50 Years of Mercedes Sports Cars
Sunday, February 19th, 2006
For more than half a century, the Mercedes sports cars with the legendary “SL” model designation have numbered among the world’s most alluring and sought-after cars. Revered by many as the ultimate dream car, the different generations of the SL have all shared the same timeless virtues of beguiling design, pioneering technology and captivating driving pleasure. These qualities are to be found in every single SL model series of the last 50 years, right up to the current SL sports car, an updated version of which is currently being premiered.
The SL story began in New York in February 1954 when the Stuttgart-based car brand presented not just one but two of the SL models which have long since attained the status of automotive legends: the 300 SL gullwing coupé and the open-top 190 SL.
The 300 SL, with its eye-catching “gullwing” doors and the performance of a pure-bred racing car, was an instant hit with the showgoers of the time while the 190 SL, an open-top sports car with a folding soft top, established the Mercedes-Benz Roadster tradition. It was only in 1957 that the 300 SL too presented itself in open-top guise, and made the leap from gullwing coupé to roadster.
1954: a legend is born in the shape of the 300 SL
Nevertheless, it is the 1954 300 SL that is regarded as the first in a long line of charismatic Mercedes sports cars. The numerous racing successes of the forerunners of this model had attracted the attention of American auto importer Max Hoffman. He was so enthusiastic about these vehicles that he asked the company’s Board of Management in Stuttgart to develop a roadgoing version. Thus began the unstoppable rise of the 300 SL. The striking gullwing doors of this model were just one of its many claims to fame. Other unconventional engineering features included the intricate but extremely sturdy tubular spaceframe chassis and a high-performance direct-injection petrol engine which produced 215 hp from six cylinders, a sensational figure for the times. The same technology was also featured in the later open-top version of the 300 SL.
1963: new Mercedes Roadster with “pagoda” roof
In 1963, the arrival of the successor to the 300 SL and 190 SL created quite a stir, principally because of the new model’s unusual appearance. Its most striking feature, apart from the crisp new lines, was a removable hardtop which dipped inwards in the middle. This unique feature immediately called to mind the shape of a Japanese pagoda �” and “pagoda”, in fact, soon became its nickname. Interestingly, however, its development was driven by safety considerations rather than styling. Mercedes engineer Béla Barényi, the pioneer of modern-day passenger car safety engineering, had patented this unusual roof shape back in 1956 as a design which offered extreme rigidity and maximum occupant safety in an accident. Equally impressive was the large headroom which the pagoda model offered when the hardtop was in place.
At the same time, the SL had evolved into a highly civilised sports car which was particularly in its element as a tourer. And like its predecessor, this second-generation model also featured some ground-breaking technical highlights. These included safety bodywork and an easy-to-use soft top. This model was initially powered by a 150-hp 2.3-litre six-cylinder engine which gave the SL 230 a top speed of 200 km/h.
1971: eight cylinders for the SL Roadster
In 1971, the “pagoda” model was succeeded by a new SL sports car which was destined to continue in production for 18 years, until 1989 �” longer than any other Mercedes passenger car. The advanced styling of this classic ensured that it continued to look contemporary throughout its long production run. To this day, its combination of distinctive curves and clean, unfussy lines gives it a handsome and iconic appearance.
From every angle, the powerful, self-assured, luxurious and masculine third-generation SL, which came with an equally tasteful removable hardtop, presented a well-proportioned roadster profile. Striking characteristics included elegance, quality and also safety, since the crash performance of this open-top two-seater was way ahead of the standards of the times. Furthermore, for the first time ever the SL was now also available in an eight-cylinder version. Developing 200 hp at 5800 rpm, the new engine gave the Roadster a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration time of just 10 seconds, while its 212 km/h top speed was 12 km/h greater than that of the previous model.
1989: new standards in design and safety
The successor model made its first public appearance at the Geneva International Motor Show in spring 1989. It set new standards not only in terms of superb design quality and top-down driving pleasure but also, and above all, on safety. The fourth-generation SL took occupant protection to the same level as a Mercedes saloon. For example the standard-fitted safety package included a sensor-controlled pop-up roll-over bar which in a crash or extreme driving situation was extended into position automatically by a combination of spring and hydraulic power in just 0.3 seconds. The A-pillar, incorporating internal tubular reinforcement, further enhanced the protection provided by the unique automatic roll-over bar.
The SL-Class of 1989 was the first production car in the world to be fitted as standard with an advanced-design integral seat, i.e. a seat with an integrated three-point belt. The seat frame was also designed to absorb energy in a side impact. Around 20 patented solutions are to be found in this seat alone. The SL 600 of 1992 was the first Mercedes roadster to be equipped with a V12 engine.
2001: fifth-generation SL with leading-edge technology
The new SL-Class, which had its world premiere in 2001, set even higher standards with its engineering and styling. With its comprehensive safety concept, the SL-Class sets the vehicle-safety benchmark for a new generation of sports cars. Its systems cover every aspect of vehicle safety, from accident avoidance based on electronic vehicle dynamics systems like ABC, Brake Assist and ESP® through high-strength body construction to ensuring that the rescue services are able to reach the occupants as quickly as possible following an accident. In addition to the high structural strength, occupant protection is further enhanced by two-stage driver and passenger airbags, head/thorax bags in the doors, integral seats, belt tensioners, belt force limiters and the sensor-controlled roll-over bar.
Another notable feature is the vario-roof, which allows the SL-Class to offer an open-top motoring experience without compromises, combining the top-down fun of a roadster with all the comfort of a Mercedes coupé. While the styling of this Mercedes sports car mirrors its advanced technology, it also stresses appeal, driving enjoyment and the fascination of top-down motoring. Discreetly but effectively, in a nod to SL tradition, the designers have also incorporated cues from the very first SL of 1954. Typical SL features have been stylishly integrated with new elements from the current Mercedes design idiom. Combined, these show the road ahead for the future of the Roadster.
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