its 350SL stablemate by 10,000 units.

12. 1980 Mercedes-Benz 500SL

A major update of the R107 generation of SL took place in 1980 and the key upgrade was replacing the 450SL with the 500SL.

The 350SL was also superseded by the 380SL, while Mercedes then added a 420SL version in 1986.

The engines powering the 380 and 500SL were new aluminium motors that delivered 215 and 237bhp respectively.

Along with the engine upgrades, the SL’s interior was updated to look and feel more like the latest S-Class saloon’s.

There were also improvements to the body with the bonnet now made from aluminium, while a small front spoiler helped with high-speed stability.

13. 1985 Mercedes-Benz 300SL

While the updates to the SL in 1980 mostly concerned the engines, Mercedes-Benz made a more concerted effort to revise its roadster in 1985.

Prime among these changes was swapping the 2.8-litre motor for the 3-litre ‘six’ as used in the 124-series E-Class saloon range.

With 185bhp, this single-camshaft engine offered marginally more performance and better fuel economy, and most used Mercedes’ own four-speed automatic transmission.

Among the other changes to the SL were 15in wheels and revised suspension geometry, while the front spoiler became standard across the range.

And as a nod to burgeoning emissions regulations, customers could specify a catalytic converter for their SL.

14. 1985 Mercedes-Benz 560SL

At the same time Mercedes was facelifting its graceful SL, it also took the chance to introduce a new top-of-the-line engine with the 560SL.

This was in addition to the existing 500SL, plus the new 420SL that also arrived with the ’85 facelift.

What made the 560SL special was not a huge jump in power – it offered 227bhp, so was slightly down on the early 500SL versions – but its hefty 270lb ft of urge at just 3250rpm, which made the car an effortless high-speed cruiser and abandoned any pretence of the SL being a sports car.

15. 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300SL

Looking ahead to the dawn of the 1990s, Mercedes got in quick with its next generation of SL, the R129.

There was a clear family likeness to the previous R107, but this new car was bigger in every direction and much more sharply styled.

The entry-point to the R129 line-up was the 300SL with 187bhp, while the 300SL-24 used a twin-cam motor with 228bhp for a sportier take on the theme. These two were then replaced by the 280SL and 320SL in 1993.

Key features of this new-generation SL were a hydraulically powered roof, which was a first for the SL, multi-link rear suspension, electric seat adjustment as standard and ABS anti-lock brakes.

It was also the first production car with its seatbelts integrated into the seats themselves.

16. 1989 Mercedes-Benz 500SL

In an attempt to tidy up the SL range, Mercedes did away with the 420, 500 and 560 versions seen with the previous generation and bundled them into the single 500SL for the R129.

This V8-powered model had a 322bhp 5-litre motor that outgunned the old 560SL with ease. It could reach a top speed of 155mph before an electronic limiter kicked in, and 0-62mph took just 6.2 secs.

Other innovations for this new SL included a roll-over bar that could either be raised at the touch of a button or it would spring up if the car sensed it was in danger of toppling over.

The 500SL became the SL500 in 1998 when it received the new M113 V8 engine shared with the latest E-Class and S-Class models.

17. 1992 Mercedes-Benz 600SL

With a 6-litre V12 engine and 389bhp on tap, the Mercedes 600SL should have been the ultimate go-fast model from the factory. However, it was much more about refinement than pace.

That said, the 600SL made autobahn driving a breeze thanks to its prodigious 420lb ft of torque.

It was this that gave the car its superb acceleration at higher speeds, without the need for the automatic gearbox to bother kicking down a ratio.

18. 1993 Mercedes-Benz SL60 AMG

Before Mercedes bought AMG and took the tuning company in-house, uprated models like the SL60 AMG were rare and for those in the know.

The AMG model was made with Mercedes’ blessing, helped by the SL60 taking a very different path to either the 500 or 600 models from the factory.

The SL60 used a 6-litre V8 tuned by AMG to 376bhp, though it was reckoned that was a modest figure and close to 400bhp was more realistic.

Whatever the power output, the SL60 covered 0-62mph 5.6 secs and ran into an electronic speed limiter at 155mph.

This model proved the most popular of the AMG-tuned R129 SLs with 1000 produced up to 1998, of which only 49 were right-hand drive.

19. 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL70 AMG

If a V8-powered and AMG-tuned Mercedes SL wasn’t enough to satisfy your need for power, the German tuner came up with a factory-approved alternative – the V12 SL70.

