Mercedes-Benz 500SL
Reviewed by Unique Cars and Parts
Our Rating: 3
Introduction
At the Geneva Motor Show in March 1980, an uprated version
of the 107 series roadster and coupe was presented; the
equipment of the interior (including at long last the
steering wheel) had been brought up to the standard of
the S-Class sedans - as had the cars technology.
The former 3-speed
automatic transmission was replaced
by a 4-speed version, and the light-alloy engines of the
S-Class were built into the 107 series models in slightly
modified form.
There were very few external differences to its predecessor;
the main external cosmetic change being the addition of
a black plastic rear spoiler.
Suspension upgrades included the use of a double wishbone
axle with coil springs and anti roll bar at front and
a diagnol swing axle at rear. Larger brake pads were also
introduced, and with that their longevity increased by
over 30%.
For the first time you could option your SL to have
ABS, but most importantly for a car with sporting
aspirations the new model featured much better acceleration
times, 0 - 100 km/h now taking just 7.8 seconds.
