Introduced in 1989, the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class R129 was the company's fourth sports car in a lineage that goes back to the 300 SL of the 1950s, itself inspired by the W194 race car. Just like its predecessor, the R107, the R129 remained in production for more than a decade. And to me, it's one of the prettiest two-door Mercs ever designed.
But the two-seat convertible was just about good looks. The R129 also broke cover with a selection of powerful engines, chief among them being a 5.0-liter V8 rated at 322 horsepower. In 1992, however, the German firm took things up a notch with a 6.0-liter V12 good for 389 horses and 420 pound-feet (569 Nm) of torque..
While the latter remained on offer until the R129 was discontinued in 2001, the inline-six and the V8 were replaced during an extensive facelift that occurred in 1998. And while the entry-level SL 280 gained some extra oomph, the SL 500 lost a bit of power. Specifically, the M113 engine that replaced the M119 arrived with 302 horsepower and 339 pound-feet (460 Nm) of twist on tap.
The R129 was also available with AMG upgrades. The SL 60 AMG featured a 6.0-liter V8 rated at 375 horsepower, while the SL 55 AMG got a 5.4-liter mill good for 349 horses. The high-performance division also built three different V12 versions, most notably the SL 73 AMG with a 7.3-liter lump that generated 518 horsepower.
The AMG versions are obviously the rarest iterations of the R129, which moved almost 205,000 units over 11 years. For instance, the 55 AMG and 73 AMG variants were sold in just 65 and 85 examples, respectively. However, some non-AMG SLs are also rare due to various drivetrain/options combinations. The 1999 SL 500 you see here is one of only 12 roadsters painted Sunburst Yellow.
But that's simply because the hue wasn't exactly popular back in the day. Most R129s from the era left the assembly line in either black, white, silver, or red. Some were finished in dark blue and dark green, but for some reason, customers found Sunburst Yellow to be inappropriate for the SL-Class. Well, as a big fan of classic Mopars finished in high-impact colors, this bright yellow R129 looks perfect to my eyes. As do the equally rare examples painted bright green and purple, two more SLs most of us will never see in the metal.
If you haven't seen a Sunburst Yellow R129 yet, the footage below by YouTube's "I Am Detailing" provides a great walkaround of one such example. All while showcasing a complex and entertaining detailing process. It includes dry ice cleaning, paint correction, and polishing, all returning the drop-top to a showroom-new look. And needless to say, the result is jaw-dropping.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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