Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Encyclopedia : M : ME : MER : Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class is a series of luxury automobiles. SL, meaning "Sport Light", or in German, Sport Leicht, first appeared on the 1954 300SL 'Gullwing' so named because of its upward-opening passenger doors.
1957 to 1962
- Main article: Mercedes-Benz 300SL
1963 to 1971
- Main article: Mercedes-Benz W113
1972 to 1988
- Main article: Mercedes-Benz R107
- 350SL - 1971 - 1980
- 450SL - 1973 - 1980
- 280SL - 1974 - 1980
- 380SL - 1980 - 1986
- 500SL - 1980 - 1989
- 300SL - 1986 - 1989
- 300SL-24 - 1988 - 1989
- 420SL - 1986 - 1989
- 560SL 1986 - 1989
1989
- Main article: Mercedes-Benz R129
The 1989 Mercedes SL base model was the 228 hp (170 kW) 3.0 L inline 6 300SL version. But it was the 322 hp (240 kW) 500SL (with a 5.0 L V8 engine) which made the most headlines. The specification was high, with electric windows, mirrors, seats and roof.
1994 saw a mild facelift for the SL, and the 300SL was replaced in Europe by the SL280 and SL320 (with 2.8 L and 3.2 L I6 engines). The SL500 continued with the same powerful engine. A 389 hp (290 kW) 6.0 L V12 SL600 topped the range in 1993.
The SL320 replaced the 300SL in the United States in 1995, but the SL280 was not offered. The 6-cylinder SLs were dropped from the US lineup in 1998, leaving just the V8 and V12. The SL500 got a new 302 hp (225 kW) 5.0 L V8 for 1999.
AMG
The extremely rare SL73 AMG was sold through AMG in 1995, and offered the most powerful V12 engine ever put into an SL up to that time. After a brief gap, the SL73 was offered again from 1998 to 2001. The same 7.3 L V12 was later used by Pagani in the Zonda.
The SL60 AMG was extremely rare. Sold through AMG from 1996 to 1998, it used a 6.0 litre V8 engine producing between 381bhp and 384bhp. AMG claimed a 0-62mph (100kph) speed of 5.8 seconds. Its top speed was limited to 155 mph, but with the limiter removed, it was capable of approximately 185 mph. AMG later unofficialy admitted that 0-60mph was more like 5.0 seconds and the engine produced between 405-410bhp.
The SL55 AMG was sold through AMG in the R129 bodystyle from 1998 to 2001 in limited quantity. It was the predecessor of the production R230 SL55 AMG sold today.
Only about 300 cars in the SL-class were customized by AMG prior to 2003.
2001
- Main article: Mercedes-Benz R230
As the new millennium approached, the SL was a decade old and customers were turning to more modern cars like the Jaguar XK8.
In 2001, an all-new SL (initially just a 5.0 L SL500 version) went on sale, boasting the "Vario-Roof", an electric folding steel roof which had been seen on the smaller, cheaper SLK in 1997. A 5.0 L 302 hp (225 kW) V8 was optional, with a 5.5 L AMG V8 appearing in 2004's SL55 AMG. V12 engines are available in the SL600 and the limited-production SL65 AMG.
2005 SL models
The following SL-Class Roadsters are offered in the U.S. for the year 2005. Prices are listed in US, 2005 dollars.
- 2005 SL350 (Europe only)
- *3.7 L (3724 cc) 18-valve V6 245 hp (182 kW) at 5,000 rpm 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) 7.2 s
- 2005 SL500 Roadster
- *Driver-adaptive 7-speed automatic transmission with TouchShift control
- *Aluminum hardtop (automatic retraction: 16 seconds)
- *US$90,620
- *5.0 L 24-valve V8 engine 306 hp (228 kW) at 5,600 rpm, 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) 6.5 s
- 2005 SL55 AMG
- *Manual shift buttons
- *Sensotronic brakes with 8-piston front calipers
- *AMG Active Body Control suspension.
- *US$122,220
- *AMG supercharged 5.5 L (5439 cc) 24-valve V8 engine 476 hp (367 kW) at 6,100 rpm, 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) 4.7 s
- 2005 SL600 Roadster
- *Active Body Control suspension
- *Sensotronic Brake Control with enlarged front and rear disks
- *Heated and ventilated multicontour seats
- *US$128,220
- *Twin turbocharged 5.5 L (5513 cc) 36-valve V12 engine 493 hp (367 kW) at 5,000 rpm, 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) 4.7 s
- 2005 SL65 AMG
- *5-speed automatic transmission with AMG SpeedShift programming
- *AMG 8-piston composite calipers brakes
- *19in dual spoke AMG wheels
- *US$179,720
- *AMG-built twin-turbocharged 6.0 L (5,980 cc) SOHC 36-valve V12 engine 612 hp (450 kW) at 5500 rpm
External link
| [[Template:Classic Mercedes-Benz-Azubis vehicles|<- Previous]] | Mercedes-Benz road car timeline, 1980s-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Class | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
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| Supermini | A | W168 | W169
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| Compact | C | W201 (190) | W202 | W203 | W204
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| Mid-size | E | W123 | W124 | W210 | W211 | W212 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CLS | W219
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| Full-size | S | W126 | W140 | W220 | W221 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maybach | W240
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| Roadster | SLK | R170 | R171 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SL | R107 | R129 | R230
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| Coupé | CLK | W208 | W209 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CL | W126 | W140 | W215 | C216
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| Supercar | SLR | C199
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| SUV | G | W460/W461 | W463
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| Crossover SUV | GLK | GLK | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| M | W163 | W164 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GL | X164 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MPVs | B | W245 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| R | W251 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vaneo | Vaneo | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sprinter | Sprinter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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