The Mercedes-Benz R107 cars had been comprised of 1972 thru 1989. They had been bought beneathneath the SL-Class and SLC-Class version names, respectively. The R107 changed the W113 SL-Class in 1972 and turned into changed with the aid of using the R129 SL-Class in 1989.
The principle at the back of the R107 turned into simple - take the chassis additives of the mid length Mercedes-Benz W114 version and mate them to the bigger engines from the S-Class. While too angular to be a without a doubt good-looking car, just like the W113 Pagoda, proudly owning one nonetheless carried pretty a chunk of cachet on the time. The W 107 chassis is every now and then cited as "R 107" for "Reihe" (series). The US fashions constructed at the 107 chassis had been the 350 SL, 380 SL, 450 SL, and the 560 SL. (One of the European fashions of the 107 own circle of relatives turned into a "280 SL". This have to now no longer be burdened with 280 SL of the sooner 113 chassis.)
The SL version turned into a 2 seat convertible. It proved famous, mainly withinside the United States. This turned into even greater awesome due to the fact the R107 turned into equipped with hideous portruding five mile in step with hour bumpers withinside the US marketplace, because of rules administered with the aid of using NHTSA. The R107 turned into designed simply earlier than this legislation, so those bumpers had been engineered as an afterthought.
The 107 chassis had the longest run of any Mercedes chassis, 18 years from 1971 to 1989. Some 237,000 107 chassis SL's had been constructed. About thirds had been bought withinside the US. These 107 vehicles are large, heavier, and greater high priced than the preceding era W113 vehicles.
Prices expanded dramatically. The earliest 107, the 1971 350 SL, bought for approximately $11,000. Eighteen years later, the ultimate 107 version, the 560SL, bought for approximately $64,000. Some writers and reviewers have commented that whilst the 107 engines had been large (3.eight and four.five liters as compared to 2.eight liters of the ultimate 113 vehicles), overall performance turned into now no longer plenty advanced due to the heavier weight and americaA mandated emission fittings.
Production of the primary R107 car, the 350 SL, began out in November 1970 along the ultimate of the W 113 vehicles. An thrilling sidelight is that once the primary 350's had been exported to americaA, due to the stern horsepower robbing emission requirements, americaA 350's had been shipped with low compression four.five liter engines. A Mercedes Benz provider man or woman stated that once those vehicles got here in for provider, his store changed 350 SL version badges with 450 SL badges.
450 SL's had been produced till 1980. Some 450 SL's suffered from vapor lock and tough re-begin due to the location of the catalytic converter. The the front and rear bumpers every grew out approximately eight inches after 1973 to conform with US protection rules. Some regard the authentic shorter bumpers as giving a higher appearance to the car.
Next turned into the 380 SL constructed from approximately 1981 to 1985. The 380 SL turned into the least effective of americaA imported R107 roadsters. Some of those vehicles additionally had a unmarried timing chain which needed to be serviced or changed with a double chain to keep away from critical engine problems. The greater effective 500SL with five.zero liter engine, comprised of 1980-1989, turned into now no longer to be had withinside the USA thru MB USA and turned into famous in "grey marketplace" import earlier than the advent of the 560SL (best made for the united states and Australian marketplace) in 1986-1989.
W 107 vehicles are taken into consideration with the aid of using lovers to be many of the first-rate searching SL's ever produced, with masses of power. Some say that whilst 107 vehicles may also have sacrificed a few overall performance, they gave a greater snug trip than the preceding era 113 vehicles.
Despite the bigger five.6 liter engine of the 560SL, the 500SL is recorded as being the quickest manufacturing 107 produced (in general due to the shortage of emission restraints.) The 500SL turned into posted with the aid of using Mercedes-Benz as having zero-60 instances of 7.four seconds for a pinnacle velocity of one hundred forty mph. Torque for the 500SL is 297@3200 rpm and for the 560SL 279@3250 rpm. The 500SL turned into now no longer to be had withinside the USA or Australian markets thru Mercedes Benz dealers.
The ultimate 107 made, a 1989 500SL painted Astral Silver, is living withinside the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, Germany.
