QUALITY COUNTS

Timeless, beautiful and gathering popularity would be an apt way of describing the R107 Mercedes-Benz SL. Weighty would be another, but part of that comes as a result of its bombproof six- and eight-cylinder powerplants, thick steel construction and second-to-none build-quality. As such, while this Mercedes-Benz is no Lotus Elan or Mazda MX-5 when it comes to being lithe and nimble, the SL has been known to easily outlast many of their contemporaries. Treated properly, these machines have the potential to go on forever.

While it is a sports car, you wouldn’t describe the SL as an out-and-out performance motor. While it has adequate pace, boasting a 0-60mph time comfortably under the 10-second bracket, the refinement and looks were thought of more so. This focus on design has paid dividends today, as you can park a Mercedes SL anywhere and it’ll fit in.

The market for SLs has changed significantly in recent years. As the previous ‘Pagoda’ SLs started to sell for big money, increasing attention was paid to the then more accessible R107, ultimately driving the price up for exceptional quality vehicles. This also resulted in a number of cars entering the market, which helped