Description
Brutto Price 329. 000, 00 EUR
The 280 SL debuted in December 1967, and production continued until February 1971 when the model was replaced by the brand new and considerably heavier 350 SL (R107). Not least because of its lower weight, the 280 SL has a sportier edge than its successor, even though it is also a very capable grand tourer. Americans generally preferred the automatic transmission and more than half of the 23, 885 SLs built were sold in the US.
Earlier SLs came with the smaller 230 and 250 engines, and the M130 engine in the 280SL was the final and most powerful development of Mercedes Benz’s classic SOHC M180 6-cylinder engine.
All models were equipped with an inline six-cylinder engine with multi-port fuel injection. The bonnet, boot lid, door skins and tonneau cover were made of aluminium to reduce weight. The comparatively short and wide chassis, combined with an excellent suspension, powerful brakes and radial tyres gave the W113 superb handling for its time. The styling of the front, with its characteristic upright Bosch ‘fishbowl’ headlights and simple chrome grille, dominated by the large three-pointed star in the nose panel, paid homage to the 300 SL roadster.
The W113 was the first sports car with a ‘safety body’, based on Bela Barényi's extensive work on vehicle safety. It had a rigid passenger cell and designated crumple zones with impact-absorbing front and rear sections built into the vehicle structure. The interior was ‘rounded’, with all hard corners and edges removed, as in the W111 sedan.
