2003 Mercedes-Benz SL500 W230 Convertible

Description

Ever since the launch of the legendary 300 SL ‘Gullwing’ in 1954, the Sport Licht (SL) series has served as Mercedes-Benz’s flagship sports car, from the fabulous ‘Pagodas’ of the 1960s through the long-running W107 range of the 1970s and 1980s, to the almost as long-lived R129 model (1989 – 2001). The arrival of the R230, introduced in 2001, continued the evolution of R129 with yet smoother body styling and new peanut-shaped headlamp design. This fifth-generation SL featured a retractable (rather than removeable) hardtop, Active Body Control (ABC), active suspension system, Keyless Go entry and smart key, and a Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) electro-hydraulic brake system. The troublesome SBC was later disabled by Mercedes-Benz in a large recall campaign. In 2006, the R230 received a minor cosmetic update and revised engine options, and then underwent a significant facelift in 2008 featuring new and revised engines and a new front end that evoked the classic 300 SL with a prominent 3-pointed star in the open-mouthed grille and twin "power domes" on the bonnet. Engines available in the R230 ranged from 3.0 litre V6s, through 4.7 and 5.5 V8, to the ultimate 6.0 litre V12. Production of the R230 SL finished in 2011, replaced by the R231.