Last week we covered the rare pair of Porsche 356A Convertible D models currently in the shop for some documentation and getting those ever-so-precise measurements. This time around, we're looking at a pair of Mercedes SL examples with more than 20 years of history between them! From the V8 Sunday cruisers of yesteryear to the Biturbo V8 powerhouses on the roads today, the SL lineage is full of iconic driving experiences. Join us as we cover the Mercedes SL and a laid-back grey duo currently available for sale in the showroom.
The Mercedes SL nameplate is one of the most iconic and long-lasting in automotive history. The original SL models were the iconic W194 race cars developed for the 1952 Sportscar season. These early race cars used Mercedes tried-and-true inline-six engines. Soon came the 300SL race cars, the legendary Gullwing and SL convertible models. The late 50s and early 1960s cars helped to cement the 'Super Leicht' nameplate as one of the most prolific in automotive history. Since the introduction of the early race cars, there have been seven generations of SL spanning from the late 1950s through to the newest SL generation introduced in mid-2022.
From such a long lineup it can be hard to pick favorites. Our team has been able to work on everything from early 300SL models for restoration, paint, and metalwork to these modern Mercs for more preservation-style and preemptive detailing services. We love to see every generation of Mercedes SL but we typically tend to see the earlier end of the nameplate due to our knowledge and mastery of those specific cars. The two examples of the SL here in our showroom right now include a 1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SL in 'Anthracite' representing the third generation of the lineage and a 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG in 'Steel Grey', representing the sixth generation.
The inline-six engine designs hung around throughout the 190SL and 280SL generations, but by the R107, times had changed and many American buyers were in the market for V8-equipped models. The growing popularity of these powerful Mercedes sedans like the upper-echelon 280SE 3.5 and 280SE 4.5 led to the V8 architecture that would trickle down to the 'Sports Leight' models. This R107 represented the final year of these earliest V8-equipped models; in 1990 the R129 generation would follow this up with another cylinder bump - up to a V12 in 1992.
By the end of the R129 generation, many of the SL models were considered to be daily drivers and useable for almost anybody. With the introduction of the Vario roof (retractable hardtop) in the R230 generation, the Sl became a regular, useable car. By the early 2010s Mercedes-Benz had caught the horsepower bug and began producing juiced-up AMG examples like the SL63 AMG currently in the showroom. This V8 uses Mercedes Bi-turbo technology to help this powerhouse produce 530 horsepower and 590lb-ft of torque. Now that we've had a little time to look over these cool grey classics were ready to help them find new homes! As Mercedes has continued to develop the SL models with the most recent R232 examples, they've continued to move towards the blend of outlandish power with classic german luxury. The R232 examples SL will all be AMG models with a hybrid i4 or that modern classic bi-turbo V8 power. As the brand continues to develop the SL for many years to come, now is a great chance to get into one of these classics!
If you'd like to learn more about the SL models here in the showroom or any of our current inventory give the showroom a call at 720-588-8427. You can also check out our listing pages for both these cars on our Current Inventory page. If you'd like to look over a couple of our restorations like the 280SL and the 280SE 3.5, be sure to check out the current restorations page to find out more.
That's going to do it for us here in the showroom today. Be sure to keep up with all the Farland fun over on our instagram and Facebook page: @Farlandclassicrestoration!
Thanks for stopping by!