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What REALLY Happened with the Mercedes SL R107

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For eighteen years, Mercedes built a roadster that should never have existed. The R107 was only meant to be a transition, but it became a legend. From Hollywood to Dallas, from Bobby Ewing to Jennifer Hart: The story of the Mercedes that conquered America, disappointed Germany, and still became immortal. Why was it so ugly yet so beautiful? Why was it so slow yet became a myth so quickly? The true story of the longest-lived SL of all time.

#MercedesR107 #SL107 #MercedesSL #Dallas #HartToHart #BobbyEwing #JenniferHart #Hollywood #1970s #1980s #Roadster #Convertible #V8Engine #America #USA #18Years #LongProduction #Youngtimer #Oldtimer #GermanCars #AutomotiveHistory #SLClass #Pagoda #FriedrichGeiger #LuxuryRoadster #TVStar

15 Comments

@matthiasweidmann8135 2 months ago

The R 107 is one of the most beautiful cars ever built . A style icon .

@jasonpaigedumont 4 months ago

Ugly? The R107 is one of the most beautiful automobiles ever made. I’ve never read any material that even so much as eludes to it being an ugly automobile. In fact, its design inspired every Mercedes that followed for two decades after its release.

@tonychavez2083 6 months ago

nowadays even the most tired and run down 107's are at least $10K

@briannickerson6858 4 months ago

I was lucky. But I knew I was lucky. Last year, living in Maine, an owner of a Euro spec SL was selling. I had a US spec 450SL and sold it fast so I could buy and fit the Euro 280SL in my driveway. It’s a 1975 and remarkably original. Low mileage in Km converts to about 70,000 miles on the odometer. Some rust underneath, but I am having it fixed. Virtually no rust above and paint great at ten feet. The 280 six is considered underpowered. Maybe so, but this one goes like spit. Not a computer to be found in it and everything is manual, including side windows and the four speed stick. Very lucky, indeed.

@TmeChaniCal 7 months ago

Shouldn't have existed or a transition? Lost me in the first sentence.

@AntiqueDad 4 months ago

Bobby E-Wing? Pur-lease 😬

@JasonMeese-i5r 8 months ago

1971 to 1989 they got something right

@Kpeters 8 months ago

What is the source to say this was rushed? The styling was spearheading what was to come from Mercedes Benz from the complete lineup... W116, W123 etc etc. It's just a different aesthetic than the Pagoda. Another thing that people fail to mention is yes it looks big but it's about the same size as the Pagoda. So much of the criticism doesn't hold up. The only criticism I see as fair is not having manual transmissions for the V8's.

@mattiroth5902 8 months ago

video is not related to text at all.

@ChristerByklum-q5p 6 months ago

It wasn’t slow. It is slow by today’s standards, but it was a relatively quick car during its production years. Everything was much, much slower during the 70’s and 80’s.

@ashleygordon3467 2 weeks ago

utter tripe. The R107 was never meant to be an interim car. Just shows how irrelevant the opinions of critics can be.

@PGWOODIE82 2 months ago

How many times can this AI voice just say - too ugly - this car was beautiful. Most people thought it was beautiful. Just because a couple of people resisted the change doesn’t mean the whole of the world thought it ugly. That’s just insane and stupid.

@johnmcdonald1647 6 months ago

What's with this too big garbage, I daily drive my 1980 500SL and still amaze myself and onlookers with how small a car it actually is and how small a turning circle it has. Personally I've always thought the R107 was ahead of its time with its classic design and time has proven that to be correct.

@Farmer-bh3cg 4 months ago

1989 560SL with 67,000 miles. Only 8,900+ made for that last production year Mid spring to mid fall use. Garaged during winter snow months. Runs and handles like a dream. Goes like Gee Whiz ; 70 to 90 in the blink of an eye and brakes you don't need to bully.