It is 1963 and the 59th Geneva Motor Show is underway. At the Mercedes-Benz stall stands a car that would go on to become one of the brand’s most treasured creations. The 230 SL was the direct replacement of not one but two cars that were among the most iconic in the world at that time. They were the 300 SL Roadster (W 198) which is popularly referred to as the “Gullwing” and the 190 SL (W 121) which is its convertible counterpart. The new car came with safety and comfort features that were ahead of its time. The SL 230 and all its successors were received with worldly acclaim would go on to stay in production until 1971.
Presentation of the car at the International Frankfurt Motor Show
The 230 SL was designed as a performance car that would give its passengers the comfort they required while touring across the country. The car was designed by legendary designer Friedrich Geiger, who also designed some other iconic cars from Mercedes-Benz including the 540K, 300 SL, W110, W108, and the 600 limousines. A special design feature in the car was the removable inwardly curved roof surface which some people thought was reminiscent of Asian temple buildings. This gave the car its iconic nickname, “Pagoda”. The Pagoda was also successful in motorsports as Eugen Böhringer and Klaus Kaiser took victory at the 5,000+ km Spa-Sofia-Liège marathon rally.
The rally car driven by Eugen Böhringer and Klaus Kaiser
What was most remarkable about these cars were the groundbreaking safety features they came with back then. The 230 SL featured a frame floor that came from the W 111 series that was shortened and reinforced to fit. It also had front and rear crumple zones that were designed to crush and absorb force upon impact. The car came with a chassis that was adopted from a saloon car which meant that it could be driven with a supreme amount of control and safety. The 230 SL was also the first SL car to come with 4-Speed automatic transmission as an option. Automatic transmission back in 1963, just imagine that. It also featured a disc brake setup at the front. But the 250 SL, which was its replacement would also feature rear disc brakes.
A sketch of the car by Mr. Friedrich Geiger
The cars were available with three engine options during its 8-year-long run. The 230 SL came with the M 127 2.3-litre six-cylinder engine that produced 150 hp and 190 Nm of torque. This gave the car its massive top speed of 200 kmph along with an acceleration of 11.1 seconds. The end of 1966 saw the replacement of the 230 SL with its successor, the 250 SL. This car featured an all-new M 129 2.5-litre inline 6 engine. Although the power figures and the top speed figure were identical to the 230 SL, higher torque numbers meant that the car could now accelerate from 0 to 100 kmph 1.1 seconds faster. Then came the 280 SL in 1968 with the even bigger 2.8-litre in-line six-cylinder M 130 engine. The M 130 produced higher horsepower figures of 170 hp. Although its top speed figure still stood at 200 kmph, the car now accelerated from 0 to 100 kmph in just 9 seconds. While this may not seem like much now, it was almost unheard of back then in 1968. The 280 SL was the most successful model in this line up.
The iconic 2.3-litre six-cylinder engine from the 230 SL
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This generation of the SL may not have achieved the same level of adoration as its predecessors. But that doesn’t make them any less good than they were and some may even argue that the Pagodas are slightly better. These cars are still sold in auctions around the world at eye-watering prices that are upward of GBP 100,000. The Pagoda will definitely make my list of the most iconic cars to ever exist and be among the best Mercedes-Benz ever produced.
