Mercedes-Benz SL 500 MAE
Description
Like all its siblings, this SL 500 from the R129 model series is a masterpiece of design and technology. Whether as a convertible or, thanks to the self-locking and unlocking hardtop supplied, as a coupé - the SL 500 always cuts a fine figure.
It catapulted its predecessor, the R107 from 1971 (also a great car), into the Stone Age back in 1989 with its pioneering technology. The new five-liter V8 sent a whopping 81 extra horsepower to the crankshaft. This was possible thanks to four valves per cylinder and four overhead camshafts with variable intake timing. It is no wonder that the R129 was already highly sought-after when it was launched and is still a universally applicable and classic sports car today.
But that was not enough for the previous owner of this interesting specimen. The well-known German Mercedes tuner MAE, long known as a synonym for Mercedes-Benz rims, had a finger in the pie here and, in addition to a sports exhaust, also gave the car a suspension and the very popular three-piece MAE rims.
But the measures were not enough, because there were still one or two MAE-R129s on the roads of Europe. More bling was needed, and the certificates for 24k gold plating, which are now in the glove compartment, suddenly made sense: the emblems at the front and rear as well as the 160 screws of the immaculate, newly built MAE rims were coated with pure gold - somewhat absurd, but if you drove an SL 500 in the 90s and wanted to stand out, you had to dig a little deeper into your pockets.
The second owner gave the car an electrical overhaul: the engine control unit, roof electronics, ignition locks and various sensors were replaced and the locking system was repaired. The slightly susceptible electronics of the R129 were professionally checked all round. The underbody is clean and new front wishbones have recently found a nice place to «balance».
The new black radiator grille, whose predecessor is supplied as an undamaged original part, provides a somewhat more modern look.
The car is delivered including a hardtop in the color of the car and the optionally ordered hardtop stand. The anthracite-colored SL comes fresh from service and MFK and since everything is registered and the modifications are contemporary, even an MFK as a veteran would be conceivable.
After more than thirty years, a few normal signs of wear from regular trips could not be avoided, but the car is in a very attractive condition.
And no, the rims are not sold separately.
You can find a video about this special SL at the bottom of this page.
This vehicle has already been sold.
Model history
Over 30 years ago, in March 1989, the new SL caused a sensation at the Geneva Motor Show. The R129 series combined a timeless design with sporty performance and luxury. The open-top sports car was a success and became the worthy successor to the 107 series, which had been around for 18 years by then.
The car has won several awards for its design and Bruno Sacco, the mastermind behind the clear lines of the R129, is happy to accept the prizes. The Benz wears a simple, clearly defined and accentuated dress and achieves a drag coefficient of 0.32 with its wedge shape and fitted hardtop - pretty decent for a luxury roadster.
Tinkering with the successor to the 107 began in the mid-1970s and continued while the W124 and W126 series went into production. The reasons for the long development phase included the open-top concept, which struggled with the safety regulations in the event of a rollover, and the plan to build a coupé version in parallel, which was never realized.
The solution was a world first: an automatic roll bar. After just 0.3 seconds, the pre-tensioned spring-damper unit automatically raised the bar in critical driving situations. Just as innovative were the electrically adjustable integral seats with belt tensioners and belt height and headrest adjustment, the wind deflector and, of course, the fully automatic fabric soft top, in which the control unit monitors the processes with 17 limit switches, among other things.
As in the long-running advertising program, there is still more to come: ADS. The modern suspension was the first to feature the Adaptive Damping System. Coupled with automatic level control, the ADS automatically adjusts the damping to the current driving conditions almost without delay.
People loved the innovative car and production ran at full speed right from the start until it ended in 2001 after several model modifications. In twelve years of production, 204,940 vehicles were produced and the best-selling model, with almost 80,000 units, was the 500 SL / SL 500 with a four-valve engine.
Details
- 142’000 km
- 1. inv. 01.09.1992
- MFK 21.02.2019 (will be made fresh)
- 4,969 cc V8 engine
- 320 HP
- Type certificate X
- Master number 418.029.432
- Chassis WDB 129 066 1F07 0236
- Unladen weight 1,800 kg
- Payload 390 kg
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