Why you’d want a Mercedes-Benz SL (R129)
Mercedes brought the SL bang up to date in 1989, with sharp Bruno Sacco styling and a technology overload.
Built over 12 years with straight-six, V6, V8 and V12 engine options ranging from 2.8 to 7.3 litres, the R129 came in many forms, all of which have their fans.
The car was based on a shortened W124 platform, which provided multi-link rear suspension and optional electronic adaptive damping. A built-in, automatically-raised rollover bar was a distinctive safety feature.
The smart hardtop was heavy – a two-man job to remove, especially in later Panoramic (glass-top) form – difficult to store and easily scratched, but it looked great: make sure it’s still with the car. Rear-seat space is limited; front-seat occupants will have to sacrifice legroom to squeeze adults in the back.
During production, Mercedes changed from the 24-valve, twin-cam M104 straight-six and 32-valve quad-cam M119 V8 to the 18-valve single-cam-per-bank V6 and 24-valve quad-cam M113 in ’98.
Some power outputs were marginally down, making the 1995-’98 five-speed auto SL500s the most sought-after of the standard cars.