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Right from the start, the Mercedes-Benz SL was a thoroughbred sports car
On March 12, 1952, Mercedes-Benz presented the 300 SL (W 194) and thus a thoroughbred racing sports car on a stretch of motorway near Stuttgart. With him, the brand entered international motorsport a few weeks later by taking part in the “Mille Miglia”. There, the 300 SL took second and fourth place straight away.
Here are a few interesting facts about the legendary Mercedes-Benz SL:
Magic Letters
The "S" stands for "super" and the "L" for "light" - as noted in the press release at the time.
Five races - four wins
Mille Miglia, 24 Hours of Le Mans, sports car races in Bern and on the Nürburgring as well as the Carrera Panamericana are on the calendar of the first SL.
New York debut
Calls for a production version of the successful racing car are getting louder. Mercedes-Benz reacted and presented the production sports car 1954 SL Coupé as early as 300. And also the comfortable Roadster 190 SL.
The "Gullwing" was replaced in 1957 by the 300 SL Roadster. Today, every well-known car collection has one or even both types.
The "Pagoda"
In 1963, the Mercedes-Benz 230 SL replaced both the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster and the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL. It impresses fans with its sportiness, comfort and safety. Since then it has been a pioneer in the SL tradition.
Limited edition
Only 1.400 examples of the SL sports car with the characteristic gullwing doors were built. Today, the vehicles reach prices well above one million euros.
A runner
The first SL series with eight-cylinder engines was the R 107, introduced in 1971. It was built for 18 years - that's a record.
high-tech monument
The next SL (R 129, 1989) is a milestone in many respects. Industry-defining: The automatic roll bar pops up in just 0,3 seconds. Even with the hardtop closed.
The twelve-cylinder top models 600 SL/SL 600 (290 kW/394 hp) and SL 73 AMG with 7,3-liter V12 engine and 386 kW (525 hp) are also legendary.
Just 16 seconds
The Mercedes-SL only needs a total of 16 seconds for "topless". The R 230 series only needs a few moments to enjoy the sun. Or close the vario roof in bad weather. Optional coupe and roadster - a dream for the customer.
The SL a high-performance coupe
The Meredes-Benz SL 65 AMG Black Series has 493 kW (670 hp) under the hood. The vehicles from Affalterbach are very successful. Almost a third of all R 230 have AMG engines.
Mercedes-Benz SL – The aluminum athlete
In 231, Mercedes-Benz implemented the first mass-produced all-aluminum body in the R 2012 SL series, saving around 140 kilograms in weight.
The Mercedes-Benz SL facts represent historic moments for the "SuperLeicht" from Stuttgart. It is one of the most popular sports cars from the Mercedes-Benz portfolio.
