Mercedes-Benz SL 500 R129
Year of Manufacture: 1996
Power: 320 hp
Displacement: 4,973 cm3
Number of Cylinders/Valves: 8/4
Weight: 1,835 kg
Condition: perfect
Catalog Number: 26
Introduction
Mercedes-Benz has been producing roadsters since the mid-1950s, with several predecessors to the “iron,” but the direct predecessor was the R107 generation.
Development
After the 1954 Gullwing, the world welcomed the Pagoda in the 1960s, followed by the aforementioned R107 generation. The latter became famous both for its coupe version and especially for its unprecedented production run of eighteen years.
Engineers at the Stuttgart automaker began work on the new generation SL successor at the beginning of the 1980s. The brief was: “Independent and sporty design, compact dimensions combined with improved interior space and a comfortable interior to achieve maximum comfort and drivability.” The new car premiered again at the Geneva Motor Show, this time in 1989. The new R129 SL attracted extraordinary attention. Mercedes-Benz’s chief designer Bruno Sacco stated that the new SL is a living legend as well as a young and fresh sports car. Sacco aimed for the design of the legendary series successor to clearly symbolize power and innovation.
Technical Specifications
The car boasted more than twenty patented parts, the most interesting relating to the safety of the two-seat crew. For example, the pop-up roll bar behind the seats, which is now common in open cars, debuted with this “SL.” It could deploy in 0.3 seconds in the event of a rollover to protect the occupants’ heads from the asphalt. The 1989 SL was also the first production car to feature seat-integrated automatic seatbelt retractors.
Director Werner Niefer himself was involved in testing and improvements, even acting as the chief test driver. He developed a personal attachment to the R129 and called it his favorite.
The roadster improved ride comfort by adding diagonal braces that optimized vibrations and torsional stiffness typical for open-top cars. The engineers’ expertise paid off: the new roadster’s torsional rigidity was 30% greater than its predecessor, matching Mercedes sedan values and preventing body twist without the roof.
The suspension with front multi-link struts and independent rear suspension matched that of the W201 and W124 models. SLs came standard with 16-inch alloy wheels and large, generously sized brakes typical for a sports car. Racing disc brakes with dual pistons of different diameters were used for the first time in a passenger car. The ABS anti-lock braking system was also standard.
The 1995 facelift at the Frankfurt IAA introduced stylistic changes and better equipment, including xenon headlights from the “E-class” W210 and cruise control. The SL 500 and 600 models gained a new five-speed automatic transmission. ESP became optional for the less powerful V8, while the V12 came standard with it. Shortly after, in December 1996, the SL received a revolutionary Brake Assist System (BAS).
The base model was the 300 SL with a 3.0-liter inline-six M103 engine, unique for its three-valve technology and outputting 190 hp at 5,700 rpm. Its top speed was a solid 228 km/h in 1989.
The more powerful version had a traditional four-valve setup, known as the 300 SL-24, equipped with the M104 unit delivering up to 231 hp at 6,300 rpm and reaching 240 km/h. For demanding clients, the 500 SL with a 32-valve V8 (M119) produced 326 hp at 5,500 rpm, with a speed limiter set at 250 km/h.
However, the pinnacle came three years later with the 600 SL, powered by a 6.0-liter V12 engine producing 394 hp at 5,200 rpm. The following summer, a facelift changed designations and discontinued the 3.0-liter engines. The SL 280 was powered by a 2.8-liter six-cylinder producing 193 hp, the SL 320 had a 3.2-liter unit with 231 hp. AMG contributed a 6.0-liter V8 in the SL 60 AMG, delivering 381 hp.
In July 2001, the last R129 model rolled off the Bremen production line. Mercedes-Benz produced a total of 204,940 units of the fourth-generation SL. The most successful model was the 500 SL/SL 500 with the four-valve M119 V8 engine. Between its launch and 1998, a total of 79,827 units of this model were made.
