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Mercedes Benz 1972-1989 SL Roadster - SLC Rally Coup Resource Center (R107 - W107)
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Mercedes-Benz W107-R107 ProductionInformation From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mercedes-Benz 107 SL was a two-seat open roadster produced by Mercedes-Benz with various engines from 1971 until 1989. In October 1970 Mercedes presented the 350 SL, an open-top two-seat Roadster as successor to the 230/250/280 SL line featuring a 3.5 litre V8, as its name implies, and code-named Mercedes-Benz R107. The car stayed in production until 1989, when it was finally superseded by the R129 SL. This brand new SL-range had an extremely controversial design - way ahead of its time, this benchmark roadster had its own special unique appeal, offering (for the time and nevertheless now too) extremely powerful and refined performance. The R107 range has a unique lasting appeal owing to its sophisticated design and counterparts. The models ranged from the 6-in-line 280 to precisely double that - the 560 (not officially imported to Europe) with its exclusive 5.6 L V8 engine. In 1971 the 4.5 liter "350 SL" (230 hp) became available in the USA (the designation 350SL for the US market was designed to fool the German market who did not have access to the larger engine, and this name was kept until October 1972 when the official tag "450SL" was put on US cars). The 350/450SL was a rather low compression 4.5 liter engine (230 hp SAE, later reduced down in stages for fuel economy purposes to the final 160 hp SAE in 1980) designed to specifically meet US emission control laws in effect at the time. Later, a higher compression 450 SL (250 hp SAE) was made accessible to Europeans, too, joined in the wake of the first fuel crisis by the "economy" 280 SL with a fuel-injected six (185 hp). The 350 SL (later rechristened 450 SL) remained the only available model in the USA until 1980.
A reshuffling of engines took place in 1980. The 280 SL regained its former strength of 185 hp (after suffering a slight detuning to 177 hp in the late seventies), a 3.8 litre light alloy V-8 (218 hp) replaced the former 3.5 litre (down to 195 hp in final form) and a new 5.0 litre (240 hp) superseded the 4.5 litre engine (down to 217 hp)). Shortly after their introduction, the new V-8 engines underwent some detail work stressing fuel economy and diminishing their output slightly. In the USA, the 450 SL was replaced in 1980 by the 380 SL, detuned to 155 hp. The more powerful 500SL with 5.0 liter engine, produced from 1980-1989, was not available in the U.S. through Mercedes-Benz and was popular in "gray market" import before the arrival of the 560SL (only made for the USA and Australian market) in 1986-1989. Despite the larger 5.6 liter engine of the 560SL, the 500SL is recorded as being the fastest production 107 produced (mostly because of the lack of emission restraints.) The 500SL was published by Mercedes-Benz as having 0-60 times of 7.4 seconds for a top speed of 140 mph (230 km/h). Torque for the 500SL is 297@3200 rpm and for the 560SL 279@3250 rpm. The 500SL was not available in the U.S. or Australian markets through Mercedes Benz dealers. The last 107 made, a 1989 500SL painted Astral Silver, resides in the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, Germany.
The 107 chassis had the longest run of any Mercedes chassis, 18 years from 1971 to 1989. Some 237,000 107 chassis SL's were built. About two thirds were sold in the US. These 107 cars are larger, heavier and more costly than the previous generation W113 cars. Prices increased dramatically over the years. The earliest 107, the 1971 350 SL, sold for about $11,000. Eighteen years later, the last 107 model, the 560SL, sold for about $64,000.
From 1974 until the end of production, the front and rear bumpers of the U.S. model R107 grew out 8 inches (203 mm) on each end to comply with U.S. regulations. The 450 SL was produced until 1980. Some 450 SLs suffered from vapor lock and hard re-start because of the position of the catalytic converter.
The 107 Chassis European & US ModelsThe 280 SL of early 1971 was the last of the 113 cars. Next came the W 107 chassis, sometimes referred to as "R 107" for "Reihe" (series). The US models built on the 107 chassis were the 350 SL, 380 SL, 450 SL, and the 560 SL. (One of the European models of the 107 family was a "280 SL". This should not be confused with 280 SL of the earlier 113 chassis.) The 107 chassis had the longest run of any Mercedes chassis, 18 years from 1971 to 1989. Some 237,000 107 chassis SL's were built. About two thirds were sold in the US. Some writers and reviewers have commented that while the 107 engines were larger (3.8 and 4.5 liters compared to 2.8 liters of the last 113 cars), performance was not much improved because of the heavier weight and the US mandated emission fittings. Production of the first R107 car, the 350 SL, started in November 1970 alongside the last of the W 113 cars. An interesting sidelight is that when the first 350's were exported to the US, because of the strict horsepower robbing emission requirements, the US 350's were shipped with low compression 4.5 liter engines. A Mercedes Benz service person said that when these cars came in for service, his shop replaced 350 SL model badges with 450 SL badges. The front and rear bumpers each grew out about 8 inches after 1973 to comply with US safety regulations. Some regard the original shorter bumpers as giving a better look to the car.
Production Numbers
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