1990 Mercedes-Benz 500SL

The exclusivity of a vehicle is often guaranteed by its original price tag and practicality. For the 500SL Coupe/Roadster, which had seating for two passengers, it carried an MSRP of over $83,000 which put it out of reach for most consumers. Mercedes-Benz retired its classic Type 107 bodyshell in 1989, which had been in use for nearly two decades. Its replacement was a new, sleek and modern design known as the Type 129 (the fourth generation SL), introduced at the Geneva Motor Show, and combined aerodynamic styling with high-tech luxury and safety features. Motivation was courtesy of three different engine types - a 3.0-liter straight six, a 5.0-liter V8, and a 6.0-liter V12 (initially with the six and eight, and later joined by the twelve). An innovative feature of the new SL was the automatic roll bar, activated in a second in the event of a rollover and one of the first seen on any passenger car. The folding roof was operated by an electro-hydraulic system for the first time, activated at the touch of a button and taking just 30 seconds to raise or lower. Each SL came with a removable aluminum hardtop, complete with heated rear glass.

The Mercedes-Benz 500SL received a dual overhead camshaft, fuel-injected V8 offering 322 horsepower and 330 lbs-ft of torque. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in 6.2 seconds, and the top speed was achieved at 250 km/h (155 mph).

The front-engine, rear-wheel-drive Mercedes 500SL rested on a short, 99-inch wheelbase platform. In the front of the grille was the Mercedes-Benz Tristar emblem flanked by flush-style headlamps and wraparound parking lights. Located ahead of the doors were small air extractor vents, which were a 'nod' to the original 300SL gullwing coupe. Each roadster came with both a folding top and removable aluminum hardtop.

The only transmission available was the four-speed automatic. Both the driver and passenger had airbags for added safety. The suspension was new, with a five-arm multi-link set-up at the rear with an Adaptive Damping System. ABS was standard on all models.

Intended to be world leaders in their class, the 500SL was lavishly equipped in the best Mercedes-Benz tradition. Well-appointed, they came with standard luxury features like leather upholstery, airbags, electric seats, automatic climate control, a wind deflector, electric windows, and a Bose sound system.

AMG Motorenbau und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (AMG Engine Production and Development, Ltd.)
AMG was founded in 1967 as a racing engine forge by former Mercedes engineers Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher in Burgstall an der Murr, near Stuttgart. The name AMG represents 'Aufrecht, Melcher and Großaspach' (Aufrecht's birth Town). The company would gain a reputation for its ability to coax immense power from the Mercedes engine and enhance performance through finely-tuned mechanical components. Demand quickly outpaced the firm's production capabilities.

AMG's popularity escalated in 1969 with the introduction of the 'Rote Sau', a modified version of the 300 SEL 6.3 with its engine bored out to 6.8 liters. In competition, it placed second at the 1971 24 Hours of Spa.

In 1986, with the release of the AMG Hammer, it was the world's fastest passenger sedan at the time. Based on the W124 E-Class, AMG squeezed 360 horsepower from the 5.6-liter V8, endowing it with the ability to race from 60 to 120 mph faster than the Lamborghini Countach. Later examples were even more potent and rode on 17-inch AMG Aero wheels.

The re-engineered 560 SEC 6.0 'Wide-Body' Coupes were the ultimate development of the V-8 engines, now displacing 6.0-liters and benefitting from improved cam and ignition timing. The engines now delivered more than twice the torque and at 1/2 the RPM of the original Mercedes-Benz Factory design. Although the MSRP exceeded $200,000, the waiting list was extensive.

AMG worked its magic with the newly introduced R129 / 500SL Roadster, using the same 6.0-liter, quad-cam, four-valve V8 found in the last of the SEC wide-bodies. As few as 12 and as many as forty examples were built during a one-year-only production run from September of 1990 to July 1991.

In 1993, with more work than they could handle, Daimler-Benz AG and AMG signed a contract of cooperation, allowing AMG to leverage Daimler-Benz's extensive dealer network and leading to commonly developed vehicles.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2014