Using a 7.1-litre V12 that developed 489bhp along with 531lb ft of torque, this was one of the most powerful open-top cars you could buy in 1996.

The SL70 AMG was limited to a top speed of 155mph, though it was rumoured it could reach 200mph if this was removed. It could also cover 0-62mph in 4.5 secs.

When new, the SL60 AMG cost more than a Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, which partly explains why only 150 were made.

20. 1997 Mercedes-Benz SL73 AMG

The Mercedes-Benz SL73 AMG is famous for two things over and above its astonishing performance.

When new, this was the most powerful V12-engined Mercedes that had ever been built, and it was the engine that went on to be used by Pagani in its Zonda hypercar.

The naturally aspirated 7.3-litre V12 generated 518bhp, which set it up for a top speed officially quoted by AMG at 199mph.

When the SL73 AMG’s production ended, it’s thought that 85 of this ultimate R129 had been built, all with uprated suspension and brakes to cope with the massive increase in power and performance.

21. 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL500

By the turn of the millennium, it was felt Bruno Sacco’s R129 generation of Mercedes SL was long in the tooth and it was replaced by the R230, also penned by Sacco along with British designer Steve Mattin.

The smoothed out, sleek looks of this new SL made it an instant hit with buyers, who were also drawn to its folding metal ‘Vario Roof’ that turned it from a coupé into a roadster at the touch of a switch.

This SL also came with Active Body Control that allowed the suspension to adapt to the road surface and limit body lean for improved handling.

Mercedes offered the R230 with 3- and 3.7-litre V6 engines, as well as a 6-litre V12.

The 5-litre V8 was replaced by a 5.5 V8 in 2006. All in, Mercedes sold 169,433 SLs of this generation, making it the most numerous SL to date.

22. 2002 Mercedes-Benz SL55 AMG

Not long after Mercedes won plaudits for its new R230 generation of SL, it upped the ante with the brilliant SL55 AMG.

This was the first SL badged as an AMG after Mercedes-Benz took the tuning firm fully under its corporate wing, and it was a resounding success.

Any concerns that Mercedes would tone down AMG’s lust for power were allayed by the supercharged SL55’s 470bhp – and this was just the starting point.

And its rapid acceleration was accompanied by a fantastic noise from the engine.

It could handle, too, which made the SL55 a very popular choice as an alternative to the likes of the Porsche 911 turbo. It was no surprise that 19,022 SL55 AMGs were sold.

23. 2008 Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG Black Series

AMG had already made the SL go very fast with its V8-engined SL63 and then the V12-powered SL65.

For this Black Series model, it took the V12 car’s 604bhp and improved that to 670bhp thanks to larger turbochargers and intercooler, a new exhaust system and a recalibrated engine ECU.

All of this work released 737lb ft of torque as well, which equated to a neat and round 1000Nm under the company’s preferred method of measurement.

Not content with an engine generating 10% more power than an SL65, the Black Series also shed weight to be 250kg (551lb) lighter.

When this SL65 Black Series ceased to be offered by AMG, it had produced 350 of them.

24. 2012 Mercedes-Benz SL R231

The new SL that arrived in 2012 was the R231 generation and most would be forgiven for thinking it was a gentle evolution of its immediate predecessor.

However, its body was now made from aluminium, which helped offset the weight of its greater luxury and safety equipment.

It retained the Vario Roof of the previous SL, while the interior was equipped to an even higher standard, and the roof could be operated on the move at up to 25mph.

Power for this SL was provided by a choice of two V6 engines and a pair of V8s.

There was also a 6.1-litre V12 for the SL65 AMG, which in limited-edition Black specification delivered 661bhp to be the most powerful AMG built at that time.

It also had its engine’s torque limited to 737lb ft, because that was as much as the gearbox could cope with – unlimited, it was capable of 900lb ft.

25. 2022 Mercedes-Benz R232

The current SL arrived in 2022, codenamed R232, and is the first of Mercedes’ luxury roadsters to be offered with hybrid power.

This is for the entry-point SL43, which has a 2-litre petrol engine and electric assistance to offer 375bhp.

If the engine is down on capacity to what SL buyers are used to, it can still crack 0-62mph in 4.9 secs and manage 171mph all out.

For those who want more, the latest roadster is also available as the SL55 with a 469bhp 4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine or the top-spec SL63 with the same V8 engine turned up to 577bhp for 0-62mph in 3.6 secs and 196mph at full tilt.

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