1998 MERCEDES BENZ SL (R129) 500 V8 5AT RWD (306 HP)

Vehicle Overview

It was the last stint for the fourth generation of the Mercedes-Benz SL, which brought a final set of innovations to the famous German roadster.

Mercedes-Benz SL appeared for the first time in 1954 after the American importer Max Hoffman convinced the German carmaker to build an open-top, two-seat, luxury roadster. He gave the nameplate idea to the carmaker. That’s how the legendary SL (Sport-Leicht or Sport-Light) was born. In 1989, the fourth generation was one of the fastest and luxurious roadsters on the market.

Unlike any other Mercedes-Benz available, the SL was built as a Grand Tourer, with room for two, a long hood, a short cabin, and an even shorter trunk. Its thick and raked A-pillars served as a safety arch to protect the occupants in an unlikely roll-over situation. In 1998, the carmaker introduced the SL’s final facelift, which brought body-colored door handles and different, rounded taillights. The side-vents behind the front wheel-wells were different, with two more sweeping cuts instead of three narrower ones as before.

Inside, Mercedes-Benz changed the interior almost completely. The dashboard looked similar, but the instrument cluster featured silver rings around the dials. Depending on the version, the car sported wood-trims or aluminum ones. For the sound system, Mercedes-Benz switched to the fiber-optic network instead of copper-based wiring, closely working with Bose for an excellent sound experience.

Under the hood, Mercedes-Benz offered four gasoline engine choices ranged between 204 hp and 394 hp. The latter was found on the S-Class as well. Another improvement was the introduction of the 5G-Tronic automatic gearbox.