A detailed review and drive of the iconic R129 Mercedes SL500 - in my opinion the best Mercedes SL ever. What makes it so special? A look at the interior and Mercedes-Benz had reliability and swagger under its belt, while the XJS was extremely outdated by the 1990s. A V12 straight from the factory was long overdue. The R129 wasn’t designed with a V12 in mind though, resulting in the engine bay being lengthened to accommodate the sheer size of the engine. 7. Royal Endorsement. The 5.0-liter, 32-valve, double-overhead-cam V8 under the hood of the SL 500 produces 322 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, giving the heavy roadster, with a curb weight of 4,165 pounds, a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds and a 155 mph top speed. In addition, Mercedes made an effort for the first time in years to actually make the engine sound SL550 : SL600 : SL63 AMG : SL65 AMG : Vehicle type : Two-seat coupe / roadster with power-operated retractable hard top: Two-seat coupe / roadster with power-operated retractable hard top What to look for when buying a Mercedes SL-Class 2002 - 2012, covering common problems to check for and overall vehicle reliability. Mercedes-Benz SL Class 5.5 SL63 V8 AMG SpdS MCT Euro 5 (s/s The SL stands for "super-light" in German but has evolved into a true luxury sports car, whether it's a coupe, roadster, or being amped up by the Mercedes-Benz tuning arm, AMG. Ahead of a new Mercedes-AMG SL (R232) R231 is a chassis code for the sixth generation of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class roadster, replacing the R230. The car was released in March 2012 and uses Mercedes-Benz's new 4.7 litre twin turbo V8 engine with a power output of 435 PS (320 kW; 429 hp). AMG version of the roadster will follow. Silver Arrows. Silver Arrows (German: Silberpfeil) is a nickname typically given to silver racing cars with a significant connection to a German car manufacturer. Although the term was coined in 1932, [1] [2] it came into popular usage regarding Germany's dominant Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Grand Prix motor racing cars between 1934 and 1939. hzit44G.