Fast Facts

• Best model: SL500
• Worst model: SL600
• Budget buy: 300SL
• OK for unleaded?: All
• Will it fit in the garage? (mm): L 4522 x W 1828
• Spares situation: Excellent
• DIY ease?: Limited
• Club support: Excellent
• Appreciating asset?: The next big thing. Buy now!
• Good buy or good-bye?: Great buy if bought right

Prestige badge for Mondeo money if you buy well

Engines span from straight six to V12; tough, durable

Electronics galore, idiot lights may be bypassed

Interiors stand up well, most are auto and two-seater

Body rot uncommon, scrapes and dings much less so

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Speed, style, sophistication – the R129 SL Mercedes has it all to spare yet remains superb value for money!

Since the 1950s, the SL has been the pinnacle of Mercedes’ sports range, starting with the iconic 300SL with its futuristic gullwing doors and swooping lines – at a time when a Morris Oxford was what volume producers were foisting on us. But in those 50 years the world has changed immeasurably, with every new incarnation of the SL introducing more power and luxury to satisfy those well-heeled buyers. The ‘Pagoda’ SL years from 1963 to 1971 were testimony to this, but the longest running SL was the R107 model, introduced in 1971 with a an SL fi rst – a V8; this ran largely unchanged in the styling department until 1989 when its much-anticipated replacement fi nally broke cover.
Compared to its predecessor, the ‘R129’ model was a revelation; a technological tour de force that immediately moved Mercedes’ game forward light years and yet these SL remain in the shadows if its illustrious predecessors. Not for much longer though! According to Mercedes specialists the ‘Dallas’ (remember that soap) SL is going to be the next Big Thing – so buy now while prices remain JR’s loose change!

History

The old R107 had a long and proud service life so the R129 was, as expected, virtually all new, and based upon the E Class saloon at the time (and one of the German’s best ever efforts we might add), albeit truncated for sports car use. Typically Mercedes there was the huge choice of engines – from a sweet 2.8 litre six, through the 24 valve 3-litre 300SL-24, right up to the full strength 5 litre V8 with 326bhp, itself trumped by a 6-litre V12 pumping out a massive 409bhp. There was even an SL60 which managed nearly 400bhp from 6-litres of AMG-tuned V8. The icing on the cake, though, was the bank vault build quality which, as it turned out, was the very best Mercedes has managed before or since. Confusingly, Mercedes did mess around with the model designations; 1994 cars were the fi rst to have the new designation. For example, the 500 SL now became SL 500. Also starting in 1994, Mercedes offered special SL models from time to time, such as the Mille Miglia edition cars of 1994 or the Silver Arrows of 2001. The newmodel proved so appealing, it prompted Princess Diana to lease a 500SL in 1991 – the fi rst Royal to drive a foreign car; but let’s face it, if you’re going to court controversy, a 326bhp sports car makes it worth it!

Driving

Based on a shortened fl oorpan taken from the W124 (E Class) saloon, the new SL was never going to be anything other but smooth and surefooted. The R107’s rather dated rear diagonal swing axle gave way to a modern multi-link axle which made the R129 a far better sporting proposition than its predecessor – no wonder monthlymag Car exclaimed: “At last! An exciting Merc.”Out on the road, whichever engine choice, the SL inspires confi dence in any weather conditions, but the driving experience is a little detached for those used to the raw thrills of a similarly priced (when new) Porsche 928. For a start, almost all UK spec R129s were delivered with an automatic gearbox, which admittedly suits the character of the car (like all Mercs to be fair) perfectly, but blunts the fun, even if you use manual shifting. Only the smooth if somewhat underpowered SL280 had a manual option, but very few were specifi ed as such. Whilst a nice SL320 makes a smooth cruising companion and the SL500 a more urgent proposition, the V12 600SL seems quite superfl uous as it’s not much quicker than a 500, yet feels more unwieldy due to the greater weight. Add in V12 complexity and running costs and it is clear why there are so few about. No, the SL is best sampled at a brisk, but not breakneck pace and it all suddenly makes sense. Think of a better packaged S-Class with no roof and you won’t be far adrift. Journey times have a habit of seriously shrinking, particularly in V8 and V12 SLs – as will your bank balance when you check the 18mpg fuel consumption! The all-automatic folding hood was a masterpiece in mechanical engineering at the time; one press of a button was all it took to stow the triple lined canvass top completely away. No scraped knuckles undoing recalcitrant catches on this sophisticated sportster. It’s a safe one too thanks to the usual electronic aids we take for granted on moderns. Apart from anti-lock brakes and traction control there’s also a automatic clever roll over protection system. Finally, it built like you’d expect a Mercedes- Benz to be made.

Prices

With a model spanning 12 years, the earliest of which is now over 20 years old, the R129 can be seriously cheap. Just £3000 will get you into a leggy 1990 300SL, but it’s not to be recommended; any decent SL will start at £5000 and upwards, with both the six and eight cylinder models similarly priced at this age due to the higher running costs of the V8s, which peak at around 12k for a top, low mileage post-2000 car.

Three Of A Kind

Porsche 928

A direct competitor on price when new, but a million miles from the SL driving-wise. A lot harder-edged, with a very stiff ride, but the 5-litre V8 is more powerful than the Merc’s – and of course it’s sportshatch only. Right now the 928 represents outstanding value and there are some incredibly cheap ones out there although repairs may outweigh their real world value. Cracking GTS packs 340bhp from 5.4-litres and is usually manual.

BMW 850i

Another hardtop-only option, but despite that, the 5 litre V12 engine endows massive performance in a very focused package, yet complete docility when required. Rust is always an issue on these and many have been thrashed or tarted up. A shame as they can be magnifi cent value plus there’s an easier going V8 (840) model. Both are stuffed full of electronics which can be extremely expensive to rectify.

Jaguar XK8

Probably the closest in character to the SL, the XK just oozes charm and sophistication, plus of course, the same open air experience if you go for the convertible. After the XJ-S, Jaguar cottoned on how to make them so they would last, so reliability isn’t too bad, either but thereare some very tatty – as well as tarty – examples out there. Supercharged XKR is heroically fast and XK8 values have never looked so tempting.